Best Glamping near Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests

I gave this campground four stars, but only for RVs and travel trailers. I would not give it four stars for tent campers. Tent campers would have a hard time finding a suitable site that would not be too rocky. When I checked in, the lady was nice enough to find a site with grass behind the gravel so I could set up my tent. She didn’t warn me that it was sloped. With that said, it is a campground in a beautiful setting. The lake and the sitting area beside the lake are both beautiful. There is a paved walkway down to the lake to a sitting area and a dock. The bath house was air conditioned, almost too much. It is a shock to the system moving from the intense South Carolina heat into the bath house. However, it was a nice break from the heat. Be aware that when you take a shower, you may have to wait a few minutes for the hot water to start. When I first turned it on, I wondered if there was any hot water. Eventually it came, and it was HOT, so I had to adjust it quickly. Also, take your own hand soap with you. There are paper towels but no soap. There are several trails, and you can rent boats, peddle boats, canoes, and kayaks. There is also a disc golf course. If I had known beforehand, I would have taken my own discs. That’s my fault for not doing the research. My favorite part of this camping experience was waking up early in the morning and sitting by the lake. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to capture a photo of the ducks taking off and flying in a perfect v-formation, but it was so peaceful there. Overall, this is a great campground to get away from civilization.

This campground was recommended to me by a friend. After car camping for a few days, my son and I came here to a surprisingly comfortable cozy and AIR CONDITIONED (!) cabin for 3 nights. This place is so cute! There is an acre of catch and release pond, a playground and jump pad for kids, a pool, some trails, several things to do. There is a coin operated laundry and a bathhouse that I have to say is beautifully kept and clean. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I will definitely stay here again on my way back and forth from Maine to Alabama.

If you want to get away from civilization, this might be the place to camp. However, it is beside a road, but the road is not used very much since it is a national forest road. 

I was glad to see that it had running water and one of the cleanest pit toilets I think I have ever seen. The Palmetto Trail runs through it, so if you are thru-hiking, this would be a good place to camp for the night. I was at campsite 5, which was the one farthest from the road, and I could tell it was the most popular. I picked up a small bag of trash left by previous campers before setting up. There are trash receptacles nearby, but alas, some people leave their trash at the campsite anyway. 

There is a spacious grassy area in the middle of the campsites for whatever activities you want to engage in. There is also a large, separate grassy area for group camping. It includes a communal fire pit. 

Overall, it is a great area for primitive camping and for dry camping if you are in a small RV.

If you are looking for a near perfect lakeside camping experience in the 'Low Country' here in South Carolina, than you may have just found the perfect getaway! Tucked away from main roads and a solid 20 minute drive from the nearest traces of civilization (the itty bitty town of McCormick), Hickory Knob State Park, which sits right on the Savannah River / Lake Thurmond and provides the setting for truly one of the most perfect camping escapes I have ever encountered. 

There's about 60-70 individual campsites here, but you would be hard pressed to count them all on account that there is so much foliage that separates each individual campsite that despite the # of sites, you are left with a very intimate and secluded feeling. While some of these well-secluded spots can get you just about as close to the lakeshore as possible (without infringing upon the land boundaries itself), most set a decent 10- 15 feet above shoreline and offer a private and simple-to-navigate pathway to the refreshing lollops of the lake's gentle rippling waves. 

Each site is apportioned with the basics - long drive-way with corresponding flat base platform (either perfect for RV or very amenable to the largest of tents), fire ring, water spigot and picnic table. While there's a handful of campsites that appear to be close cousins to the one next to it, most sites feel independent from one another and offer up enough space to forget your next-door neighbors. Further, I counted 3 separate loops (or communities, if you will), each with their own facilities. 

Apart from the greatest amenity being the lake itself, the park also offers a simple, yet splendid boat jetty with an easy-to-navigate round-about. Unlike many other state parks I have visited in the country, this one offers boaters many easy places to stow away their boats, when not in use on the lake. Further afield, there are plenty of trails to explore the deeper, less frequented side of this overgrown lakeside forested haven. 

