Best Campgrounds in South Carolina

South Carolina’s diverse landscape offers everything from pristine coastal camping to serene mountain getaways. Whether you’re looking to fall asleep to crashing waves or wake up surrounded by towering pines, the Palmetto State has a perfect spot waiting for your tent or RV. Let’s explore some of the most breathtaking campgrounds that showcase the natural beauty and southern charm of South Carolina.

Hunting Island State Park

Number of Campsites: 100
Reservation Website: South Carolina State Parks Reservation System
Address: 2555 Sea Island Pkwy, Hunting Island, SC 29920

There’s something magical about falling asleep to the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore. Hunting Island State Park, nestled along the Atlantic coast, offers exactly this enchanting experience. The campground sits on a lush, semi-tropical barrier island that feels worlds away from everyday life.

Tall palm trees sway overhead as campers set up their sites just steps from the beach. The maritime forest creates a natural canopy, dappling sunlight across the campground and offering welcome shade during summer months. Each morning, the sky transforms into a painter’s canvas with vibrant oranges and pinks reflecting off the ocean waters.

The campground’s proximity to five miles of pristine beach means you can easily wander down to watch for dolphins playing in the surf or collect seashells along the shore. As the day winds down, climb the historic lighthouse for panoramic views of the sun setting over marshlands that glow golden in the fading light.

At night, the stars shine brilliantly over the dark waters, creating a celestial show rarely matched elsewhere in the state. The gentle salt breeze carries the distinctive fragrance of sea air through the campground, completing the coastal immersion.

Devils Fork State Park

Number of Campsites: 59 standard sites, 13 villas
Reservation Website: South Carolina State Parks Reservation System
Address: 161 Holcombe Cir, Salem, SC 29676

Tucked away in South Carolina’s scenic upstate region, Devils Fork State Park offers a camping experience centered around the crystal-clear waters of Lake Jocassee. This mountain-ringed reservoir with its surprisingly Caribbean-blue water creates a stunning backdrop for outdoor adventures.

The campground itself blends harmoniously with the surrounding hardwood forest. Sites are thoughtfully positioned among towering oaks and hickories that provide generous shade. In spring, the forest floor comes alive with delicate wildflowers, painting the landscape with splashes of color.

Morning mist rises from Lake Jocassee’s surface, creating an ethereal scene as the first light filters through the trees. The cool mountain air carries the earthy scent of pine needles and rich soil, invigorating your senses as you enjoy breakfast at your campsite.

During the day, the clear waters of Lake Jocassee beckon with their refreshing embrace. Unlike most lakes in the region, Jocassee maintains its remarkable clarity and cool temperature year-round, fed by mountain streams that cascade into the lake as stunning waterfalls.

As evening approaches, the surrounding mountains are silhouetted against the fading sky, and the chorus of frogs and cicadas fills the air with nature’s symphony. Few camping experiences in South Carolina offer this perfect blend of mountain tranquility and lakeside recreation.

Edisto Beach State Park

Number of Campsites: 112 standard sites, 7 cabins
Reservation Website: South Carolina State Parks Reservation System
Address: 8377 State Cabin Rd, Edisto Island, SC 29438

Where the maritime forest meets the sea, Edisto Beach State Park creates a coastal camping paradise on one of South Carolina’s unspoiled barrier islands. The campground offers two distinct camping environments: oceanside sites where the Atlantic’s blue horizon stretches endlessly before you, and sites nestled within the maritime forest where live oaks draped with Spanish moss create a quintessential Lowcountry setting.

The oceanfront sites place you mere steps from miles of fossil-strewn beach, where ancient shark teeth and shells tell stories of the ocean’s past. Early risers are rewarded with spectacular sunrises that paint the sky and sea with brilliant hues of orange and gold, gradually illuminating the pristine shoreline.

In the maritime forest section, camping takes on a different character. The dense canopy of twisted oak branches creates intricate patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. The air here is perfumed with the distinctive scent of salt marsh mingling with pine, creating an aroma unique to the Carolina coast.

As darkness falls, the beachfront transforms into an extraordinary stargazing platform. Without the interference of city lights, the night sky reveals its treasures—countless stars, planets, and occasionally, the streaking trail of a meteor. The gentle soundtrack of waves provides a soothing backdrop to this celestial display.

