Photo by Carroll Foster
After checking in with the ranger at Landsford Canal State Park, my husband and I launch our kayaks and begin the journey down the Catawba River. Threading our way through the Class II rapids, we keep our eyes on the horizon in search of a natural wonder found only in South Carolina—the world’s largest colony of Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies.
Half a mile later, we round a bend, and the spectacle takes shape before our eyes. Tall, green stalks with white blossoms and yellow centers—more than 20 acres of them—rise from barely submerged boulders to create an archipelago of flowers.
While most visitors choose to admire this massive floral arrangement from a convenient viewing platform on the riverbank, late-May kayak trips to see the lilies in peak bloom have become an annual start-of-summer ritual for experienced paddlers, says park ranger Don Oneppo.
“I do not recommend those new to kayaking take the journey down the river, because of the rocky and unpredictable waters,” he says. “However, if you are familiar with the sport, that is the best way to view the lilies.”
In a kayak, you can beach your boat on exposed rock to clamber over the outcroppings in search of the perfect spider-lily photo. Taking care to respect the rare plants, you can wade through the narrow channels that flow like a maze throughout the shoals, feeling the cold water on your feet and the warm sun on your face. Or you can paddle into the middle of the natural bouquet and luxuriate in the quiet calm of it all, practically submerged in the sturdy flower stalks.
“We don’t want people jumping up and down in them or picking flowers,” says park manager Al James, “but they are really resilient. That’s the reason they’re still out there.”
My husband, preferring to paddle along the edge of the lily beds, is busy catching bass and catfish, and we both lose track of time until the late-afternoon sun begins to dip toward the tree line.
The trickiest part of any paddle trip to the spider lilies is leaving—both summoning the will to depart and finding your way to the park’s take-out point. Following James’ advice, I climb up on the rocks to get a good visual fix on the observation deck about 300 yards away.
Peeling out into the current, we angle our way toward that structure, hugging the right riverbank to ensure we’ll follow the correct series of narrowing creeks that lead to the marked takeout point another half-mile downstream.
On both legs of the journey, there are rapids to navigate, and kayak trips are always conducted at your own risk, James says. Experienced paddlers know to check the river stage before setting out to see the lilies. The ideal water flow is between 2,000 to 3,000 cubic feet per second. Any lower and you’ll scrape bottom the whole way. Anything over 4,000 cubic feet per second effectively doubles the water height and turns small rapids into dangerous big ones. To help paddlers plan their trips, the park’s website includes links to river-stage data.
We end our visit with a leisurely stroll along the 1½-mile Canal Trail, which runs through the well-preserved remains of the Landsford Canal system. Built and operated in the 1800s, the canal allowed riverboats to bypass the rocky shoals. Building the canal was no small engineering feat, and for decades, it served as a vital transportation route for our state. But having visited the lilies, I can’t help but think those industrious watermen missed out on one heck of a beautiful show.
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Facts about Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies
They’re rare. The plants are found only in shallow, rocky rivers in South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. The 20-acre colony at Landsford Canal State Park is the largest in the world and the easiest to access.
Catch ‘em while you can. Blooming season runs from April to September, but peak blooms are found from mid-May to mid-June. That’s when the shoals are a solid field of white blossoms.
Humble beginnings. The flowering stalks grow from walnut-sized bulbs that stay lodged year-round in the crevices of the submerged rock. Each bulb produces three to five stalks; each stalk produces five to eight flowers. Each flower blooms for about one day.
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Get There
Landsford Canal State Park is located at 2051 Park Drive near Catawba.
HOURS: Dawn to dusk
FEES: $2 per person; $1.25 for seniors and free for children under 16. From May 1 to June 30, fees are $5 for adults, $3.25 for seniors and $3 for children ages 6–15.
2017 LILY FEST: The park holds an annual festival to celebrate peak blooming season with live music, food vendors and botanists on hand to provide in-depth information on the Spider Lilies. The event always falls on the third Sunday in May, putting this year’s celebration on May 21 from noon to 5 p.m. The festival is free with park admission.
DETAILS: Park office hours are 11 a.m. to noon daily. Call (803) 789-5800 or visit southcarolinaparks.com/landsfordcanal.