As I continue to take it easy as I rehab my foot, I went looking for a short, but flat hike. I realized I had never explored Santee Lakes, and a stroll around them would fit my requirements perfectly. We found street parking and took the stairs down into the park. If you want to drive into the park formally, the city of Santee does charge a small fee. As soon as we reached the lake shore, a few geese were milling about.
We decided to follow the shoreline in a counter-clockwise manner. Along the grassy shoreline, we passed quite a few folks trying their luck at catching the catfish that swim in these waters. And judging by a few anglers, they seem to have some good success.
Picnic areas also dot the shoreline, and we passed folks celebrating a child’s first birthday, a corporate party, and a baby shower. The east side of the shore has quite a few trees along it, providing some nice shade. As we neared the camping area of Santee Lakes, we opted to take the path to the west side of the lakes and head back toward our car.
We followed the sidewalk as it worked its way along the western shores. Soon we reached the path that divided Lake 1 and Lake 2 and back to our starting point. I can see why this is a popular spot for folks to get their walking time in. Our stroll covered just over 2 miles in about 46 minutes, just the right distance for the foot.