Lee State Park Campground offers specialized equestrian camping facilities 20 minutes from Florence, South Carolina. The campground includes multiple trails through wooded areas with artesian wells serving as water sources along routes. During spring and fall seasons, insect activity decreases significantly making outdoor activities more comfortable for both horses and riders.
What to do
Trail riding opportunities: At Cheraw State Park Campground, riders can take advantage of various trails near the lake. "The trail around the lake is very pretty, and there are lots of things to do across the lake. (Boat rentals, playground, picnic areas, park office…)" notes Trina W.
Dog training facilities: H. Cooper Black Jr. Field Trial Area provides specialized areas for retriever training. According to Brenda L., "They have several ponds that can be reserved if you have retriever dogs to train. They host many retriever tests on the weekend and they are fun to watch."
Artesian well exploration: The natural springs in the area create unique water features to discover. A camper at Cheraw State Park noted, "We were lucky enough to catch a great view of Jupiter merging with Saturn last night," showing the clear night skies ideal for stargazing after a day of exploration.
What campers like
Peaceful environment: Sesquicentennial State Park Campground provides a quiet retreat. One camper reports, "Set in the woods, making it easy to forget you're in Columbia! Quiet, lots of birds in the spring."
Wildlife viewing: The equestrian areas attract various wildlife. At H. Cooper Black, Phil R. enjoyed "overlooking ponds, meadows, forest. Fun to distantly observe horses and well trained retrievers playing and being trained."
Winter camping benefits: Off-season camping offers unique advantages. Sara M. found Cheraw State Park particularly enjoyable in December: "Spacious sites that feel nicely private surrounded by evergreens which is a nice relief in winter to see trees with leaves. The lake is beautiful."
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Some equestrian sites near Lynchburg require advance booking. At Falcons Nest FamCamp, Jeff B. notes important restrictions: "Very nice campground. Lots of trees. Must have access to Shaw afb to stay. $20 per night. No long term prices. No stay limit."
Seasonal considerations: Spring and fall offer the most comfortable camping conditions. Summer months bring higher insect activity while winter provides more privacy but cooler temperatures.
Facility availability: Most equestrian campgrounds have basic amenities but limited specialized facilities. As one camper mentioned, "Bath houses were well kept. Only drawback would be this park is an equestrian park so you will most likely encounter flies during the warmer months."
Tips for camping with families
Group camping options: Some parks offer separate group areas. Trina W. explains, "We stayed in the camp juniper group area this time, but have camped in the regular campground in the past. The regular sites are usually full, and very close, but the lake front sites are gorgeous and worth being close to neighbors."
Child-friendly activities: Nowhere Campground provides basic sites while nearby parks offer more facilities. At Cheraw State Park, "There is a lake with a swimming area that was also well-maintained and clean, it has a boardwalk that goes around a large portion of the lake that connects the campground with the beach area."
Educational opportunities: Several parks feature nature programs where children can learn about local ecosystems. CeCelia L. shares, "I took a group of 8 wild middle schoolers here and we had a blast hiking the trails, boating, and unplugging for a while!"
Tips from RVers
Site selection: Choose sites carefully based on your needs. Christina from Lee State Park notes, "Rough 'roads' inside park with big ruts that filled with rain, horrific mosquitos (and we're from SC for a baseline). Having the horses around was fantastic."
Hookup availability: Most equestrian campgrounds near Lynchburg offer water and electric hookups. One RVer at Cheraw State Park reported, "Only about 25 or so sites. All with water and electric hookups. Per did not work at our site so we had to move from our great lake view site to one next to the bath house."
Seasonal planning: Consider visiting during less busy seasons. Sara M. found winter camping advantageous: "Super cheap. We stayed four nights for under $100. 30/50 hookups and water. No sewer but very close dump station in campground."
