Best Tent Camping near Johns Island, SC

Campground Review:

When we pull into a free, national forest campground in the dark, it’s really hard to get a perspective of where you are – everything seems just a bit spooky. When I saw the sun rise, I popped out of Hamlet (our adventure rig) to take a look around. Wow…this remote dispersed campground was AWESOME! We parked under a gorgeous live oak dripping in Spanish moss which was backlit by the morning sun. We decided to stay for a few days and explore the area.

This campground has drinking water (still a bit rusty this time of year) and very clean pit toilets. There are no picnic tables or tent pads. Sites are not established, so you can park wherever there is space. The large lawn area in the back of the campground can accommodate a couple very large RV's, but keep in mind there are no hook-ups. There were just a few campers there in March, so plenty of space from which to choose. And, the best part…absolutely no mosquitoes this time of year. The only downside of this campground are the lack of established firepits, so people tend to build fires (and leave scars/remnants) all over the place. We had our new Primus Kamoto OpenFire Pit with us, and this was the perfect place to use it for a “leave no trace” fire. Hutch cooked me Belgian waffles for my birthday with our Amish waffle iron…what a treat!

We cycled through the national forest, stopping at both the Hampton Plantation (historic rice plantation) as well as St. James-Santee Church (beautiful 17th century church) – both within a few miles of the campground. The following day, we drove to the Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center on Hwy 17 and spent the afternoon learning from “Wolfman Rob” about the conservation efforts of the Red Wolf as well as touring the ancient native shell mounds in the area. In addition to all of this, there is a canoe put-in for Wambaw Creek just a few miles down the road from the campground.

Note: While there is a general store a few miles away, they didn't have much, so come prepared with groceries as it's about 20+ miles to the nearest grocery store in Georgetown! McClellanville is much closer, but only has a Dollar General.

It’s official folks, we’ve fallen in love with the coast that lies between Georgetown and Charleston, SC! Check out our blog on The Dyrt's Online Magazine about our experience on the coast of South Carolina.

Product Review:

As Rangers for The Dyrt, we’ve been testing out these products in various boondocking and beach locations around the southeast. We will admit that we are “foodie vegetarians” who love to cook over an open fire, but don’t often use campground or picnic stop grills to put our food on directly. They are often rusty, greasy, and somewhat gross. We had been using a propane grill (using the same propane connection that we use for heating our adventure rig), but found that it didn’t have quite enough power to cook things quickly especially for the amount of space it took up in the truck. Now, if we have access to a bit of dry wood, we can easily create a fire anywhere (that is legal and safe, of course!).

What we like about these products:

1. Firepits and grills in campgrounds are often so large that to build a fire big enough to cook over and/or add some warmth to your evening’s activities, you must have a lot of wood and spend a good deal of time maintaining the fire. This unit allows you to build a small, focused fire for cooking, or a slightly larger one for warmth. We were surprised how much warmth we got from the heat radiating off the metal sides. You, of course, can also use charcoal.
2. Firepits in campgrounds are often wet and soggy, filled with trash from not-so-leave-no-trace focused campers, and the grill is often quite rusty. This unit allows you to start with a dry pit and the airholes on the “V” shaped bowl and sides help to increase the amount of oxygen to the fire, while the bottom allows ash to drop out like a wood stove.
3. Robustly constructed overall. Grill top is sturdy enough to hold a pan without bending, and the tight “weave” is perfect for burgers, dogs, and even grilled pizza!
4. No need for propane, just collect some downed wood from your campsite and you have all the fuel you need for a nice cooking fire.
5. Great for use on backcountry canoe and rafting trips where there may not be an existing fire pit or grill. Also, great for tailgates, beach parties, or anywhere else you may want to cook with wood or charcoal.
6. Folds down to an easy to store size, whether you keep it in your vehicle or garage.
7. The spatula (sold separately) is a nice design. Sturdy, long enough to reach the food on the grill top without having your arms directly over the fire, and stores nicely inside the fire pit when it is in its folded down position.

What could be improved:

1. It’s a bit heavier than it looks, so it’s not something you are going to want carry very far.
2. We’ve used it about 6 times and left it out in the rain one night. There is already some rust developing on the non-enameled surfaces.
3. While perfect for a canoe trip or rafting trip, it doesn’t fit well in our sea kayaks. A smaller version for sea kayak camping would be a great addition to the line!

Product Link: https://primus.us/products/kamoto-fire-pit?variant=30578573842

Product Video: https://youtu.be/6ooC6kDfjKI

I like the primitive camping area. The bathroom and water source is nearby, as well as a pavilion/shelter. There are three sections, with multiple areas for camping in each one. Each has 2-3 tables and a fire ring. 

I hammock camp, and there are plenty of trees useful for this purpose. This is primitive, so there is no electrical or water spout, although the bathroom has both. There is a 1 1/2 mile walking trail nearby, that runs along the Edisto River.

