Searching for the perfect place to dispersed camp near Anderson? Here you'll find a diverse selection of places to camp, including remote dispersed camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your South Carolina camping adventure.
Dispersed camping in the Blue Valley area. Approximately 22 dispersed sites are available, and most have fire rings and picnic tables. A pit toilet is available. Please pack in and pack out. Wilson Lake is a short distance away offering fishing, swimming, a short trail, and wildlife viewing and birding.
Primitive campsites are available at Burrells Ford Campground and camping is allowed along the trail.
Free camping in the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forest. This is in the Andrew Pickens Ranger District. Dispersed camping is permitted on the Andrew Pickens Ranger District. Campsites must be at least 50 feet from rivers, streams or trails, and must be at least .25 miles from the road. No permit is required for dispersed camping.
Dispersed camping is permitted provided the selected site is 50 feet from streams and trails and .25 miles from the road. Venomous snakes live in these habitats. Practice water safety near the river and be aware of other natural hazards. Also, winter can bring very cold temperatures and hazardous trail conditions.
Traveler
I went in July and it was cool in day and cold at night nice , secluded
Traveler
Great spot with room to turn around. Shaded and at trailhead of a trail down to creek and near a second trail to a waterfall. Had a few people during the day but evenings were totally quiet. A bit of extra vehicle clearance is helpful...slow and steady gets you to a great spot. No services here but good dispersed spot.
Guide
Right next to the Chattooga river. You're on the beach.
Guide
There is room for two vehicles and multiple tent spots. Very secluded and fairly level. Overall a great spot. If it had an epic view I would have it at 5 stars. River is about .6 mile hike away and the road is not bad getting in. Basically 2 track forest road.
Guide
Couple things to know you don't need 4wd to get to the campsite. I do want to say though that the road down to the spot is a little wonky so be prepare for bumpy road. I will like to say there is a road literally 300 feet next to the campsite doesnt seem that busy but you might get a car once every 45 mins. Other wise the campsite is nice there was a good bit of trash thrown around. I tried cleaning up the best I can but be aware pls clean up after yourself. There are two campsite on opposite side of the road if the main one is taken. One of the nice things is if you have a tent you can get right next to the water definitely say beautiful area. Will go back.
TravelerWe have camped at 3 sites at this campground and have loved all of them. We were very secluded and there was very little traffic on the dirt road. Love hearing all the wonderful sounds of nature and nothing else. Wonderful creek/river by every campsite we went to. Some have picnic tables but all have fire rings and lantern posts. There's only about 10-15 sites that you can actually drive up to but I'm sure there's more if you hike in.
GuideDecent site(s) near chatooga river. Moderate clearance vehicle required, (or hike it).
GuideLarge mountain top camp site. Moderate clearance vehicle is required to access, (or hike it) ;)
Guide
Access is rough, (moderate clearance vehicles required). Also, as courtesy - cruise the bridge and see if people are down there first, (both sides).
Sweet backcountry spot! Nice gurgling stream and hiking trails.
RangerThis camping site is unmarked and almost literally under a bridge. There's a pull-off to either side of the structure, which quickly goes from asphalt to a very uneven dirt road which had been graveled long ago, snaking down to the river. My small car had difficulty getting down it and the drop-off from the asphalt is abrupt.
When I visited, it had rained heavily so both the road and the site were wet and muddy. The camping site itself is open, with no designated tent sites, but there is a fire ring made of rock and a few stumps and rocks to sit on.
On the plus side, there's a sign posted that the river is open trout fishing all year, with no lure or size restrictions.
There appeared to be another trail on the other side of the bridge, but I didn't travel that as I wasn't sure my car could handle the mud road.
Scout8 very well kept campsites. Almost all near a creek of some sort. Hiking trails near by. No facilities. Room for larger groups ~40 people max for the biggest site ~6 for the smallest
Legend
King Creek is accessible via a short drive along a forest road and then another short drive down a muddy road slightly overgrown with vegetation. The only sign you will see is one saying camping is allowed, and it is difficult to see unless you are looking carefully. I was surprised that it had a spacious parking area and a spacious camping area. It is NOT for RVs. First of all, the road is narrow and vegetation hangs low along the road. It is uneven and sometimes muddy.
There is enough room to set up three or four tents, and there is a fire pit but no toilet. You only have to walk a few steps to your vehicle to get anything. You will also need to take in water or a water filter, any personal hygiene products, and your own little table if you want to cook off of the ground.
There is a tributary of the Chatooga River within a few steps of the campsite, so you can hear the sounds of the creek all night long. The fire pit is large, but there was a lot of trash in it. There are no gravel pads, which I like, but there was a grassy area to set up my tent, which I did like.
Unfortunately, the forest road was close enough that I could hear traffic passing by going to waterfalls and other areas. However, there is very little sound at night other than the creek. You cannot make reservations for the site(s), so it is first come, first served.
You won’t have any problems with noisy neighbors since it is limited to very few tents. It is actually recommended for only one tent, but it is big enough for a group with more than one tent.
