Fort Mill Dam Access To River Park

‍Fort Mill Dam Access to River Park

Experience the beauty of the Catawba River with a self-guided 8-mile paddle from Fort Mill Dam Access to River Park. This peaceful stretch offers smooth currents, wooded riverbanks, and occasional wildlife sightings — ideal for beginners and casual paddlers alike. The trip takes about 5-6 hours and includes everything you need: kayak, paddle, life vest, and shuttle transportation. Just arrive at the starting point, hit the water, and enjoy the ride — we’ll meet you at River Park to pick you (and the gear) up. Perfect for families, couples, or anyone looking for a relaxing outdoor adventure right here in Fort Mill.

What's Included

• Up to 10 Kayaks **
• Paddles
• Life Vests
• 1 Waterproof Hard Case
• 1 Waterproof Bag
• Kayak Transportation
• Pickup At The Final Point
• Transportation Back To The Launch Point **

Kayak Information & Availability

You can rent up to 10 kayaks per excursion or group. If more are needed, please contact us at 704.614.8998. Our fleet sizes are:

• 6 Adult Kayaks (Up to 350 lb capacity - kayak is 9.5 ft long)
• 4 Child Kayaks (Up to 250 lb capacity - kayak is 6.5 ft long)

Adults under 250 lbs. and not taller than 6ft 2 inches can comfortably fit in the smaller kayaks. We recommend assigning kayaks appropriately for your guests based on their preferences. If there are guests over 350 lbs in your group, please give us a call before booking. We may be able to secure a larger kayak depending on availablilty.

Location Information

Launch Site: 2541 New Gray Rock Rd, Fort Mill, SC 29708

Finish Site: 1782 Quality Cir, Rock Hill, SC 29730

Water Levels & Safety Information

Water levels in this section of the Catawba River are influenced by scheduled releases from the Lake Wylie Dam. Recreational releases typically occur Friday through Sunday from April to September. You can view the release schedule here. Upon arrival we will inspect the water level to make sure it is safe to kayak and provide any information pertaining to the route conditions.

Safety always comes first—never risk your well-being trying to retrieve a kayak or paddle. A lost kayak may incur a fee if unrecoverable, and lost paddles or gear will be charged based on replacement cost. We’ll always do our best to help you recover items safely, but please prioritize yourself over the gear. We understand accidents happen and will never be upset for you choosing your life over a lost kayak.

Transportation Information

We will make sure to meet you and your group at the launch point at your scheduled time. Parking may be busy depending on the time of day and weather. Do not park on the sides of the public roads outside of the park gate. You will be towed. If parking in a trailer parking spot, make sure you do not block someone in and make sure you do not get blocked in. If your group is traveling in 2 or more cars, you can park behind each other in the trailer parking spot.

For the river kayaking in groups of 5 or more, we recommend allowing the drivers to get a ride back to the launch point first. From there, they can pick the rest of the group up, or can wait for us to pick up the rest of the group. We have limited seating, and are unable to carry all kayakers (over 4 people) at once. We will have to make either 2 or 3 trips. We will transport all the kayaks and gear on our vehicle to the launch point and at the final point.

We are working on adding a passanger van to our fleet soon!