7 Best State Parks in South Carolina for Camping
Vintage camper at Hunting Island State Park near Beaufort, SC
Your family can spend some wonderful weekends at the best state parks in South Carolina for camping!
While South Carolina is known primarily for its beaches near Charleston and its rolling foothills near Greenville, the state is also a hidden gem for camping.
The South Carolina State Parks system is fantastic, offering clean, well maintained and natural camping spots from the Atlantic coast to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
As native South Carolinians, my family has had the opportunity to camp all over the state, so you know these recommendations come from real experience.
All of the suggestions below offer options for both tent camping and RV camping, so you’re covered no matter how you’d like to experience your weekend outdoors.
Get the tent or the camper out and start preparing for your next South Carolina camping trip!
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Best State Parks in South Carolina for Camping
Sunset on Lake Murray | source
Located in the middle of South Carolina, this campground is sought after for its 2 lakefront campgrounds.
PIN ME!
There are 97 paved sites that can accommodate both RVs and tent campers, while another 15 sites are reserved for tent campers only.
You’ll feel as if you’re a million miles away from everything as you set up in your camping spot.
The entire state park is located on an island in the middle of Lake Murray, so you don’t have to go far for relaxation.
While there are limited hiking options in the park, the real star of the show here is the lake itself.
You can join fellow campers as they fish for bass, perch, crappie, and trout, or you can spend a leisurely day kayaking or canoeing on the placid lake.
On hot, humid days, cool off by jumping into the lake next to your campsite!
Columbia, South Carolina, is the hottest city in the state, so you’re sure to have some perfect lake days.
What’s near to Dreher Island
Columbia, South Carolina, is less than an hour from Dreher Island State Park, which makes it busy during the University of South Carolina football home games.
If you’re visiting during the fall months, reservations are strongly encouraged as the campground often fills up.
It’s also an easy day trip from South Carolina’s only national park! Check out our Congaree National Park itinerary for ways to plan your time there.
Why Dreher Island State Park is great for camping
lake front campsites
campsite canoe/kayak launching
Get the perfect camping set up for your family with this comprehensive guide on pop up campers vs. travel trailers!
Edisto Beach State Park
The two camping sites within this property provide 2 tranquil and unique camping opportunities.
The younger Camping Kiddo at the Edisto Environmental Education Center
The Beach Campground at Edisto Beach State Park offers the ONLY beachfront camping sites in all of Charleston County.
Sites 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, and 40 are just steps away from the beach.
These are wildly popular, so book ahead!
The Live Oak Campground is about 2 miles inland from the beach, but offers up ancient oaks dripping with Spanish moss and marshfront sites.
If you’d like a marsh view, opt for sites 112-114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124-125, and 126-130.
The nearby Edisto Environmental Education Center can be accessed from the Live Oak Campground with an excellent hike by the onsite Native American shell ring trail.
Take the 1.7 mile Spanish Mount Trail inside the campground to the 0.4 mile Big Bay Trail for an afternoon of eco-learning!
What’s near to Edisto Island State Park
Edisto Beach has been a favorite of Lowcountry families for decades, and this sleepy island community is a destination unto itself.
There are plenty of things to do in Edisto Island from the Edisto Serpentarium to the weekly arts fair.
If you need more excitement, head back into Charleston, which is about 45 minutes away.
Try one of the activities below, or explore one of the many great hiking trails in Charleston.
Why Edisto Beach State Park is great for camping
quiet island vibe,
marsh and beachfront sites
level sites
kid-friendly hiking trails
Make your camping experiences even better with everything on our list of must haves for your travel trailer!
Huntington Beach State Park
Start your day at one of the least crowded beaches in the Grand Strand, and end your night watching the stars twinkle above your campsite.
Atalaya at Huntington Beach State Park
As one of the 4 beachfront state parks in South Carolina, Huntington Beach is a special place that causes people to return again and again.
Much of the rest of the beach in the Myrtle Beach area is dominated by hotels and high rise condos, but the park offers up 3 miles of undeveloped and largely unspoiled beach access.
After you’re done with the beach, do the short, flat Sandpiper Pond Trail.
This 2 mile hike is great for little hikers who will be interested in seeing the gnarled oak trees, herons, alligators, and snakes along this inland forest stretch.
Choose from the 2 onsite campgrounds: the North Campground and the South Campground.
The North Campground is larger with 2 big loops.
