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Best Tent Camping near Conestee, SC

1,091 Reviews

Tent camping options near Conestee, South Carolina include several established campgrounds in the surrounding mountain areas, with Jones Gap State Park Campground and Burrells Ford offering quality backcountry tent camping experiences. Both locations feature primitive tent sites in natural settings with varying levels of accessibility. Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area in Caesars Head State Park provides additional trailside tent camping opportunities within reasonable driving distance of Conestee.

Most tent sites in this region require some hiking to access, with walk-in distances ranging from a quarter mile to over a mile. Jones Gap features private walk-in sites separated by approximately a quarter mile from neighboring campers, providing a sense of backcountry solitude despite being in a state park. Fire rings are standard at most locations, though toilet facilities vary significantly—some areas offer pit toilets while others have no facilities whatsoever. Campers should pack in their own water or bring filtration systems, as drinking water is limited or unavailable at many primitive tent campgrounds.

The terrain around tent sites typically consists of forest floor with some locations offering established tent pads. Many campsites are positioned near water sources like the Chattooga River at Burrells Ford, allowing for fishing and ambient water sounds at night. The Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area provides extensive trail access for hikers seeking multi-day backcountry experiences. Weather conditions can change rapidly in these areas, particularly at higher elevations. A visitor described the Jones Gap campsites as "clean and well maintained" with "the added benefit of a fire ring and tent pad," noting that "each spot is about a quarter mile from the next, so you feel like you have the mountain to yourself."

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Best Tent Sites Near Conestee, South Carolina (34)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Conestee, SC

55 Photos of 34 Conestee Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Conestee, SC

1091 Reviews of 34 Conestee Campgrounds

  • Courtney B.
    Aug. 1, 2020

    Devils Fork State Park Campground

    Loved it so much, we've planned another trip there!

    We had a wonderful time camping at Devil's Fork State Park. Our group took up rustic tent sites T1, T3, and T5. On the map, these sites seem not ideal, as they are not on the water. However, they are more isolated, more wooded (plenty of trees for hammocking), and seemingly larger than the other tent sites. They are a short walk from the tent-camper parking area, a short walk from the two water spigots in the parking area, and a short walk from the restrooms. The bonus is that, behind sites T1 and T3, is a jumping rock into a gorgeous cove of Lake Jocassee with beautiful blue-green water. It's a great place to enjoy kayaks, rafts, and other inflatables. 

    While site T13 books up quick because of its waterfront location on the point, the walk from the parking lot is no joke. 

    Notes about the rustic tent sites: They have been recently renovated. Each has a picnic table and a fire ring. Only 1 vehicle is allowed to park, per site, unless you pay for the extra vehicle and park in the overflow lot. There is no electricity, and two water spigots located in the parking area. The entire camping area (25 tent sites and 59 RV sites) share 2 restrooms (which were muddy and gross while we were there). No generators are allowed in the tent area. We did have a bear visit us multiple times in one night, putting teeth puncture marks in our cooler. And if the bear don't get ya, the raccoons will!

  • J
    Jul. 19, 2016

    Black Forest Family Camping Resort

    Cabins without the amenities

    These cabins may not be for everyone. They are pretty bare bones. The cabins have electricity, but the water pump is outside and the bathrooms and showers are communal (but clean). There is a full size bed and two bunk beds in each one. Outside, there is a a picnic table and a fire ring for each cabin. I think the mattresses are hard, so I usually bring a sleeping bag to pad it. So it can be seen as a step up from tent camping for people who don't like that kind of roughing it.

    There is a heated swimming pool and they do lots of things for kids like ice cream socials. They have a little shop in case you forget some necessities.

    This campground is close to Dupont Forest, with lots of mountain biking, hiking, and waterfalls. For $50 a night, it's a pretty good deal.

  • Tommy S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 17, 2022

    Coneross Park Campground

    Lakeside campground

    This campground is huge. A lot of the campsites are close together, but we snagged a site along the west side of the campground, where there’s a little more privacy and seclusion.

    Being right on the water was amazing, the water was so warm and being able to swim from your site is pretty cool. This site had some stairs leading from the parking spot to the site, then slopes down to the lake.

