Lake Marion, SC Tubing/Skiing
#1
Admirals Club 

Thread Starter

We are trying to plan one last camping trip of the summer before october gets here.
Looking at trying a new place, normally we go to Tillery, Jordan Lake, Lake Waccamaw, ICW near Holden Beach.
But, we are trying to get some family living in SC involved so we are branching out to SC Lakes.
Lake Marion is looking like the best bet as far as driving for both families.
I searched this forum but couldn't come up with conclusive answers.
We will be taking 3 kids and the idea is that we will be tubing and possibly ski trainer. Any sand bar areas?
Is this lake ok for that? I've read reports of logs/stumps/hazards in the water.
TIA
Looking at trying a new place, normally we go to Tillery, Jordan Lake, Lake Waccamaw, ICW near Holden Beach.
But, we are trying to get some family living in SC involved so we are branching out to SC Lakes.
Lake Marion is looking like the best bet as far as driving for both families.
I searched this forum but couldn't come up with conclusive answers.
We will be taking 3 kids and the idea is that we will be tubing and possibly ski trainer. Any sand bar areas?
Is this lake ok for that? I've read reports of logs/stumps/hazards in the water.
TIA
#3
Senior Member



Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Suburb of Sugar Tit SC
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Marion is stumpy. Murray or upstate lakes are more watersports friendly.
#5
Senior Member


My neighbor did an AirBNB for a home on Lake Murray about a month ago and came back stoked about it.
Not sure exactly where he was, but it was in Chapin and up the lake a bit.
They liked it so much they booked another week in the same place next year.
Not sure exactly where he was, but it was in Chapin and up the lake a bit.
They liked it so much they booked another week in the same place next year.
#6
Senior Member




Lake Marion is the upper lake of the 2 lakes known as "Santee Cooper". Lake Marion is loaded with stumps from the timber that was left when flooded. It's a great fishing lake, not so much for anything else....
#7
Admirals Club 

Thread Starter

I’m reading this as tubing is a no go with lake Marion.
the family we are going with have just bought a place on Murray. But, we want to take the kids camping as well.
the family we are going with have just bought a place on Murray. But, we want to take the kids camping as well.
#8
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Most beautiful place on earth to camp and perfect this time of year would be at Devils Fork State Park on Jocassee. Good luck getting weekend slots though. My understanding is they have been booked solid for months.
#9
Admirals Club 

Thread Starter

Thanks for all the help. Upstate lakes are a bit too far for us. 4 hours of driving is passing a lot of good places and we can only go for the weekend. Looks like everything is books up solid!
#10
Senior Member

However, Lake Moultrie is just south of Marion (connected), and you can tube all over the place there. Have done it several times. It has some stumpy areas too, but much less. And the middle of the lake is very deep.
#11
Admirals Club 


I would go to Moultrie instead of Marion. I have only been on Marion a handful of times, and we put in up near 95 and run down to blacks to go eat. We stay in the marked channel. One time we went and the lake was down a little and there are literally telephone pole sized trees right below the water line all over the place outside of the channel. I saw boats running in various areas outside the channel and they are one of two things, very knowledgeable about the area or lucky as hell and want to buy a new lower unit at some point.
There are gators in both lakes but they normally don't want to be bothered, but keep that in mind if you're taking pets.
There are gators in both lakes but they normally don't want to be bothered, but keep that in mind if you're taking pets.
#12
Admirals Club 


One other thing, take some decent sized rods and get some chicken livers and soak a bait for catfish, if you're into that. That lake is a well known cat fishery (is that a word)? There are charters on the lake that is all they target. Me and my buddy go out there and catch them and we don't really have a clue what we are doing. It doesn't seem that complicated. (no disrespect to the guides, they out fish us for sure)
#13
Junior Member

We tube there often. You just need to know the area. The Wyboo area is a good place to ski, tube or whatever else you'd like to do. We usually pull the tube from the Mill Creek area to the 95 bridge. Stay in the channel if your unfamiliar with the lake because everyone is right when they say its stumpy.
Last edited by Red Raider; 09-14-2020 at 05:51 PM.
#14
Senior Member

Grew up tubing and skiing on Marion every weekend in the summer. Had a place at Mill Creek. Never hit a stump, but didn’t venture out into the middle of the lake, either. Hug the old river bank up towards 95 and all is good.