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Best Tent Camping near Cayce, SC

290 Reviews

Tent campers near Cayce, South Carolina can access several primitive options, with Congaree National Park's Longleaf Campground serving as the primary established tent camping destination in the area. Located approximately 20 miles southeast of Cayce in Hopkins, this national park offers both Longleaf and Bluff campgrounds specifically designed for tent camping, with no RV or vehicle camping permitted at either location.

Longleaf Campground features ten walk-in tent sites with basic amenities including picnic tables at each site, fire rings, and vault toilets near the parking area. All sites require a short walk from the parking lot, with sites 1-3 being closest at approximately 100-300 feet from vehicles. Campers must bring their own water as there is no potable water at the campground itself, though water is available at the visitor center about a mile away. A solar-powered device charging station is located in the parking area. Sites cost $5 per night and reservations are required through the national park reservation system.

The tent-only experience at Congaree offers significant advantages for those seeking immersion in nature. Sites are well-spaced providing decent privacy, especially at higher-numbered sites. The surrounding ecosystem creates unique camping conditions with abundant wildlife sounds throughout the night. According to one visitor, "The fireflies were very pretty and interesting. We saw other wildlife around the campground too." Weather conditions can dramatically affect the camping experience, as the low-lying floodplain location means sites can flood during heavy rains. Sites feature sandy soil with numerous tree roots that can make tent setup challenging. The park is known for its synchronous firefly display in late May to early June, which draws increased numbers of tent campers during this typically quiet campground's busiest season.

Best Tent Sites Near Cayce, South Carolina (5)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Cayce, SC

9 Photos of 5 Cayce Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Cayce, SC

290 Reviews of 5 Cayce Campgrounds

  • Hannah W.
    Mar. 11, 2022

    Poinsett State Park Campground

    Great stay!

    Stayed here for a few nights with a friend for spring break. The staff were very friendly and answered all the questions that we had. We were tent camping and the campsite was perfect! Had a picnic table, fire ring, plenty of space to pull the car in, level ground for the tent, and trees for hammocking. The bathroom facilities were very clean, and were right by the campsites. In terms of activities, there are plenty of hiking trails and a beautiful lake right in front of the visitor center. We rented a paddleboat and got to see some wildlife on the water (cranes, turtles, and even a couple little gators). Overall, this was a perfect state park, great for a quiet getaway.

    (Side note: the bugs were practically nonexistent in March when we visited, but we were told that they can get bad in the summer months)

  • D
    Nov. 19, 2021

    Sesquicentennial State Park Campground

    Campsite 41 was poorly planned and maintained

    Pros The pond was beautiful, nice walking trail for beginners, would never consider this a hiking park. Location was close to Colombia and all it offers. Bathhouse was acceptable but nothing to brag about. Toilets were three flushers is you cared about the next guy.

    Cons Guessing I may have had the worst site (41) but walking through there were others similar. Site 41 is a pull through lot which declines quickly upon entry and is marred by deep ra9n crevices. You then incline to the area you should probably land as there is an obvious flat spot. Unfortunately in you stop there, your camper door will open on the neighboring fire ring which is the only fire ring on the back side of the neighboring spot in in the fore ground of yours. Asinine. I had to manipulate my camper for an hour to a spot level enough yet not in my neighbor's fire and dealt with a large tree and had to tie back branches to extend my awning. Uggg

    Effing covid. The state of South Carolina, the City of Columbia don't have mask mandates. But this state park requires a mask to pee in the urinal. The boss says the county still mandates it.

  • SwitchbackKids
    Jun. 29, 2017

    Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

    Bluff Campground the way to go for quiet, peaceful park oasis

    Having been on the road for about three months before coming to Congaree, we were happy to arrive to such a quiet and tucked-away campground. For $5 per night, Bluff Campground was the perfect spot to hole up for a few days and relax surrounded by the old growth forest of Congaree National Park.

    Our time at Congaree was different from the other national parks we visited, because South Carolina had just undergone major flooding and much of Congaree -- especially its trails -- were under water.

    With no crowds and not much to explore, our three days in the park was very relaxing. We chose Bluff Campground -- a one-mile walk-in campground near the visitor center -- because we knew it would be less popular than Longleaf Campground, and we knew we’d be spending a lot of time there. The one mile hike seemed further than we thought because of our heavy loads, but once we arrived at our camp, set up our tent, chairs, hammocks, and slack line, we were able to just make the easy walk in and out each day.

