Best RV Parks & Resorts near Calhoun Falls, SC

This is a typical Corp of Engineers campground, well kept with a variety of pull through and back-in sites.  Sites are 50/30/20 electric with water, picnic table and fire ring.  Many sites have a tent pad, are very level packed gravel/sand and well situated with very few having very close neighbors.  Shade is at a premium on some sites due to cutting of pine trees a couple of years ago but almost all are waterfront with an excellent view.  Some sites have direct access to the water allowing boats right at the site and swimming.  The swimming beach is very nice and well maintained as are the playgrounds.  Three bath houses are convenient to all loops, well maintained and clean.  Cell service is very good as is over the air TV with numerous channels available.  The dump station is easy in/out.  Sites 10 through 40 have awesome views of Lake Hartwell.

This place was so perfect and our first camping experience with our new 40 foot RV! Check-in was easy and they even let us change to a pull-through site last minute. The grounds were sooooo gorgeous! Trees everywhere. Walking trails. And of course the lake. We went during fall colors so it was really magical.

PROS: Clean restrooms, spacious RV sites (they felt very private), many bathhouses within walking distance, friendly staff, nice gift shop 

CONS: wet firewood and of course you had to buy from them, playground very small- made more for toddlers/preschool age, less than 5 years old, long walk to the dumpsters

The campground itself is gorgeous, heavily wooded and lots of hills. It has great access to Lake Hartwell, and lots of sites. The sites are very close together throughout most of the park. The park also has lots of hills which can be a challenge for some RVs. There are also some very tight turns on these hills. Some campsites are level, some are very unlevel, there are lots of seasonal sites with built in porches making it very tight to get into the travelers spots that are mixed throughout the park.

When you enter the park make sure you stay to the left of the sign. We made the mistake of going straight our first time at this park and almost lost our 5th wheel at the turn around by the lake. If you miss the turn you are safer backing up to the entrance.

Cell Service: AT&T was minimal, T-Mobile was minimal.

Not all sites have sewer and there is a pump out service for a fee. They do have a dump station but it is not easy or ideal to move throughout the park once parked.

Each site had a picnic table, some had a fire ring. Some sites are full hook up, many do not have sewer at the site.

As of 2019 this park needed a lot of upgrades to the majority of the sites, such as fire rings, new picnic tables. The sides of the road were washing out from water run off. These were things also needed in 2018.

Amenities: Laundry Swimming Pool Dump Station Club House Pool Tables Lake Access (Lake Hartwell) Basketball Court Volleyball Playground Storage Lot Beach area Fishing

We stayed one night at Calhoun Falls, SC site 86. The site is the first one in the second grouping of campsites directly across from the camp host. Site 86 is a pull-through. There are 12 steps down to a lower level picnic table and fire pit area. There is a short path down to the water. 

There is 30amp power available as well as household style 110. The 30amp power seemed to be a little finicky. 

The camp host's dog barked for several hours after our arrival which was not very relaxing. During the barking, the camp host decided it was time to run a leaf blower for a while. So we decided to take a walk. 

We liked the walking paths and the public fishing pier. 

There is a rail line that crosses the lake. We heard the train horn a couple times that night. Dogs, leaf blowers, trains ... not the relaxing weekend we had hoped for. 

Security seemed a bit lax. There were several cases of motorcycles and show cars, maybe lost boaters come in an out of the camp area at all hours. 

The dump station was in bad enough shape that we did not feel it would be in our best health to use it (see picture). 

We probably will not go back even though this is not too far from home.