Best Tent Camping near Irmo, SC
Congaree National Park, located 25 miles southeast of Irmo, South Carolina, offers dedicated tent-only camping options in a unique floodplain forest environment. The park features two primary tent campgrounds: Longleaf Campground with 10 walk-in tent sites and Bluff Campground with 6 sites located a mile from the parking area. Both campgrounds cater exclusively to tent campers seeking a primitive camping experience within the old-growth forest setting. Sedalia Campground, situated in the Sumter National Forest northwest of Irmo, provides additional primitive tent camping opportunities with access to the Palmetto Trail.
Sites at Congaree's tent campgrounds feature uneven terrain with numerous tree roots that can make tent placement challenging. Campers should prepare for walk-in access, as all sites require carrying equipment from designated parking areas. Longleaf's sites range from 20 meters to 250 steps from the parking lot, with sites 1-3 being closest to the entrance. No potable water is available at the campgrounds, requiring visitors to fill containers at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center. Vault toilets are located at the parking areas, but no showers are provided. The lowland location makes flooding a concern during heavy rains, and summer months bring significant mosquito and deer fly activity.
The tent-only experience at these campgrounds offers exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities. One camper noted, "The campground is next to a pond that gets rather loud at night with frogs and toads." Spring visitors can witness the synchronous fireflies, a rare natural phenomenon that occurs for approximately two weeks in May. According to reviews, the sites remain relatively uncrowded even on weekends, with many campers reporting having few neighbors during their stays. The boardwalk trail provides easy access to explore the swamp ecosystem, while more adventurous backcountry tent camping is available with a free permit from the visitor center. Cellular service is generally available at both the campgrounds and visitor center, with Verizon users reporting sufficient coverage for basic needs.