    The campground itself has no facilities; its only amenities are the fire ring and picnic table at each site. We encountered only one other camper in our two nights here. We did encounter many mosquitoes, though, so don’t forget bug spray!

    At Congaree, there are several hiking trails and kayaking trails that we would have liked to do, but with our plans foiled by rain, we spent time at the visitor center, around the short boardwalk trail adjacent to the visitor center, and kayaking through the flooded plains, straight off the boardwalk.

    You can read much more about our three days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Congaree)

  • Thomas H.
    Mar. 21, 2022

    Weston Lake Recreation Area

    Peaceful

    I was stationed at Jackson from’07-‘09 and the only thing that has really changed is the dam is being worked on so you can only observe the lake, no swimming, boating, anything on the lake until repairs are completed. The receptionist said they’ve been working on it for maybe 4 years. Hopefully it’ll be completed sooner than later. The grounds could be kept up a little better as could the restrooms/bath houses but I imagine they lost some revenue due to the lake being closed for dam repairs.

    There isn’t any concerns getting back here, the biggest rigs will not have any problems. All sites are large concrete pads, FHU. Most sites are spaced very well, some better than others but you won’t be on top of anyone whichever site you’re at. They have a large concrete patio area, nearly the size of the pad itself with a picnic table and fire pit/grill and stand alone grill.

    Verizon cell coverage is adequate. I had 2 bars and LTE, sometimes 5G. Not like being in the city but sufficient. No wifi.

    There are cabins and tent sites as well. This isn’t a large campground but there were still a few open spaces.

    There will be various bugle calls throughout, morning, day and night. You may hear firing range training going on in the distance. You should expect this and it should not be seen as negative, you’re on a military campground.

    Current RV site price a night is $35, if you have a National park pass it’s $32.50. Despite the lake being off limits right now I will still come back. Once it’s opened back up I’m sure it will be more busy, right now it’s very peaceful.

  • R
    Sep. 3, 2019

    Lake Wateree State Park Campground

    Busy campground

    I can see why this is a busy campground. Bathhouses were clean. Many lakefront sites have posts to tie up your boat to if you have one. Beach area by the store. No WiFi and rarely did we have cell service but that’s not a bad thing! Large sites with some pull through. We had site 39 and there was nothing but woods behind us which was perfect for us. Only negative was I that I was bitten up by mosquitoes and I used bug spray ( obviously I need a better kind) and citronella buckets. Even with a packed campground for the holiday weekend it was relatively quiet especially by 11. This campground tends to be booked solid on weekends so important to make reservations. Also not much for stores close by so pack well. Oh and no alcohol sales on Sunday’s in the county.

  • M
    Jun. 23, 2018

    Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

    Congaree National Park Longleaf Campground

    If you like seclusion this campground is for you. The campground is primitive. There are 10 single sites that you have to walk into from the parking lot. Not a very long walk but just enough to feel secluded from traffic and other people. It has no showers, vault toilets and no running water. There is potable water at the visitor center and also flush toilets. The trails are very nice and well kept. Depending on when you go you may be the only ones on the trail. The wildlife is very neat it makes you feel like you are in a mini rainforest. There are snakes, skinks, lots of birds, insects and fox squirrels.

  • Matt C.
    Oct. 30, 2021

    Poinsett State Park Campground

    Nice state park

    We tent camped for the weekend in mid October. The park was probably 80% full, but didn’t seem crowded. All the spaces were spread out and the sites were level. We stayed at site 30, so it was a close walk to the bathhouse, with plenty of space, picnic table, and fire ring. The bathhouse was in fair condition, but the hot water was limited. The mens bathroom definitely needed to be cleaned. There were lots of trails, a pond, and a park for thing to do. T-mobile service barely worked. Check out our review https://youtu.be/pL1zgad0rN0

  • S
    Jun. 10, 2018

    Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

    Nice campsites, and great experience, prepare to walk in and bring water

    We stayed in Longleaf campground at Congaree National Park for a stop-over on our way back north from a family trip in Florida. The campsites at Longleaf each had a fire ring and picnic table, and were pretty good sized. The key thing to know about Longleaf is that you need to be prepared in several ways:

