We are considering a last minute trip to Charleston, SC and enjoy being active. Beyond the historic side of this city, are there bike trails or areas that would be fine or road biking? Anyone know of bike outfitters in that area? Also saw a listing for Swamp Fox Passage Trail -- how far out of Charleston is this? Any other recreation ideas (rafting, kayaking, etc.) would be appreciated.

Don't know about bike riding in Charleston proper, but the one entrance point to Swamp Fox Passage Trail is in the Francis Marion National Forest at Awendaw, about half an hour out of Charleston, depending on traffic on Rt. 17 through Mt. Pleasant. I have used Coastal Expeditions for kayaking (also in Mt. Pleasant), see their website for info on rentals at Shem Creek -- you can see Charleston harbor or go through the salt marshes.

B/

Sorry if I'm too late for this one. If you are a serious mtb'er, you won't find anything to suit you near Charleston. The Swamp Fox Passage was heavily Motocrossed, sandy and flat. Scary snake-y as well.

For road biking, there are some group rides that start on the Johns Island side of town, if I'm not mistaken, the club name is Coastal Cyclists. Roads are generally heavily traveled in the low country because the need for bridges means all the traffic gets funneled together in places.

Sorry to be a downer, we have tried to find good bike options without much success in the past.

I hope you get some responses that will help me out as well!

Litespeed_Chick: are you the same one who often posted at the listservs/message boards that migrated through the domains
@cycling.org then @cyclery.com then @topica.com ??

rb: you mean there's another litespeedchick out there!?!

No, although I have been know to mouth off at MTBR.com and RBR.