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Best Tent Camping near Beech Island, SC

359 Reviews

Tent camping near Beech Island, South Carolina provides several waterfront and wooded options within a short drive of the area. Leroys Ferry Campground offers primitive tent campsites along the shores of Clarks Hill Lake (also known as Strom Thurmond Lake), with sites spaced generously apart for privacy. Pine Hill Camp provides dispersed backcountry tent camping opportunities with a more remote feel, while Back to Nature Garden Center features walk-in tent sites surrounded by dense woods that create a secluded atmosphere despite its convenient location. Clarks Hill campground offers additional tent-only camping options with basic amenities and water access.

Most tent campgrounds in the Beech Island area operate on a first-come, first-served basis, with Leroys Ferry requiring exact payment ($10/night) in a drop box. Primitive tent camping is common, with many sites lacking potable water, so campers should bring their own supply. Fire rings and picnic tables are available at select locations like Leroys Ferry, though fire regulations vary by campground. Pit toilets or vault latrines are provided at some sites, but facilities are minimal. The sandy dirt roads accessing Pine Hill Camp require attention when driving, especially in wet conditions. Cell service throughout the region is spotty, with Verizon offering limited connectivity at Leroys Ferry.

The tent camping experience near Beech Island features notable waterfront access, particularly at Leroys Ferry where sites are approximately 100 feet from the lake. According to reviews, Leroys Ferry provides excellent isolation for tent campers seeking solitude. One visitor noted, "I was the only camper there while all the other sites were packed. Sites are only a hundred feet or so from the lake, so I threw up a hammock and watched the sunset over the water." The Yamassee Indian Reservation offers off-grid backcountry tent camping with access to trails, rivers, and creeks. Campers report peaceful conditions with minimal disturbance from other visitors. For those seeking walk-in tent sites with convenient access to supplies, Back to Nature Garden Center provides wooded camping with a Family Dollar nearby for forgotten essentials.

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Best Tent Sites Near Beech Island, South Carolina (11)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Beech Island, SC

359 Reviews of 11 Beech Island Campgrounds

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 24, 2023

    Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area

    Nice spot would return for sure

    I was passing thru SC on the SCAR headed down to the Palmetto Rally and stopped here to camp. It was a very nice campground with level pads, picnic table and fire ring (bring your own wood). As well there were several vault toilets and there was even a water faucet. It was a good campground and I would stay here again. It is not reservable so first come first served. There was some cell coverage as well. I tent camped so can not comment on RV as the others in the campground were tent camping as well.

  • Mo F.
    Aug. 26, 2016

    Mistletoe State Park Campground

    Waterfront seclusion

    We camped in one of the tent only walk-in sites located on a peninsula jutting into the lake. We had a ton of stuff, not realizing it was an uphill and pretty long trek, but it was totally worth it. We had the whole place to ourselves, no neighbors, in late March. The sun setting over the water was beautiful, it was quiet even as a few motor boats came in for the night. There is a tiny beach on the tip of the peninsula, picnic tables, and an outhouse. It was my favorite spot of everywhere we stayed on an Alabama-Georgia-South Carolina roadtrip including AirBnB and bed and breakfast.

  • Andy S.
    Sep. 16, 2019

    Mistletoe State Park Campground

    Nice!

    This is a review of the four walk-in tent sites at Mistletoe State Park.  I personally stayed in #4 and had a look at the others. 

    The best site is definitely #2 -- feet from the water, spacious, suitable for more than one tent or hammock (better for tents as it is mostly open, but there are places for hammocks along the edges). 

    Site #4 is probably second best, better for a hammocks probably (which is what I had) as no great level ground. It is not right on the water but has it's own private path to the water(couple hundred feet to the water).

    Sites #1 & #3 do not really have access to the water without climbing down something steeply dangerous or through thick trees.  (The water access from the other sites is right in the middle of those other sites so you couldn't really share that unless they are empty or occupied by friends.)  Still #1 is a pretty good site.  #3 is the least interesting and smallest, but still secluded -- I wouldn't call any of these bad.

    None of these sites have groomed tent pads -- just gravelly ground.   They do each have a table, fire pit, and lantern pole.  #1 & #2 are best for tents.  There is good separation between all sites.  Sites #2 & #3 are within shouting distance of each other and you'd be able to see tents, etc at one from the other.  There is an outhouse between sites #1 & #2, and another another between sites #3 & #4.  It is a 5 minute (or so) walk to the real bathroom (which also has showers) back in the main campground.

    Other than the lake itself at sites #2 & #4, I didn't see any dedicated water source for these sites.  (The lake is silty -- pre-filtering recommended if you are using a filter.)  So you'd have to bring in water or get it from the bathroom area or maybe from an empty RV site which all have spigots.  You'll have to pack out your trash, and there are definitely critters around that will get in your trash so it should be secured somehow.  (Hanging it from the lantern pole isn't good enough -- you'll wake up to find a hole in the bag and it strewn around, ask me how I know.)

    Everything in the park was very clean and well-maintained, although when I was here in September (during the week), the whole place was basically deserted anyway.