If there were any drawbacks at all, it would simply be the less than mediocre bathrooms and showers that the state of South Caroline seems intent on not fixing (think back 50 to 60 years ago to what bathrooms might have looked like back then and then come present day to find exactly the same thing, without any repairs (and perhaps any sanitation) being made whatsoever). With all of the tax dollars that the state collects, on top of the fees paid for camping in these amazing state parks, you think the state would be able to afford building and maintaining better and more modern facilities for its overnight guests (what is it that they say about hospitality in the South?!). 

In sum, if you are looking for some really good seclusion, right on the lake, don't mind the overgrown nature of this campsite, have a boat, and perhaps older children that don't need playgrounds (and other man-made distractions) and can do without direct access to civilization, then this may very well be a perfect spot for you. 

Insider tips? Here's a few: (1) Because the nearest town of McCormick is a bit of a hike to get to (think at least a 20 minute drive on slow moving, winding country roads), be sure to bring everything you need with you, but if you do need any groceries, there's a Food Lion that has just about everything you might need; (2) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova cooler, then check out Michelle's, which is one half family restaurant - where I never believe any waitress who answers the question 'What is the best thing on the menu' with the response 'EVERYTHING!', but I will admit, she was absolutely right - we tried the pizza, wings, salad bar and hamburger one night - all were equally amazing - and one half happy hour / karaoke bar that apparently the entirety of McCormick shows up at after 8pm every night, which was pretty cool to experience; (3) When / if you head into the town of McCormick, take note of the Ice ATM machine there - it's fantastic and super cheap, so be sure to stock up on your ice there; and (4) If you are wanting to 'whet your whistle' after a good hard day of kayaking, then head on over to nearby Back Paddle Brewing for some really nice local craft beers.

Happy Camping!

We closed out September with a 5day/4night stay on site #110. I know everyone raves about 92-100 but I truly believe 110&112 were amazing especially if your camping with friends.

We stayed M-F so campground 2 was pretty empty and we were able to let the kids ride their bikes and play ball on the road.

Beach access from #110 is perfect and we basically set up an annex from our main camp in the beach. I definitely recommend bringing your kayak or boat as you could “dock” them in the little cove.

If sunrises are your thing #110 and #112 provide an amazing spot to watch the sun come up over the tree lined lake.

#110 was very level and extremely spacious and provided a very easy walking path to the beach.

Beach access from #110 is perfect and we basically set up an annex from our main camp in the beach. I definitely recommend bringing your kayak or boat as you could “dock” them in the little cove.

Bathhouse by #110 & #112 was in great condition and was the unisex style with one toilet and sink and some had a shower. Facilities were very clean, however I never noticed a camp host cleaning them while we stayed.

Ice and firewood could only be purchased at the visitors center at the front of the park which wasn’t the most convenient to camping in campground 2. Other state parks we’ve been to the camp host has these items inside the campgrounds.

We had exceptional weather for camping on the lake 50/60 lows and upper 80s during the day which made our stay even more perfect.

We closed out September with a 5day/4night stay on site #110. I know everyone raves about 92-100 but I truly believe 110&112 were amazing especially if your camping with friends.

We stayed M-F so campground 2 was pretty empty and we were able to let the kids ride their bikes and play ball on the road.

Beach access from #110 is perfect and we basically set up an annex from our main camp in the beach. I definitely recommend bringing your kayak or boat as you could “dock” them in the little cove.

If sunrises are your thing #110 and #112 provide an amazing spot to watch the sun come up over the tree lined lake.

Bathhouse by #110 & #112 was in great condition and was the unisex style with one toilet and sink and some had a shower. Facilities were very clean, however I never noticed a camp host cleaning them while we stayed.

Ice and firewood could only be purchased at the visitors center at the front of the park which wasn’t the most convenient to camping in campground 2. Other state parks we’ve been to the camp host has these items inside the campgrounds.

We had exceptional weather for camping on the lake 50/60 lows and upper 80s during the day which made our stay even more perfect.