Overall, it is a great place for solitude and since it is not easy to find, so not many people stay there.
LegendI didn’t get a chance to explore this camping area much because it was wet. I mean really wet! It is beside the Chauga River, and if you camp there after a storm like I did, expect a lot of wet puddles and soggy ground. It is a great destination for fishing, but the water was too high and too muddy this time. There is a parking area, and you have to pack everything in. I parked across the road because of the drop-off from the road. It was probably a good idea anyway since the parking area would require me to put my vehicle in 4WD. I am sure others had a better experience than I did, but between the bugs and the soggy mess, it was difficult to rate this campground anything other than just one star. There are not toilet facilities, water, lantern hangers, etc. That is usually not a problem for me, but… did I mention that it was wet? Building a campfire this time was out of the question. It was a good thing I carry my little Solo stove. I used it as a mini fire pit. On the positive side of things, being so close to the river makes it almost impossible to hear any sounds from the highway. It’s not a busy road anyway, but it is nice sleeping to the sounds of the river. Overall, I don’t think I will return to this camping area. It was okay as a learning experience, but other than that, it was just too small of a camping area, too many bugs, and too… did I mention it was wet?
GuideBeautiful, large, private sites. You couldn’t see our site from the road, huge site, lots of woods surrounding for kids to play and explore, right beside a gorgeous large creek.
ScoutDirections: From Highlands, follow NC 28 south about 5.5 miles and turn right onto Blue Valley Rd. (S.R. 1618) at the sign. The pavement will end in a half mile. Just stay on the main path for just little over 3 or so miles. Once arrive in the campground (information kiosk) turn left for the majority of the sites. Turn right at the kiosk there are only a few sites but the road ends after about half a mile, trailhead leads to waterfalls from there.
Scout. Location is actually about 1.5. Miles further than shown on map. Just keep going. Stayed for a week. About 7 campsites with fire rings. Great trails and people camping near were respectful. Recommend.
ScoutNever found this place but it’s definitely not where the map brings you. Beware
Legend
Campground Review:
There are two ways to access this campsite and one definitely requires significantly more sweat (that’s the route we took). The backcountry site is located near the far trailhead at Glen Falls located at the end of a forestry road. We hiked in from the trailhead that most people use to access the falls and continued down the trail past the typical turnaround point until you reach the bottom of the valley. The site is on the nicer side for a backcountry campground as it is level and has multiple areas for tents along with a large fire pit surrounded by logs for sitting on. The main advantage of this site over others in the area is that it is located on the inside of a curve in the river so the creek surrounds almost the entire site giving easy access to water and a relaxing sound to help you sleep at night. The hike down from the upper trailhead is relatively steep and involves going down many (many) stairs but is well worth it for the views of Glen Falls. This is a well-traveled and also well cared for route and we saw many other hikers while we were there. However, most people do not make it all the way down to this site so you will most likely find a significant amount of privacy if you plan on camping here. Since it is National Forest you will have no issues with camping just make sure to follow leave no trace practice and keep your fire under control. I would also highly recommend a dip in the cool waters to help with the heat during the middle of the summer. Overall, this is a beautiful secluded campsite very close to Highlands that provides both tranquility and also some strenuous hiking.
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****Product Review:** **
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products while out adventuring. At this campground, I stayed dry using the Red Ledge Free Rein Jacket. After multiple rainy hikes and wet campground days some of my favorite features are:
Overall, for the very reasonable price of these raincoats, they are incredibly effective and comfortable and I would highly recommend seriously considering them for your next raincoat purchase.
LegendI went to Highlands and found this site listed and really was looking forward to staying here. Said to be near Glenn Falls I found the falls but no turn off to be found and cell signal unless you are right in town is pretty spotty. I returned to town screen shot some directions and headed out toward the unknown.
When I arrived the pavement ended and continued onward a very primitive gravel road. Pretty rough in some places and very narrow, let’s just say I wouldn’t want to end up encountering another car.
After winding around the mountain roads finally I saw the “experimental forest” sign followed by the National Forest sign. Not far ahead was the campground kiosk.
it seemed pretty quiet there and I was happy to settle in only to discover as a solo female traveler it appeared there was a beer bust by some local hunters or good ol boys. They were getting pretty rowdy and while I could have simply moved to a further campsite ani was a little in fear that this wasn’t gonna be a really restful evening if they were going to be up drinking all night.
I opted to use this facility for a few moments as a day use area and really enjoyed the large forest around me but didn’t stay overnight because of the circumstances.
Sites were tree-filled and nice. Picnic tables and fire rings were at each site and sites were pretty well spread out. Very much so a dispersed site, I would be a bit concerned with larger rigs on the small road but small RVs or tents are great.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Anderson, SC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Anderson, SC is Blue Valley Dispersed Camping with a 4-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Anderson, SC?
TheDyrt.com has all 11 dispersed camping locations near Anderson, SC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
