Landsford Canal State Park protects a section of the historic Landsford Canal, built in the 1820s to bypass the rocky shoals of the Catawba River. The park is remarkable year-round, but it becomes extraordinary in May when the Rocky Shoals spider lilies bloom.
The largest known stand of Rocky Shoals spider lilies in the world grows in the Catawba River shoals here. When they bloom in mid-May, thousands of white flowers cover the rocks in the river for about two weeks. The viewing platform at the end of the trail gives you a front-row seat to one of the most spectacular natural events in South Carolina.
The trail to the viewing platform is about 1.5 miles round trip through mixed forest with views of the canal ruins and the river. The canal ruins themselves are historically significant and worth examining.