Throughout the campground, palmetto palms stand as iconic sentinels of South Carolina’s coastal environment, their distinctive silhouettes a constant reminder that you’re experiencing one of the state’s most beautiful coastlines.

Table Rock State Park

Number of Campsites: 94 standard sites, 14 cabins
Reservation Website: South Carolina State Parks Reservation System
Address: 158 Ellison Ln, Pickens, SC 29671

Dominated by the towering granite dome that gives it its name, Table Rock State Park offers a camping experience in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains’ southernmost edge. The dramatic backdrop of Table Rock Mountain creates a camping setting unlike any other in the state—where the morning sunlight paints the massive rock face in warm hues and the evening sun casts it in dramatic silhouette.

The campground nestles along the shore of Pinnacle Lake, where the mountain’s reflection shimmers on the water’s surface on calm days. Tall hardwood trees provide ample shade for campsites, their leaves creating a natural mosaic overhead that shifts with the breeze. In autumn, this canopy transforms into a spectacular display of reds, oranges, and golds.

Cool mountain streams meander through the camping area, their clear waters bubbling over smooth stones and creating a soothing natural soundtrack. The mountain air carries the clean scent of pine mixed with the earthy fragrance of fertile soil and decomposing leaves—nature’s perfume that changes subtly with each season.

As evening approaches, the temperature drops pleasantly, creating perfect conditions for gathering around a campfire. The night air grows still except for the occasional hooting owl or the distant call of whip-poor-wills. This peaceful mountain setting, with its dramatic natural features and abundant wildlife, exemplifies the beauty of South Carolina’s Blue Ridge escarpment.

Congaree National Park

Number of Campsites: 2 frontcountry campgrounds (10 sites at Longleaf and 25 sites at Bluff)
Reservation Website: Recreation.gov
Address: 100 National Park Rd, Hopkins, SC 29061

Within the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States, Congaree National Park offers a camping experience that feels like stepping back in time. This extraordinary floodplain forest hosts some of the tallest trees in eastern North America, creating a cathedral-like atmosphere beneath their towering canopy.

The backcountry campgrounds at Congaree provide an immersive experience in this ancient ecosystem. Massive loblolly pines and bald cypresses stretch skyward, their enormous trunks bearing witness to centuries of natural history. Many of these giants wear “skirts” of moss that mark past flood levels, telling stories of the river’s rhythmic rise and fall.

The forest floor is a complex world of its own—nutrient-rich soil supports an understory of young palmettos and a variety of ferns that catch dappled sunlight filtering through gaps in the canopy. During spring and summer, synchronous fireflies create magical evening displays, their coordinated flashing turning the dark forest into a natural light show.

The soundscape of Congaree is equally compelling—barred owls call “who-cooks-for-you” across the flooded landscape, while the knocking of woodpeckers creates a percussive counterpoint to the rustling leaves. When floodwaters are present, the forest transforms into a mysterious wetland world that can be explored by canoe or kayak, offering a perspective few other parks can match.

Hickory Knob State Resort Park

Number of Campsites: 44 standard sites, 18 cabins, plus lodge rooms
Reservation Website: South Carolina State Parks Reservation System
Address: 1591 Resort Dr, McCormick, SC 29835

Set against the scenic backdrop of Strom Thurmond Lake, Hickory Knob State Resort Park offers a camping experience complemented by unexpected amenities in a serene natural setting. The campground spreads across gently rolling terrain studded with mature hardwoods that provide welcome shade during South Carolina’s warmer months.

The nearby 71,000-acre lake creates a stunning panorama, its vast blue waters stretching toward the horizon. Early morning fog often hovers just above the lake’s surface, gradually burning off as sunlight filters through the tree branches. In these tranquil morning hours, deer frequently emerge from the woods to drink at the lake edge, their presence adding to the sense of being immersed in nature.

Throughout the campground, well-maintained sites nestle among flowering dogwoods and redbud trees that put on spectacular seasonal displays. In spring, their blossoms create bursts of white and pink against the emerging green backdrop. Fall brings its own palette when hardwoods transition to russet and gold.

As dusk approaches, the lake becomes a mirror for the colorful sunset sky, doubling the visual impact of nature’s evening show. The gentle lapping of water against the shoreline provides a soothing soundtrack as campfires begin to glow throughout the campground. With minimal light pollution, the night sky reveals its treasures, from familiar constellations to the misty path of the Milky Way.

