Best Tent Camping near Florence, SC
The region surrounding Florence, South Carolina offers tent campers several distinctive options within driving distance, including the specialized Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge and Princess Ann Access at Lumber River State Park. These tent campgrounds provide varying levels of accessibility and amenities, with Princess Ann located approximately 60 miles southeast of Florence in Orrum, North Carolina. Carolina Sandhills Wildlife Refuge offers a unique tent camping experience but requires special permits for educational groups, researchers, or volunteers participating in service projects.
Walk-in tent sites at Princess Ann campground provide a more secluded experience, particularly sites 7 and 8 which sit directly along the Lumber River. These tent-only camping areas require a short hike from the parking area to reach the campsites. Basic amenities include picnic tables, fire rings, and trash cans that rangers empty daily. The campground features both vault toilets near the parking area and a more developed restroom facility across the lot. Carolina Sandhills, by contrast, offers more primitive tent camping with basic facilities like drinking water, picnic tables, and toilets available for permitted groups.
Tent campers at Princess Ann frequently comment on the exceptional stargazing opportunities and natural soundscape. According to reviews, "You can see tons of stars here at night" though light sleepers should "consider earplugs" due to the active barred owl population. The riverside tent sites provide direct water access for swimming and fishing, though campers note the river bottom is "quite squishy." The campground occasionally experiences periods of extremely low occupancy, with one visitor reporting they had "the park completely to ourselves" as confirmed by the ranger. Backcountry tent camping at Carolina Sandhills requires participation in environmental education or research activities, making it suitable for organized groups seeking a more purposeful outdoor experience rather than casual tent campers.