Outdoor Adventures

Pack’s Landing is a family-run service base on upper Lake Marion near Pinewood, South Carolina. It can help anglers stage a trip with bait, tackle, fuel, guided fishing and lodging, while the Lake Marion Passage of the Palmetto Trail passes through the landing area. This guide explains what is confirmed, what to verify by phone, and how Pack’s Landing differs from the public Rimini Landing launch already covered nearby.

Pack’s Landing quick facts

• Address: 9890 Packs Landing Road, Pinewood, SC 29125
• Phone: 803-452-5514
• Setting: upper Lake Marion in the Santee Cooper system
• Confirmed services: bait and tackle, fuel on the water, USCG-certified guided fishing charters, and mobile-home rentals for groups of up to six
• Trail connection: Lake Marion Passage of the Palmetto Trail
• Best pre-trip step: call ahead to confirm current hours, service availability, prices, and any access terms

The current Pack’s Landing website says the business has been family owned and operated since 1947. It lists the address, phone number and services above, but it does not publish dependable operating hours, ramp terms, fuel availability by day, or current fees. Those details should be confirmed directly before making the drive.

Do not confuse Pack’s Landing with Rimini Landing

Similar names create an easy planning mistake. Pack’s Landing is the family-operated service base at 9890 Packs Landing Road. Rimini Landing is the separately documented public Lake Marion launch at the road’s end. A map or local conversation may use the names loosely, but they should not be treated as interchangeable when you are checking parking, launch lanes, fees or business services.

If your main need is a verified public launch, use the Rimini guide and the official public-ramp information linked there. If you need bait, tackle, on-water fuel, a guide or rental information, call Pack’s Landing. Do not assume that a public-ramp rule or facility description applies to private property nearby.

Directions and arrival planning

For the business, navigate to 9890 Packs Landing Road, Pinewood, SC 29125. The official South Carolina Trails directions approach from US 378, turn south onto SC 261, continue through Wedgefield to Camp Mac Boykin Road, follow the right fork toward Rimini, then turn west onto Packs Landing Road. Road names and navigation routing can change, so save the street address rather than relying on a generic “Pack’s Landing” map label.

Arrive with enough daylight to read property signs and separate the business area, trail route and public launch. Park only where permitted, keep turnaround space open, and ask before leaving a vehicle for an extended hike or paddle shuttle. The sources reviewed do not establish overnight-parking permission.

Bait, tackle, fuel and guided fishing

The landing’s own site confirms a bait-and-tackle store and gas located on the water. That makes it a useful last stop for an upper-lake trip, but availability can vary. Call before relying on a particular bait, fuel type, guide date or early-morning opening.

Pack’s Landing also advertises USCG-certified guided fishing charters. Ask what species the trip targets, what tackle and bait are included, where the trip meets, how weather cancellations work, and whether the quoted rate includes a fishing license. A guide’s availability does not replace the angler’s responsibility to hold any required license and follow current limits.

Upper Lake Marion fishing in September

Lake Marion supports largemouth bass, crappie, bream, catfish and striped bass. The upper lake adds shallow flats, grass, cypress, backwaters, river-channel current and extensive woody cover to the planning equation. A productive pattern can change quickly with water movement, temperature and wind.

In its September 2026 update, SCDNR’s freshwater fishing trends says Santee Cooper bass fishing should improve as fish use grass and chase bait; topwaters, worms and Chatterbaits are among the reported approaches. Crappie may begin the month around deeper cover before moving toward mid-depth and shallower brush. Catfish can be scattered, making both drifting and anchored presentations relevant depending on depth and time of day.

The upper-Lake Marion report associated with Pack’s Landing notes bass over grass, catfish in shallower water off the river channel when current is present, and bream on flats when lake level is low. Treat those as a dated seasonal snapshot, not a guarantee. Confirm the latest report and adjust to the water in front of you.

Fishing licenses and current rules

Most anglers age 16 and older need an appropriate South Carolina fishing license unless an exemption applies. Check the 2026–2027 South Carolina Hunting and Fishing Laws and Regulations for current seasons, creel and size limits, legal methods and boating requirements. The 2026–2027 guide is the current edition; do not rely on the expired 2025–2026 booklet.

Carry the license that applies to your activity and verify species rules on the day of the trip. A marina report, guide conversation or older screenshot is not a substitute for the current regulation source.

Palmetto Trail access at Pack’s Landing

The Lake Marion Passage is a 35.9-mile Palmetto Trail segment along the reservoir. South Carolina Trails identifies Pack’s Landing as an alternate starting point. At the Pack’s Landing parking area, trail users cross toward the lake side and follow the boardwalk in the direction of Sparkleberry Landing.

Current trail notices matter. The agency warns that a section near Elliott Millpond Road is washed out and provides a road detour using McKnight Drayton Road, Emerald Drive, Governor Richardson Road, Old River Road and Packs Landing Road. The off-road area between Pack’s Landing and Sparkleberry can be very low and wet after rain. Wear footwear that can handle mud and standing water.

• The trail page lists no trail fee, but says camping fees vary.
• Dogs and night bicycling are not allowed on this passage.
• Do not park in Santee National Wildlife Refuge.
• Wear bright, visible colors during hunting seasons from mid-August through January.
• Expect snakes and possible alligator encounters near wet shoreline habitat; give wildlife space.

Lake level and navigation hazards

Lake Marion’s target elevation changes seasonally, and shallow upper-lake water makes level checks especially useful. Open Santee Cooper’s lake-data page before departure and compare the current gauge with your route and boat draft.

Lake Marion contains flooded timber, stumps and floating wood. Use marked navigation channels where possible, slow down outside them, and keep a dedicated lookout. Do not treat a phone map or an old GPS track as proof of a clear route. Wind, thunderstorms and changing water levels can turn a familiar line into a hazardous one.

• Wear a properly fitted life jacket and carry an approved PFD for everyone aboard.
• Check fuel, battery, steering, lights and the drain plug before launching.
• Keep children in PFDs near docks and shore edges.
• Do not tie to channel markers or anchor in an active channel.
• Leave a float plan and expected return time with someone ashore.

Facilities and accessibility

The regional tourism listing identifies accessible parking and an accessible entrance, but it does not document the complete route to every service, dock or trail feature. Surface conditions, slopes and water levels can affect real-world access. Visitors who need a specific accommodation should call Pack’s Landing before travel and describe the exact route or service they need.

No reliable official source reviewed confirms current restroom hours, shower access, public Wi-Fi, overnight parking, launch fees or a universally accessible dock. Omit those assumptions from the plan until staff confirms them.

Nearby alternatives

• Rimini Landing is the nearby verified public-ramp option.
• Sparkleberry Landing is the better fit for a cypress-swamp paddling plan.
• Low Falls Landing provides another upper-Lake Marion public access on the Calhoun County side.
• Santee State Park combines documented ramps, an accessible fishing pier, camping and park trails farther down the lake.

Plan the visit

Pack’s Landing is most useful as a practical upper-lake base: confirm bait and fuel, arrange a guide or rental if needed, check the September fishing report, and use the official trail notice before setting out. Keep the public Rimini ramp information separate, save the precise street address, and call 803-452-5514 for current business details.

Information verified September 2, 2026. Business hours, services, prices, trail conditions, lake level and regulations can change; check the linked sources and posted notices before travel.