Waccamaw River: A blackwater river with its headwaters at Lake Waccamaw in North Carolina, a classic example of a Carolina Bay. Cypress-tupelo swamps, hundreds of creeks, lakes, and sloughs, alluvial river floodplain forested wetlands, longleaf pine ecosystems, and tidal and managed historic ricefields characterize this river system.

"Paddling South Carolina" by Gene Able and Jack Horan (pg. 64-66, 83)
"Horry and the Waccamaw" (later retitled "River Home") by Burroughs
"Waccamaw River Heritage Preserve Trail Guide" by SC Dept. of Natural Resources tel. (843) 546-3226

Upper Waccamaw River:

Length: Total 56.1 miles from NC Hwy. 904 to US Hwy. 501, Conway
Flow Rate: 1217 cfs / 32.8 mm gpm @ SC Hwy. 9, Longs
Flood Stage: 7 ft @ Conway Marina
Minimum Level: runnable year round below ? ?
Streamflow: US Geological Survey
Tidal: 3’ in Conway
Gradient: 0.2 ft/mi

USGS Topo Maps 1:100,000 Myrtle Beach
USGS Topo Maps 1:24,000 Pireway, Longs, Hammond, Shell, Nixonville, Conway, Calabash

Waccamaw River Primitive Camping 30 miles of riverfront between SC/NC stateline and SC Hwy. 31 (Red Bluff), SC Dept. of Natural Resources Heritage Trust Preserve tel. (843) 546-3226
Island Cabin and Primitive Camping just upriver of Star Bluff (between SC Hwy. 9 and Secondary Road 31 is available by calling Ricky Williams tel. (843) 528-3357

Lower Waccamaw River: The Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1997, will eventually encompass nearly 55,000 acres to protect and manage diverse habitats within a coastal river ecosystem for the benefit of over 400 species of freshwater and anadromous fish, migratory birds, and forest wildlife including plants and animals within the hardwood bottomlands.

Length: Total 48.0 miles from US Hwy. 501, Conway, to Winyah Bay, Georgetown
Flood Stage: 7 ft @ Conway Marina
Minimum Level: runnable year round
Streamflow: US Geological Survey
Tidal: 3’-5’

USGS Topo Maps 1:100,000 Myrtle Beach, Georgetown
USGS Topo Maps 1:24,000 Conway, Bucksville, Brookgreen, Plantersville, Waverly Mills, Georgetown South

Bucksport Marina & Restaurant Improved Camping on riverfront, LeGrand Weaver, tel. (843) 397-5566
Sandy Island House Mt. Rena south end of island on Waccamaw River, Wilma Cottage, tel. (843) 237-4504
Sandy Island Primitive Camping south end on Thoroughfare Creek, Guendalose Pltn., J. Furman Long tel. (843) 546-8962