Quick Links: Chattooga River | Congaree River | Edisto River | Saluda River

Chattooga River Tubing

The Chattooga River flows 57 miles through 3 states before it empties into Lake Tugalo and combines with other rivers to eventually form the Savannah River. It forms the border between Georgia and South Carolina through much of it’s journey and is classified as a “Wild & Scenic River” which offers it protection from development. Due to the many Class IV+ rapids, it’s a popular river to raft, canoe, and kayak, but the first 2 sections, with only Class II rapids, are excellent for an exciting tubing in South Carolina experience. With the multiple National Forests nearby, there is plenty of opportunity for primitive camping and not too far of a journey to nearby cities that offer more modern amenities.

Congaree River Tubing

The Congaree River is formed when the Saluda and Broad Rivers combine near the state capital, Columbia. In fact, the take-out for the float in the Saluda River section below, that begins at the Riverbanks Zoo and ends at Congaree Park, is terminated where the Saluda and Broad rivers meet, making the river very wide and shallow at this point. The Congaree River only flows for 47 miles before combining with the Wateree River to form the Santee and finally ending its journey in the Atlantic Ocean. Tubing in South Carolina wouldn’t be possible without the vast river systems the Congaree is part of. The river flows through the fall line making for some welcomed ripples to break up the slower sections of the float.

Edisto River Tubing

The Edisto River flows 250 miles from the midlands of South Carolina to Edisto Beach where it ends it’s journey in the Atlantic Ocean. It is the longest free flowing blackwater river in North America, which makes it a unique experience for tubing in South Carolina. In addition to tubing, it is a great river to canoe or kayak due to it’s slow and easy flowing nature. Much of the river is uninhabited and the river only flows through one major city. This makes the river a dream float for outdoor lovers young and old. There’s camping offered at Givhans State Park, but for a truly unique experience, consider renting one of the Edisto River treehouses, where you’ll paddle in and enjoy the serene off-grid experience nested in the trees just off the river.

Saluda River Tubing

The headwaters of the Saluda River begin as a cold stream in the Blue Ridge Mountains flowing freely through Jones Gap State Park. It officially becomes the Saluda River near Greenville, SC and flows nearly 200 miles, through multiple dams, where it joins the Congaree River in Columbia, SC and finally exits into the Atlantic Ocean through the Santee River. Like many rivers in South Carolina, it is named after an Indian tribe that shared the river’s beauty and resources, but is now endangered from becoming highly developed and dammed to the point where it requires protection. It offers multiple river tubing opportunities along the way and perhaps the most popular tubing in South Carolina is on this river, when it flows through the capital, Columbia, where the higher population density is within minutes of the excitement this river has to offer.