    The water access at sites #2 & #4 is nice but it is not a real beach -- it is all large rocks for the most part and they were very slippery even when dry so be careful.  The water level was also extremely low when I was there so some of those rocks are probably covered by water earlier in the year.

  • N
    Oct. 16, 2022

    Elijah Clark State Park Campground

    Friendly. Fun. Relaxing.

    Set up well for families with children… room to ride bikes, scooters, skateboards; playground; putt putt course; trails to walk; beach areas all around the camp ground for easy access to the water. Kayak rentals.

    Bathrooms were generally clean. Campsites a relatively flat. Good picnic tables at each site. Not every site had a pole for a lantern or trash bags to hang from. Fairly good tree coverage around the campground for shade and hammocking.

  • Bill W.
    Jun. 15, 2024

    Sumter National Forest Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area

    "roughing it" in a small secluded campground.

    I spent a great couple of days here mid-week in mid-June. There was one other occupied campsite (out of 9) the first night and I had the whole place to myself the second. No showers, no wi-fi or cell sevice, no dump station, no electricity, and a common water spigot-just what I wanted. No reservations either. 

    There were people who came to fish in the pond (more of a pond than a lake) and I had a nice swim.. There are two trails. A short one (about a mile) around the pond and a longer 5.6 mile loop. Great trail.

    Be sure to check the website for problems beforehand.   The water was out when I was there (actually it was restored just as I pulled out!!!).

    So all in all, I great place if you want a rough campsite with few others around.

  • Danny B.
    Mar. 30, 2019

    Leroys Ferry

    Can’t beat it for the price

    $10 bucks a night, sites spaced far enough apart to be comfortable, waterfront, not over crowded. I think it is worth the drive over some of the more crowded places. Each site has a pick nick table and fire ring, a few had charcoal grills on stands but not all. First come first serve, bring exact money because it’s just a drop box. It’s primitive camping so bring your own water, no electricity. No trash dumpster either so be prepared to pack if out . Cell service was spotty on Verizon but I was able to get and receive calls and a few txts although they seemed very delayed .

  • Karen C.
    May. 8, 2021

    Magnolia Springs State Park Campground

    Nice hiking trail, beautiful lake views.

    The main campground is flat making it easy to back up campers or RV’s in slots. Some pull through spots. We were tent camping and choose a walk in slot. 27, 28 & 29. Our site was 29 it is about 100 yards from the main campground down a single lane sandy road that leads into a wooded area. We saw vehicles on the other 2 spots and decided to just pull in by our space as well. I really like the walk in spaces because they are away from the main campground. I do like seeing stars at night but the tree canopy blocked them. The spigot on this spot was leaky. We did watch chickadees take an evening bath in the puddle. We noticed some little pieces of broken glass on the tent pad. The bathhouse was clean. The 28 acre lake and trails throughout the property are well maintained. Signs to watch out for gators are posted. We saw 2. The springs are so pretty and clear, so many turtles and fish to see. I would’ve liked to paddle board in the springs but wasn’t sure if that was permitted. We did paddle board and kayak in the lake.
    If you are up to a history lesson the Camp Lawton museum is a bargain at $2 ! It is very informative. We had lovely weather and would return in the fall or spring. Summer may be to buggy and hot.

  • D
    Jun. 20, 2022

    Wildwood County Park

    Not perfect, but really good!

    Our favorite park is Mistletoe, a GA state owned park. This park is just a few miles away from Mistletoe and we only stayed here because we could not get a site at Mistletoe. In the end, we are glad that we did as this park is about 35% less expensive than Mistletoe and provides the same great lake views (ok, Mistletoe is still our favorite, but for the money this is a no brainer).

    We stayed on two sites as nothing was available for our entire duration. So, we started on site 38 and then moved to 58 after a couple of days (we can be quite fast at breaking down/setting up for in-park moves).

    Site 38 was interesting because we had about 100 whitetail deer in our back yard every night. The camp host apparently was feeding them, and he set up spot lights so that they could be watched as they ate. The deer had no fear (not sure that is good), but I am sure the appreciated the food. The only bad side to this is that the lights stayed on very late and it was impossible to block the light from our windows. I can overlook this, though.

    Site 38 was large enough and had big, flat, surface for the picnic table, fire ring, camper, and truck. Beyond this pad there was not much distance before you got to the next site, which just had a tent camper (who mostly was gone because this time we visited during a VERY cold spell and I don't think the tent camper would have survived the night!).

    Site 38 had views of the water, kind of like a finger cover, but it was not very close to the camper. Still nice though as the walk through the woods to the water was easy. 

    We moved to site 58 after a couple of days and it was directly on the water. This site was smaller than 38, and was only one of a handful of RV sites that are situated in an yurt camping area (if you have family that does not have an RV, you could stay in your RV and they could stay in the really upscale yurts!). 

    The weather, as noted already, was very cold and moving to a true waterfront lot made going outside something only for the brave! It was 40 degrees with 60 mph wind gusts that day...kind of fun!

    We walked around to see what the park had on that side, and it included a nice sandy beach, picnic tables under the shade, and a really cool primitive camping area that was out on a peninsula.

