Best Tent Camping near Green Pond, SC

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!

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.

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.

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.

This is one of three“campgrounds,” that I know of, that are within Table Rock State Park. This particular one is primitive, and you have to hike in to it. It is advisable to take your own water since the nearest water is almost a half mile away. There is a fire pit, a picnic table, a lantern pole, and a tent pad. The best part about this campground is that it is away from the sounds of traffic, and your nearest neighbor, if you have one, will be a tent camper about 200 feet away. The tent sites are close to the lake, and the site that I chose has a short trail down to it through the woods. However, it is a steep trail, and once you get down to it, the only thing you will be able to do is look at it or fish in it. There are no boat launches there, but then again, I can’t imagine carrying a kayak that far into the woods by way of a narrow trail. There is one pit toilet for this campground, and from my site, it is almost a half mile away. That means that if you have to go in the middle of the night, take a strong flashlight with you since there are NO artificial lights at this campground. It is a great campground if you want to get away from it all, but remember, you do have to pack everything in and pack everything out. I estimate the distance is about a quarter mile or more. It is a peaceful campsite, but if there are lots of groups camping there, you may want to choose a different site farther back. The main trail runs right beside this site. However, this time there was only one couple that I know of, and it was no problem. Overall, this campground is NOT for RV campers or for car campers. However, it IS for people who don’t mind backpacking a short distance for remoteness and solitude.

I did a quick overnight here, as is custom when I travel for work, and it was spectacular. I stayed at Trailside Camp Site #2, which is one of their remote, primitive sites at the North Lake and all I can say is wow. The views were spectacular, and watching the full moon come up over the mountain was something I will never forget.

The site itself was spartan, as is expected in a primitive site but it did have a fire ring and a picnic table. Site 2 is right on the lake, with plenty of dead wood to get a fire going. The hike in is about 2ish miles of moderately difficult trails, with some amazing views along the way, including a walk across the North Lake dam. The hike was well worth it though.

This lake was beautiful. Great views of lake and mountains. The water was warm in October. Site #27 was good. Some sites were unlevel and on a steep grade and close with minimal greenery between. The walk-in tent sites were excellent. All sites had table, fire ring, lantern hook, and a gravel tent pad in addition to paved site. Most of the sites were shaded. Bathrooms were good with a big laundry area. There weren't really any paths to bathroom so it would be difficult in the dark if you were further away. We took a waterfall boat tour which was excellent. There are several paths to get to lake from different spots in campground. Which are like a private beach area. This park/campground is very busy on weekends but Sunday night it emptied out. Bring your boat, floats, kayaks, canoes. There is not much in area outside park. There was a Dollar General store within 15 minutes. The park store was well stocked with many items. Park staff were not that friendly. There are several boat ramps in park. Divers also use this lake since the lake is clear.

I've camped/visited Devil's Fork State Park numerous times, and each time has been amazing. There are few places in the southeast that are as beautiful as the crystal-clear waters of Lake Jocassee!

The first time I visited, we reserved a drive-up campsite, which had an on-site fresh water pump and electricity hookup (although we didn't use it). The second time, we went with one of the hike-in campsites, which are a little closer to the water. The hike-in sites are still very close to the parking lot, so they aren't too "rustic" compared to other campgrounds I've been to. The hike-in sites have access to a community fresh water pump. The drive-up sites are arranged in a loop, with a central bathroom/shower/laundry facility available 24/7. I believe there are about 4 toilet stalls, 2 sinks, and 2-3 showers. It's also nice that it is heated in winter! The laundry facility has washer and dryers which you can pay for with quarters. I don't remember there being any detergent, etc., available for use, so if you plan on using these, be sure to bring your own. We had no intention of doing laundry during our stay, but we were immensely grateful for the dryers after all of our clothing and sleeping bags were soaked in an overnight rainstorm!

The people who work at the Devil's Fork ranger station are so friendly and accommodating. We were running late on one trip, but called ahead, and they had no problem leaving the gate open for us and allowing up to check in early the next morning. Plus, they had great recommendations on what to do and see during our stay, and their gift shop sold several things (such as firewood) that could come in handy if you forget to bring your own!

We rented our kayaks from the Jocassee Outdoor Center (http://www.jocasseeoutdoorcenter.com/), which we've had terrific experiences with. Their prices were affordable, they are very friendly and knowledgable, and they delivered our kayaks to the Devil's Fork docks in advance. Be sure to ask for their map of waterfalls in the area! They are really beautiful, although I'd recommend checking the water levels first, if possible. :)

Jocassee itself is absolutely beautiful. The clear waters contrasting with the rocky and red clay shores looks like a natural wonder from another planet...not like something you'd find in South Carolina! Water sports are great here, as is fishing and swimming. Even just walking along the shores offers beautiful views and is somewhat challenging at the rockier parts. Because it is a smaller campground, the large lake never feels too crowded. Jocassee is a man-made lake, and there is actually a small town at the bottom of it. Those who are scuba-certified can scuba dive down to the town and explore old churches, school houses, and even cemeteries, which I'm sure is a unique experience (although I've never done it myself).

All in all, Lake Jocassee and Devil's Fork State Park are truly jewels of the southeast and should not be missed!