    1. You have to make a reservation online. The ranger at the visitor's center told us to make sure we had some kind of documentation of our reservation. Reception can be spotty, so printing your reservation ahead of time might be a good idea.
    2. There is one parking lot, and you'll be walking with your stuff into your campsite. It isn't far, but be prepared to carry things. (Note: The walk into Bluff campground is further than Longleaf)
    3. There is no potable water at either campground. Bring your own. (Relatedly, there are only vault toilets at the campground)

    We stayed in campsite 6 at Longleaf, which was great. Campsites 1-3 are closer to the lot, but also closer to the walk that everyone takes from their cars to their sites. For a little more space/privacy, opt for campsites 4 and above.

    Although the campground is barebones, it had everything we needed and made for a great stop for us. Most of the park trails were underwater when we were there after a recent flood. It seemed like paddling would have been an optimal way to see the park and surrounding areas, but even so, we had a great time. There were lots of people out on the boardwalk trails, including lots of kids and dogs. Before you hit the trails, stop in the Visitor's Center and pick up the interpretive brochures on the types of trees/wildlife - they have kid versions and grown-up versions. Both were helpful in understanding the unique environment of the floodplain.

Guide to Cayce

Tent camping options near Cayce, South Carolina center around Congaree National Park, located approximately 20 miles southeast in Hopkins. Camping in this floodplain ecosystem presents unique challenges with frequent flooding during heavy rains due to the low elevation of around 90-140 feet above sea level. The region experiences hot, humid summers with temperatures often exceeding 90°F and mild winters that rarely see freezing conditions.

What to do

Night hiking: Congaree National Park offers unique evening experiences through the boardwalk trails. "The hikes were not too challenging but the boardwalk provided a unique experience!" notes Marissa H. from Longleaf Campground.

Wildlife observation: The park hosts diverse wildlife including deer, frogs, lizards and insects. One camper reports, "We saw other wildlife around the campground too. A lizard during a walk during the day. Many frogs during the rain at night" according to Veronica S., who visited Longleaf Campground.

Paddling opportunities: The park includes water trails when conditions permit. "This spot was one of many on a fall paddling vacation," notes Sarah C., though she advises checking with rangers about current water levels and access points for canoes or kayaks.

What campers like

Spacious, quiet sites: Sites at Longleaf provide good separation from neighboring campers. Kelly reports, "Good amount of space between all spaces. Sites 1-3 are the easiest to get to. We were at site 7, it took about 250 steps from the parking lot to our site."

Wildlife sounds: The natural chorus of frogs and insects creates a distinctive nighttime soundscape. "The campground is next to a pond that gets rather loud at night. I never knew frogs/toads could be so loud," observes Kelly from Blythewood Acres.

Level tent sites: The terrain provides good options for setting up camp. "The sites are a short sandy walk from parking lot. Sites are pretty large and about 10-20 yards away from each other," notes Ashley N., adding the practical advice to "Bring a wagon if you have coolers and such."

What you should know

Limited facilities: Restroom options are basic at best in the campgrounds. "The bathrooms on the campground part were essentially glorified port-o-potties (a building surrounding a hole in the ground). The Visitor Center was a better bathroom experience," explains Marissa H.

Water access: No water is available at the campgrounds, requiring planning. "You can also get water from the Visitor Center (which is a better drive than walk if carrying a large or multiple jugs)," advises Marissa H.

Insect preparation: Biting insects can be problematic, particularly in warmer months. "Prepare to be eaten alive by deer flies everywhere you go!" warns Jacinda S. from Bluff Hike In Campground.

Tips for camping with families

Site selection: Choose sites closest to parking for easier access with children and gear. "If you don't want to walk far, get campsite #1. It's right next to the parking lot and closest to the bathrooms," recommends Jacinda S.

Bring transportation aids: Pack equipment to help move gear from parking to campsites. "Definitely bring a wagon for packing your stuff in," suggests Jacinda S., noting the heat makes multiple trips challenging even though paths are flat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Cayce, SC?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cayce, SC is Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park with a 4.1-star rating from 30 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Cayce, SC?

TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Cayce, SC, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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