The odd numbered sites between 1 and 33 are closest to the beach, but do not have beach views as there are larger erosion berms to protect the fragile ecosystem.
In the South Campground, sites 156F-174F are on the site of the street closest to the beach with sites 166F and 167F located directly on the beach access path.
Again, you won’t have beach views because of the protective berm, but you’ll be able to catch plenty of ocean breezes.
Don’t forget to explore the beautiful historic home, Atalaya, which once served as the beach home for a wealthy philanthropist and sculptor.
What’s near to Huntington Beach State Park
Just across Highway 17 from Huntington Beach State Park is the incredible Brookgreen Gardens.
When this area was still owned by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington, both the State Park and Brookgreen Gardens were part of one huge property.
Anna Hyatt Huntington was an accomplished sculptor, and many of her pieces can be seen in Brookgreen Gardens.
Additionally, there is a kids play area, butterfly garden, petting zoo, marsh boat tours, and art walks.
Brookgreen Gardens is one of our FAVORITE places to go on the Grand Strand with kids.
If you’d like to make a day trip from Huntington Beach State Park, I recommend Hampton Plantation State Historic Site in McClellanville, which is an easy 45 minutes south on Highway 17.
Why Huntington Beach State Park is great for camping:
beachfront sites,
historic property,
close to Myrtle Beach,
level lots
Hunting Island State Park
The Camping Kiddos at the driftwood beach at Hunting Island State Park
Hunting Island State Park is the number one most visited park in South Carolina thanks to its beautiful private beach, hiking trails, and historic lighthouse.
Start at the Visitors Centers to get a hiking trail map and plan your time.
Then, head out onto one of the many trails to soak in the beauty of this Lowcountry gem.
A great introduction for kids or beginning hikers is the quarter-mile Marsh Boardwalk Trail, which is largely raised.
For those looking for a longer hiking experience, the 1.4 mile Lagoon Trail carries guests along a maritime forest path where you might spot heron, deer, snakes, alligators, or even a bobcat.
Later, join one of the docent-led tours at the historic Hunting Island Lighthouse.
The beach behind the lighthouse is littered with haunting driftwood, and is a great spot for a beach walk or family photo.
Explore more of the best things to do in Hunting Island State Park!
In the campground, you’ll have nearly 200 paved sites to choose from; these are all available for both tent and RV camping.
There are an additional 25 tent sites.
What’s near to Hunting Island State Park
Quaint Beaufort SC is a short drive away, and is well worth a day trip.
Walk around the historic district to see the beautiful antebellum homes, dine on the waterfront near the Henry C. Chambers waterfront park, and indulge in a little retail therapy.
Why Hunting Island State Park is great for camping:
historic lighthouse,
beach access,
dolphin watching,
hiking,
level sites
Kings Mountain State Park
Our campsite at Kings Mountain State Park
When we got our pop-up camper, Kings Mountain State Park was our second trailer camping destination.
Our stay there was wonderful, and we are counting down the days until we can go back.
The onsite campground has over 100 sites, all of which come with beautiful tree cover.
Several are pull through sites, but note that the left-side pull throughs can be difficult—if not impossible—to situate your rig inside due to the number of trees throughout the park.
Once you’re settled, head over the to outdoor Living History Museum where you can learn about the daily lives of the original European settlers in this part of South Carolina.
Our kids loved running to each station in this open, grassy area.
They were also huge fans of the large playground at the mouth of the campground.
Other activities in the park including fishing in Lake Crawford, kayaking, and hiking.
If you’re up for a longer hike, the Kings Mountain Hiking Loop is a 16 mile trail that connects the state and national parks.
My 5 and 8 year old aren’t quite up to that level yet, so the 1.2 mile loop on the Kings Mountain Nature Trail is much more their speed. Follow the edge of the lake while learning about local flora and fauna on the trail signs.
What’s near to Kings Mountain State Park
While this area is quite rural, the state park is directly next to the Kings Mountain National Military Park, which is a must-visit.
We happened to be there on one of the re-enactment weekends when the Overmountain Victory Trail re-enactors were there to answer questions about this site’s important part in the American Revolution.
The paved 1.5 mile Battlefield Trail is an excellent way to see the park as it takes visitors to major sites in the battle here.
Don’t forget to earn your Junior Ranger badge while you’re here!
