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Best Dispersed Camping near Belton, SC

11 Reviews

Dispersed camping options around Belton, South Carolina primarily concentrate in nearby forested areas with several primitive sites situated along rivers and forest roads. Free camping is permitted at sites such as Mountain Rest Mountain Top, Blackwell Bridge, Falls Creek, and King Creek, all located within approximately 1-2 hours northwest of Belton in mountainous terrain. Goat Island offers a unique boat-in camping experience on Lake Murray. These areas typically provide primitive accommodations with fire rings but lack standard amenities like toilets, running water, or designated tent pads.

Access to most dispersed sites requires moderate clearance vehicles, with several locations described as having rough, uneven forest roads. Mountain Rest Mountain Top features a gravel one-way road with limited turnaround space, while Blackwell Bridge has abrupt transitions from asphalt to dirt roads with potential for muddy conditions after rain. Sites near waterways like the Chauga River and Chattooga River tributaries may experience soggy ground during wet periods. Most areas permit campfires but provide no water sources, trash collection, or toilet facilities, requiring campers to pack in all supplies and pack out all waste.

These primitive campsites provide varying degrees of solitude and natural experiences. The Mountain Rest Mountain Top site features hilltop camping with hiking trails leading to creeks and waterfalls. Sites like Sandy Beach Campsite allow campers to stay directly beside the Chattooga River. The natural soundscape often includes flowing water from nearby streams. "There is room for two vehicles and multiple tent spots. Very secluded and fairly level," notes a review for Falls Creek. "Large mountain top camp site. Moderate clearance vehicle is required to access, (or hike it)," describes another visitor about Mountain Rest Mountain Top. Some sites experience minimal traffic noise from nearby forest roads, particularly during daytime hours, though most become quiet at night.

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Belton, South Carolina (8)

    1. Goat Island

    2 Reviews
    Ninety Six, SC
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (864) 942-8560

    "Goat island can only be accessed by boat but with 5 separate spots it’s a pretty neat island to camp at. There are picnic tables and fire pits at each site, but no other accommodations."

    2. Mountain Rest Mountain Top

    3 Reviews
    Tamassee, SC
    45 miles
    Website
    +1 (864) 638-5353

    "We arrived pretty late, close to midnight after hitting a lot of traffic traveling from Fl."

    "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."

    3. Blackwell Bridge - Dispersed Camping

    2 Reviews
    Long Creek, SC
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (864) 638-9568

    "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!"

    4. Blackwell Bridge

    2 Reviews
    Long Creek, SC
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (864) 638-9568

    "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."

    5. Falls Creek

    2 Reviews
    Long Creek, SC
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (864) 638-9568

    "Decent site(s) near chatooga river. Moderate clearance vehicle required, (or hike it)."

    6. Sandy Beach Campsite

    1 Review
    Tamassee, SC
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (423) 476-9700

    "Right next to the Chattooga river. You're on the beach."

    7. King Creek

    1 Review
    Highlands, SC
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (843) 336-3248

    8. Grapevine Campground

    Be the first to review!
    Long Creek, SC
    45 miles
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Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Belton, SC

11 Photos of 8 Belton Campgrounds

Dispersed Camping Reviews near Belton, SC

11 Reviews of 8 Belton Campgrounds

  • Sara S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 22, 2025

    Mountain Rest Mountain Top

    Great but lower your expectations

    We arrived pretty late, close to midnight after hitting a lot of traffic traveling from Fl. The coordinates took us directly here, and upon first arriving we did see a campsite to the left which was being used. Continuing on for about another twenty minutes down a one-way gravel road we did not see anymore sites until the end of the road which has a beautiful sunrise view. There are hundreds of downed trees, I am assuming from Hurricane Helene. Which were chopped up, perfect for a firering.

    We went almost to the end of the road before turning around and just pulling over onto a little 'shoulder' to set up the tent for the night.

    Pros- Dead silent and relaxing Great view of the stars during early spring/late winter

    Cons- Not car accessible (road is narrow and very bumpy. 4x4 recommended but I made it down in a 2x4 fullsize pickup) Have not seen nor heard any creek despite one being in the photos.

    Definitely would come back

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2024

    Mountain Rest Mountain Top

    Hilltop camping with hiking trails

    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.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 1, 2020

    King Creek

    Campsite Close to Hiking, Waterfalls, and Whitewater

    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.

  • WThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2021

    Blackwell Bridge - Dispersed Camping

    Shhh, secret sweet spot…

    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.

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 31, 2020

    Blackwell Bridge - Dispersed Camping

    Primitive Camping next to the Chauga River

    I 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?

  • William S.
    Sep. 23, 2021

    Blackwell Bridge

    Primitive site with rough access

    This 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.

  • Ethan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 21, 2023

    Blackwell Bridge

    Peaceful ish

    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.

  • WThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2021

    Mountain Rest Mountain Top

    Backcountry Primitive site

    Large mountain top camp site. Moderate clearance vehicle is required to access, (or hike it) ;)

  • WThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2021

    Falls Creek

    Backcountry Primitive site(s)

    Decent site(s) near chatooga river. Moderate clearance vehicle required, (or hike it).

Guide to Belton

Dispersed camping near Belton, South Carolina offers primitive backcountry experiences primarily in the northwestern region of the state. Most sites are situated within Sumter National Forest, where elevations range from 700 to 2,400 feet, creating varied terrain and weather conditions. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing at higher elevations, while summer brings humidity and afternoon thunderstorms that can affect forest road conditions.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: The Chauga River provides year-round trout fishing with no lure or size restrictions near Blackwell Bridge. "On the plus side, there's a sign posted that the river is open trout fishing all year, with no lure or size restrictions," notes William S.

Waterfall hiking: Several dispersed camping areas serve as trailheads for waterfall access. "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," writes Claudia H. about Mountain Rest Mountain Top.

Boat-in camping: Lake Murray offers unique boat-only accessible camping opportunities. "Goat island can only be accessed by boat but with 5 separate spots it's a pretty neat island to camp at. There are picnic tables and fire pits at each site, but no other accommodations," explains Jay J. about Goat Island.

What campers like

River proximity: Camping directly beside flowing water ranks high with visitors. Alex R. describes Sandy Beach Campsite: "Right next to the Chattooga river. You're on the beach."

Seclusion: Many sites offer privacy despite occasional daytime traffic on nearby forest roads. Brian mentions about Falls Creek: "There is room for two vehicles and multiple tent spots. Very secluded and fairly level. Overall a great spot. River is about .6 mile hike away and the road is not bad getting in."

Night sky viewing: Limited light pollution creates excellent stargazing conditions. "The light pollution is at a minimum for the lake so it's beautiful and very secluded at night," writes Jay J. about lake camping options. Another camper noted, "Great view of the stars during early spring/late winter" at Mountain Rest Mountain Top.

What you should know

Vehicle clearance requirements: Many dispersed sites require appropriate vehicles. "This 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," warns William S. about Blackwell Bridge.

Weather impact: Recent rainfall significantly affects site conditions, particularly near waterways. "I 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," reports Myron C.

Limited turnaround space: Several forest roads have minimal room for vehicle maneuvering. "We went almost to the end of the road before turning around and just pulling over onto a little 'shoulder' to set up the tent for the night," describes Sara S., noting the one-way gravel road constraints.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Belton, SC?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Belton, SC is Goat Island with a 4.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Belton, SC?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 dispersed camping locations near Belton, SC, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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