    Dogs need to always be on leash and there’s no alcohol allowed, which is a bit of a bummer.

    Spigots and bathhouse was convenient, except no soap by the sinks.

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

    Burrells Ford

    Nice Place to Get Away from the Crowds

    To get to this campground, you have to drive two and a half miles down a forest road, and then you hike about a third of a mile to the campsites. You have to backpack in and take everything you need. Make sure to take lots of water or a good water filter. When I first arrived, I was a little disappointed that the pit toilet was not open(I think perhaps due to the pandemic). The hike to the campsites is an easy, slightly downhill roadbed. When I went, it was the perfect time for the black-eyed susans to bloom, so it was a pretty hike. 

    This is a primitive campground, so there is no electricity, drinking water, or sewer hookups. However, it is peaceful, and if you want to get away from the conglomeration of RVs and tent campers, this is great. 

    When I got to my campsite, I was surprised to find a nice large picnic table and lantern pole. Most hike-in sites don’t have these amenities. There was also a hanging system for food since this place is in bear country. The thing I did not like was the gravel pad. It is a good thing I had a freestanding tent that didn’t require tent stakes. The site was really a good one with trees all around and the sounds of the creek, which is a tributary of the Chatooga River. 

    I was the only camper, which from what I understand is unusual. This is partly because school had started and it was during the week. This made it easy to gather firewood, but the wood was wet because of the recent rains. Fortunately, I had a little alcohol stove to cook my meals. 

    The reasons people come to this campground are because of access to water for fishing, the solitude, and King Creek waterfall. The trail to the waterfall is over a half mile (my estimation), and you have to cross a log footbridge. There was a huge downed tree that you also have to cross, but you have to be careful since the log was slimy. 

    Overall, this is a pretty good place to camp, but you can’t just run to your car if you forget something. Well, I guess you could, but it would be a third of a mile slightly uphill. All of your private hygiene has to be done backcountry also, which is not a problem if you are accustomed to backpacking.

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

    Table Rock State Park Campground

    State Park with Beautiful Views

    Table Rock State Park is a large park with at least three“campgrounds.” One is a primitive campground, and one is a traditional campground. I did not get to explore the third campground, but I believe it is a traditional campground as well. The site I stayed at, site 56, was level, except for the approach; however, the pad was rough gravel. I put down two tarps under my tent to help eliminate the roughness inside the tent. The site was shaded and wasn’t too close to my camping neighbors, but the biggest problem was dealing with the ants—big black ants, small black ants, and other tiny ants. There was no lantern pole, but there was a fire pit and a picnic table. The bath house was only a short walking distance away. There is no lack of things to do, and the trail system is extraordinary. The main attraction, I would guess, is Table Rock Mountain, but there are other things to do. There is a swimming beach and a diving platform. Beside the beach are picnic tables, including a picnic shelter with a standing grill. The visitors center/store was well stocked with souvenirs and supplies, and there is a laundry next to it. Sometime during the night when I had to go to the restroom, I discovered that there was not water. The next morning, I turned on the faucet at my campsite, and it sputtered out brown water at first and then it came out clear. I said that to say this. There was a problem and they dealt with it quickly. That impressed me. The heat and humidity was almost unbearable, but nothing can be done about that during the summer. If you camp in a tent during the summer, make sure to take and extension cord and a fan. Overall, this is a great place to camp during vacation, but the cost is a little more than I expected to pay for a tent site. Costwise, I’m not sure I would want to pay that much for camping for a whole week. It rivals the national campground franchises. However, if cost doesn’t concern you, it really is a good place to camp.

  • Emily S.
    Nov. 27, 2017

    Table Rock State Park Campground

    Primitive Camping

    Table Rock is one of the largest state parks in the state of SC and has a TON to offer in terms of hiking. We stayed in the primitive hike in tent only camp sites, not the "regular" campground. The hike in was relatively easy. Sites are VERY close together, so don't plan on much privacy. Tent pads and picnic tables are provided and were clean.

  • W
    Aug. 15, 2018

    Pisgah National Forest Kuykendall Group Campground

    Great place for a group of up to 60 friends to camp!