Why this park is great for camping:
lake access,
great hiking,
adjacent to national military park
Oconee State Park
Fall foliage at Oconee State Park campground
I grew up less than half an hour from this state park, so I have long standing nostalgia for this place!
Thankfully, the continued reality of Oconee State Park lives up to my childhood memories, and I’m happy to say that it is one of THE best state parks in South Carolina for camping.
Not only do you have a large, well maintained campground, but there’s also an onsite lake with diving board, multiple hiking trails, boating, cabins, mini golf, and more.
If you’d like a full or partial lake view, check out sites 16, 18, 24-25, 27, 30-32, 34, 36, and 38.
>> Read more about Oconee State Park camping here. <<
What’s near to Oconee State Park
The cute town of Walhalla is less than 20 minutes away, and it is filled with antique shops and local restaurants.
Try the fried chicken at the Walhalla Steakhouse, which, oddly doesn’t serve any steak!
Clemson University is about 30 minutes away, so Oconee State Park makes for an excellent place to camp before or after a fall football game.
This is what we did on our last visit to Oconee, and it was a wonderful weekend.
Yellow Branch Falls Trail, the Stumphouse Tunnel, and Issaqueena Falls are must-dos. There are SO many great waterfall hikes around here, all of which you can find on my South Carolina waterfalls road trip itinerary.
Why Oconee State Park is great for camping:
extensive amenities and on-site activities,
close to Clemson University
lake views,
great mountain hiking
Table Rock State Park
Hiking trail in Table Rock State Park
Of all of the campgrounds on this list, Table Rock State Park has the most dramatic mountain feel to it.
Thanks to its Civilian Conservation Corps trails and historic buildings, this place feels as if it’s been here forever.
Choose either the Mountain Laurel Campground or the White Oaks Campground for your camping home base.
Mountain Laurel is larger and closer to the park entrance, while White Oaks is more intimate and isolated.
If you’re ready to explore more of the area, lace up your hiking boots and head out on the Carrick Creek Trail. This loop is easy enough for little kids while being long enough to get your heart rate up.
The 7.2 mile Table Rock Trail is the most strenuous in the park, but it has the biggest payoff with the long range views of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the top.
>> This hike made my list of best hikes near Greenville SC because of those views! <<
What’s near to Table Rock State Park
Greenville is less than an hour away if you need to take a break from nature.
If you’d rather explore more of this corner of South Carolina, we recommend a day trip along the beautiful Highway 11.
The cute mountain town of Brevard is just over the border and makes for an easy day trip, too.
Why this park is great for camping:
historic CCC buildings and trails,
dramatic overlooks,
large lake
Explore even more of South Carolina’s outdoor beauty with a trip to Daufuskie Island!
Check out our full guide to Daufuskie Island with kids.
South Carolina State Parks Camping FAQs
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All of South Carolina’s state parks have gravel or paved roads, hiking trails, and ranger stations.
Of course, most of them have many more amenities, ranging from a historic lighthouse at Hunting Island State Park to boat launches at Santee State Park.
Each park has its own wonderful options to offer visitors.
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Camping isn’t offered at all of the state parks.
Of the 47 SC state parks, all but 12 have tent camping sites.
All but 14 offer camping for RVs.
Those that don’t offer camping, such as the Charles Towne Landing Historic Site (Charleston, SC) or Hampton Plantation (McClellanville, SC) have limited room on their property.
Explore all of the SC State Parks camping options with this interactive map.
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The SC State Parks campgrounds do not offer full hookups, even at those locations where a campground is present.
All established campgrounds have the basics such as bathhouses, water and electric.
The campgrounds with RV sites do have a dump station, which is usually located towards the entrance to the campground.
In more primitive locations, the state parks typically have some place to access potable water and restrooms, even if they’re not directly adjacent to the camping areas.
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I’m a planner, so I always prefer to have reservations.
That being said, whether you need to have reservations varies greatly on the day of the week and the season in which you’re planning to camp.
For example, we visited Oconee State Park in early November in the middle of the week. We were one of the only campers in the entire 100+ site campground! I didn’t need a reservation for that trip as there were many, many sites available for walk-ups.
Compare that to Dreher Island State Park in the fall.
This place fills up FAST for the University of South Carolina football home games, and it’s nearly impossible to get a reservation there on those weekends.
Grab a camping spot through the SC State Parks reservation site.
Have you been camping at any of the South Carolina State Parks?