Caesars Head State Park

Number of Campsites: 18 primitive backcountry sites
Reservation Website: South Carolina State Parks Reservation System
Address: 8155 Geer Hwy, Cleveland, SC 29635

For those seeking a more adventurous camping experience, Caesars Head State Park offers primitive backcountry sites that reward hikers with solitude and stunning mountain views. Perched along the dramatic Blue Ridge Escarpment, this park features a granite outcropping that rises 3,200 feet above sea level, providing some of the most spectacular vistas in the state.

The backcountry campsites require a hike to reach, ensuring a genuine wilderness experience away from the sounds of civilization. Most sites lie along the park’s extensive trail system, tucked into forests of oak, hickory, and maple trees. Campers fall asleep surrounded by the ancient stillness of the mountains, broken only by the gentle rushing of distant waterfalls or the call of a night bird.

In autumn, the forest transforms into a breathtaking tapestry of color, with red maples and golden hickories creating a canopy of warmth above the campsite. Spring brings its own magic when the forest floor erupts with wildflowers—trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, and lady slippers create splashes of delicate color among the rich green mosses.

The higher elevation provides relief from summer heat, with cool mountain breezes making even July and August comfortable for tent camping. On clear days, the views extend for more than 30 miles across the piedmont, creating a sense of vast openness despite being nestled in the forest.

As night falls, the distant lights of Greenville create a sparkling carpet far below, reinforcing the feeling of peaceful seclusion in the mountains. Few camping experiences in South Carolina offer this combination of challenge, natural beauty, and rewarding solitude.

Dreher Island State Park

Number of Campsites: 97 standard sites, 5 villas
Reservation Website: South Carolina State Parks Reservation System
Address: 3677 State Park Rd, Prosperity, SC 29127

Spreading across three islands connected by bridges, Dreher Island State Park offers a distinctive camping experience surrounded by the expansive waters of Lake Murray. The 12-mile long lake provides an ever-present backdrop of sparkling blue, visible from nearly every campsite through the frame of tall pine trees.

The campground hugs the shoreline, with many sites positioned just steps from the water’s edge. These lakefront spots offer uninterrupted views across the water, where distant sailboats catch the breeze and fishing boats drift lazily in protected coves. The constant presence of water creates a cooling effect, even during the height of summer.

Dawn breaks spectacularly over Lake Murray, with the rising sun painting streaks of gold and orange across the morning-still water. Mist often rises from the lake surface, creating an ethereal atmosphere as it drifts between the pine trunks. Osprey and bald eagles are frequent sights, soaring overhead before diving dramatically to catch fish.

The islands’ terrain varies from gently sloping hillsides to rocky outcroppings that provide natural observation points. Woodland paths wind between campsites, offering glimpses of white-tailed deer, fox squirrels, and a variety of songbirds that make their homes in the mixed pine and hardwood forest.

As evening approaches, the setting sun casts long reflections across the lake, turning the water to liquid gold before fading to deep blue. Night brings a celestial show reflected in the lake’s dark surface, creating the magical effect of camping between two star-filled skies.

Final Thoughts About Camping in South Carolina

South Carolina’s diverse landscape offers an impressive variety of camping experiences, from the misty mountains of the Upstate to the sun-soaked shores of barrier islands. Each campground showcases a different aspect of the state’s natural beauty, whether it’s the ancient trees of Congaree, the crystal waters of Lake Jocassee, or the fossil-rich beaches of Edisto.

What makes South Carolina’s campgrounds truly special is their accessibility throughout most of the year. With a mild climate, particularly in spring and fall, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy camping seasons that extend well beyond summer months. Winter camping, especially along the coast, offers solitude and wildlife viewing opportunities rarely found in more populated seasons.

Whether you’re seeking adventure, relaxation, or simply a deeper connection with nature, South Carolina’s campgrounds provide the perfect basecamp for exploration. From hiking through old-growth forests to paddling pristine waterways or simply watching the sunrise over the Atlantic, these destinations offer memories that will last a lifetime.

Pack your tent, load up your RV, or reserve a cabin—South Carolina’s natural treasures await your discovery at these exceptional campgrounds.