    Large clearing in the forest for setting up tents or trailers. There is a short creek crossing: 4-WD or high clearance is suggested, but several in our group made it across in minivans & sedans (water was low). Large fire ring between 4 picnic tables, 2 composting toilets, 1 bear box, & a hand-cranked well pump. Trail from near privy goes to small waterfall & pool upstream of camp.

    Even after setting tents up for 40 people, we still had plenty of room for kids to play soccer, etc. in the field between. Watch out for ruts & valleys in the field. I’d suggest camping on the upper hill for least amount of rain run off, or along the treeline near the water pump for morning shade. Easy access to other trails & waterfalls in the area. We immediately reserved for next year!

  • Myron C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 31, 2019

    Ammons Branch Campground

    National Forest Campground with Solitude Close to Magnificent Waterfalls

    To get to this campground, you have to travel curvy, mountain roads. It is not a campground for large RVs. It is better suited for tents or small RVs. Once you get on Bull Pen Road, which is a national forest road, you have to drive about 1.2 miles on gravel. Although the road is in good shape for a gravel road, the short campground approach road is a bit rougher. There are only four sites available, but there are tent pads, lantern poles, and fire rings. I was also pleasantly surprised that there is a pit toilet at the campground, which is unusual for a dispersed camping area. The toilet was clean and actually didn’t smell as bad as you would think. It may be because it is winter, and not too many campers stay at this campground during this time of year. We were the only ones at the campground this time. The only fault I have with the campsites are that the tent pads are very small. We had an 8’ x 10’ tent, and it could not completely fit onto the tent pad. However, the site we were on wasn’t too bad because the back of the tent pad was almost level with the pad itself. I chose this particular site for two reasons: 1) there was firewood at this tent site, and 2) it was close to the pit toilet. That is important because our two young grandchildren were with us. At night, it is quiet, especially since there was no one else there, but also because it is miles from the nearest town. The only sounds this time of year are the sounds of Ammons Branch and the wind. I do not recommend staying there in the winter unless you are ready for cold nights. Fortunately, a down sleeping bag is my best friend when camping in the winter. Overall, I liked this campground because of the wilderness solitude, although during the summer, that may not be the case when others are camping there. However, it is a remote campground close to some magnificent waterfalls and lots of trails.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 5, 2025

    Gorges State Park Campground

    "Gorgesous" campground!

    General: Newer campground (opened November 2022) with a mix of electric and tent sites plus primitive cabins. 

    Site Quality: All sites have a paved camper pad, a large gravel tent pad, a very generous-sized picnic table, and a fire ring. The tent site camper pads can easily accommodate two cars. Be aware, however, that camper pads on the odd-numbered tent sites (5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15) are not level, but Sites 1 and 3 plus the even-numbered sites have level parking pads. This is only a concern if, like us, you are in a campervan; tents would have no problem. 

    Bath/Shower house: Extremely clean. It is a bit of a hike from the tent sites to the bathhouse, which is ¼ mile from Site 6. The shower was one of the best campground showers we’ve experienced– nicely tiled, long bench, several hooks, immediate warm water, and nice water pressure. Since the bathhouse was so far from the tent sites, it would have been nice to have a vault toilet in this area. 

    Activities: There are several trails in this park, however, they are a bit of a distance from the campground, so unless you want a longer hike, you need to drive to the trailheads. The best one is to Rainbow and Turtle Back Falls, a somewhat challenging 4-mile round trip hike, but well worth it. 

    We had planned a return to this campground specifically to hike to Rainbow Falls. Our stay was very pleasant (despite periodic downpours!), and Connie, the camp host, was one of the best we’ve encountered in a campground.

Guide to Conestee

Tent campsites near Conestee, South Carolina span from forested ridge tops at elevations around 3,500 feet to river valley sites near 1,100 feet. The temperature variations can be significant, with higher elevation sites often 10-15 degrees cooler than valley locations. Many primitive sites require water filtration systems as natural water sources may contain bacteria or parasites common to southeastern waterways.