    As noted at the start, a nice park for the money. The cost was only $25 a night in March 2022 and that is hard to beat. If this were $40 a night I would de-rate it to 4 stars.

    All of the photos are from site 38 except the white caps on the lake, which was taken On our walk near 58.

  • Meg W.
    Nov. 3, 2019

    Magnolia Springs State Park Campground

    Everything you need, just not close to other things

    Magnolia Springs State Park is a nice Georgia State Park. Located just north of Millen, GA, the park offers ample camping for both RVs and tents.

    Spots are flat and easy to park campers and set up tents with enough room between each for a bit of privacy and a few walk-in tent sites for increased privacy. Cabin rentals are available as well as a group lodge. There is a bath house in the main campground that is well kept complete with flush toilets and showers, as well as a coin laundry machines.

    Kayak, canoe, pedal boat and bike rentals are all available from the visitor center to explore the spring fed lake and mostly flat trails in the park.

    This is a lovely park to camp and spend time in, but is a 2-3 hour drive to Atlanta or Savannah if you are interested in exploring GA. The town of Millen has fast food options, as well as ample opportunity to pick up essential goods.

Guide to Beech Island

Tent camping near Beech Island, South Carolina offers wilderness experiences within the Savannah River watershed, where the terrain features rolling hills and sandy soil typical of the Midlands region. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F between June and September, making spring and fall the preferred camping seasons. Camping areas around Clark's Hill Lake (Strom Thurmond Lake) provide accessible shoreline camping without reservation requirements at many locations.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: At Clarks Hill, anglers find productive waters for bass, crappie, and catfish. "Very clean park. Great fishing," notes Steven S., highlighting the maintained shorelines that provide access points for bank fishing.

Hiking nearby trails: Pine Hill Camp offers dispersed camping with access to unmarked footpaths through mixed pine and hardwood forests. Eric Z. describes it as a "lovely quiet place to relax or work," mentioning the seclusion that allows for peaceful nature exploration without crowds.

Swimming in lake waters: Soap Creek Marina provides boat access and swimming areas during warmer months. According to GoWhereYouAreDraw N., "Pull-up RV or tent spots with fire pits and picnic tables... Nice walking trails which makes this a great getaway spot."

What campers like

Affordable lakefront access: Leroys Ferry provides budget-friendly camping directly on Clark's Hill Lake. Danny B. explains, "$10 bucks a night, sites spaced far enough apart to be comfortable, waterfront, not over crowded. I think it is worth the drive over some of the more crowded places."

Site spacing and privacy: Daniel D. appreciates Leroys Ferry for its layout: "This is a great, unpopular place to camp. Most of the campsites have access via trails to the lake. It's clean with easy access and most sites are very easy to navigate."

Small-town convenience: Back to Nature Garden Center offers a balance between seclusion and accessibility. David H. describes it as a "Small campground almost downtown but the dense woods make you feel like you're in the country. There's a family dollar next door if you forget anything."

What you should know

Payment systems: Many campgrounds operate on honor systems with drop boxes. At Leroys Ferry, Danny B. advises, "First come first serve, bring exact money because it's just a drop box."

Limited facilities: Most tent sites near Beech Island lack modern amenities. Danny B. notes about Leroys Ferry: "It's primitive camping so bring your own water, no electricity. No trash dumpster either so be prepared to pack it out."

Cell coverage challenges: Connectivity varies significantly by location and carrier. Eric Z. reports from Pine Hill Camp: "T-mobile was pretty much useless, AT&T provided a little bit of usable signal."

Road conditions: Access roads to dispersed sites may require careful driving. Eric Z. warns about Pine Hill Camp: "Speaking of the road, it's a sandy dirt road with some soft spots so pay attention."

Tips for camping with families

Marina amenities: Soap Creek Marina includes facilities that enhance family camping experiences. GoWhereYouAreDraw N. mentions, "There's a small restaurant located onsite along with a small store," providing convenient options for families who forget supplies.

Campsite selection strategy: When camping with children at Leroys Ferry, look for sites closest to the water but with gradual shorelines. Stevie W. calls it a "Great place for the whole family for fishing and camping," with multiple sites suitable for family activities.

Cultural experiences: Yamassee Indian Reservation offers families educational opportunities about native history alongside camping. Erica shares, "I love the trails, the rivers, creeks, it's so peaceful and I wasn't bothered but a single soul!"

Tips from RVers

Leveling requirements: Bring leveling blocks when camping with an RV. Eric Z. notes about Pine Hill Camp: "Not a lot of level spots around but we found a spot that worked for our 37' fifth wheel with some leveling."

Solar considerations: For boondockers using solar power, Pine Hill Camp offers possibilities with proper positioning. Eric Z. mentions they "were also able to position for decent solar exposure," allowing for extended stays without hookups.

Site navigation: Many campgrounds have limited turning areas for larger rigs. At Leroys Ferry, Daniel D. advises, "You can fit an RV on most sites, although they aren't all completely level," suggesting campers arrive early to secure more accommodating spaces.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Beech Island, SC?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Beech Island, SC is Back to Nature Garden Center with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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