What to do

Trout fishing in Chattooga River: Burrells Ford Campground provides direct access to well-stocked trout waters. "Good amount of camping with a short hike in. Sites are right on the Chatooga River. This river is stocked with trout. Fishing license is required but both SC and GA are acceptable as the river is the state line," notes Jason D.

Waterfall hiking: Multiple waterfall trails start near Jones Gap State Park Campground. "Be sure to check out Rainbow Falls a 90ft free falling waterfall that's about 2 1/2 miles from the campsites," suggests Fain H., highlighting one of several waterfall options within hiking distance.

Technical climbing routes: Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area Trailside Camping features challenging terrain for experienced hikers. "Wonderful trails with breath taking views and technical climbs plus discrete camping," reports Maddi P., describing the more advanced trail system that connects multiple camping areas.

What campers like

River sounds for sleeping: Campers consistently mention the natural sleep aid of flowing water. Kevin G. from Jones Gap State Park Campground notes: "It sits about 50 yards up the hill from the main river running through the valley... The river is a great soundtrack for a nights sleep."

Short distance backpacking experience: Burrells Ford offers a compromise between car camping and backpacking. "To get to this campground, you have to drive two and a half miles down a forest road, and then you hike about a third of a mile to the campsites," explains Myron C., making it accessible for beginners without a full backpacking commitment.

Private tent sites: Many tent sites near Conestee offer significant spacing between campers. Sara M. describes Jones Gap: "Sites are large and have varying degrees of privacy. I didn't realize the main park trail was right across the river, might have been a little shyer if I had!" This offers a good reminder to check site placement relative to trails.

What you should know

Limited facilities at primitive sites: Most tent camping locations around Conestee provide minimal amenities. At Pine Point Primitive Campground, Kirsten J. explains, "A handful of sites are offered, each with a tent-pad, picnic table and firepit. Best of all the remote sites had FLAT tent pads, which always make for a better night sleep!"

Seasonal crowding patterns: Popular sites fill quickly during peak seasons. RC S. notes about Burrells Ford: "During peak season (summer, Spring Break) it will be slightly crowded, but there's usually still room to camp and it doesn't normally get rowdy or loud. Fishing will of course be inhibited when it's crowded."

Food storage requirements: Bear country precautions are necessary at many camping locations. Myron C. points out at Burrells Ford: "There was also a hanging system for food since this place is in bear country." Many sites provide bear poles or cables, but campers should bring appropriate rope for hanging food.

Tips for camping with families

Starter backpacking locations: For families new to backpacking, Jocassee Gorges Wildlife Management Area offers accessible options. "My favorite campsites lie off of the Canebrake Trail and connect with the Foothills Trail. My family and I mainly hike to the first-come-first-serve campsites but there are also a lot of boaters tying off at the shoreline," shares Maggie J.

Close-to-parking tent sites: Some families need shorter walks to sites. Laura C. recommends Jones Gap State Park site #8: "Love the privacy of this spot (#8) which is the closest walk in spot from the Parking area. We were able to hike in a ton of gear (coolers, dog bed, etc (with a little work and a few trips) and it was worth it for the seclusiveness. Having both toddler and dog we knew we couldn't go far."

Multi-age appropriate locations: Consider activities for different age ranges. Stacy B. notes about Jones Gap: "This is a great campsite for 1st time backpackers. The site is approximately 1 mile from the state park office. The trail is moderately difficult with lots of rocks."

Tips from RVers

Limited RV options: True RV camping is scarce near Conestee's tent sites. Candy H. explains about Denver Downs Farm: "Not big rig friendly. Lots of opportunities for kayaking, hiking. Not an easy place for first timers to get into. No swim access to the lake. Small campground loop."

Tent-RV hybrid options: Some locations allow small RVs with tent-like amenities. Adam V. notes about Denver Downs Farm: "This is a farm and outdoor event center with a 140 acre field you can camp in. Very well maintained. There are no defined campsites we could see. Just a giant field to set up and camp. There is no water or any hookups. You will need to pack in and pack out everything."

Proximity to major roads: Some camping areas provide easier access from highways. Adam V. continues about Denver Downs: "Very close to I-85 and easy to get to. Feels very safe. A little highway noise, but not bad."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Conestee, SC is Jones Gap State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 16 reviews.

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