I haven't actually frequented the other camping areas: RV drive-up and walk-in, so I can't review them.

Sprawling park and campground right between Charleston and Folly Beach. There is a camp store which is well stocked and stays open till 8pm. The predominance of this campground is RV sites. The sites are well maintained and with enough space between each site.

The tent camping site and group tent sites are hike-in. The hike in is really not that far at all from where you park your cars, so no worries. The individual tent sites sit back in the woods, with a nice tree canopy, which gives it a real "primitive" feel to it. The sites are raised and contain a gravel bed.

There are bathrooms and private showers on site in a few locations. The bathroom and showers for the tent sites lay next to the group site, which is a short walk.

Shopping and stores are on hwy 117, just a few short minutes from the park.

Hunting Island Beachside Camping has amazing views and is right on the beach. I was no more than 40 yards from the water. All rustic sites are car friendly but you must keep car on paved area. You have great and easy car access to some nice and easy ocean and marsh trails. I recommend the Lagoon Trail to Little Hunting Island Loop Trail (about 4 miles round trip). Little Hunting Island is a cool small island filled with petrified trees and driftwood. In total there are 12 trails totaling 9.45 miles. There is also a store, bathrooms with showers, and WiFi in the campgrounds.

I camped here at the end of February. The daily and nightly temps were very manageable/comfortable. High in the low 60s and Low in the mid to low 40s.

Why I did not rate this 5 stars is for two reasons. One is price, it cost $90.00 for two nights at the end February which is offseason. The cost does include admission into the state park which is were most of the trails are. It is also home to the only lighthouse in SC you can walkup.

The second reason for the 4 star rating is the campsites are extremely close. You are right on top of other campers. I could clearly hear other sites’s conversations and music and for it being off-season most sites were booked. However there was one site that was more private, closer to the water, and next to the tree line, rustic site 13. THIS IS THE SITE YOU WANT. If you want more privacy or have more people or both and you have the money I would rent site 13 and 14. Because the sites are so close together these two have a natural flow and feel like one nice campsite.

Pros • Beach camp close to the Ocean • Good easy trails • Store • Bathrooms w/ shower • WiFi • Fire ring w/ grille • Picnic table • February temps comfortable • Amazing Sunrise!!!! • Dog Friendly • Nature center • Fishing pier • Wildlife viewing area • Great parking/ easy driving. (SUV)

Cons • Price ( $90 for two night in Feb) • Sites extremely close to one another • No alcohol 😉

This primitive camping facility is located between McClellanville and Honey Hill. A short camp loop swings through an upland pine/oak forest and encircles a fire lookout tower. The fire lookout tower is no longer in use.

This semi-primitive campground is about 30 minutes north of Charleston, SC, 8 miles west of Highway 17 in the heart of the Francis Marion National Forest.

The number one thing I love about this site: It's free. It's easy to get to. It's camping!

There are 12 fairly large sites spaced well apart so you avoid that parking lot feel. LOTS of trees. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.

The entire campground is well maintained by the National Forest Service, and the ranger. I say it's semi-primitive because there is a vault toilet which is old, yet clean. 

In the center, there is an old abandoned fire tower that is fenced off from people going up it.

I've been here several times and overall, it's fairly quiet. However, there was one Friday night where a bunch of 20 something's came in, climbed up the fire-tower and partied making for a not so quiet experience.

Since it's free, you can expect to see some interesting neighbors coming in and out. But with the ranger station down the street, the rangers do patrol this daily (I've never seen them in here at night). It's first come first serve, so weekends are usually packed. You better get here early.

I give it 4-stars because it's clean with generous spaces and we've always had a great time. Plus, the spots have so many trees, it makes hammock camping a breeze. All sites are perfect for car / truck camping. Just pull up and unload.

Nearby are several of the major trails that run through this National Forest, including the popular Swamp Fox. The site also is right next to one of the dirt forest roads, that takes you in even deeper.

10 minutes away, at the Highway 17 intersection are gas stations & mini markets, so if you need some basic supplies, things are right down the road.

Directions: From Charleston, take US Highway 17 north to McClellanville. At the intersection of SC Highway 45 (the yellow caution light) turn left, and drive eight miles to the camp.

Reservations during the main season are key if you have any hope of getting a campsite in this awesome Francis Marion National Forest campground which sits just along the gorgeous intercoastal waterway, about 40 minutes northeast of Charleston, SC! We pulled in without reservations and nearly every site was booked out. The campground host was super helpful, though, finding us an empty spot (due to a cancellation) for a couple nights, then moved us to a non-reservable site for the remainder of our time.

The majority of the sites are designed for very large RVs, with a few very nice waterfront sites designated for tents. Each site is spacious, complete with a picnic table, firepit, 2 lantern poles, and electrical hookups, with a dump station at the back of the campground. The bathrooms are equipped with flush toilets, sinks, and a shower and kept relatively clean.

The campground itself is dripping with live oaks and speckled with Palmetto trees, so lots of shade is available, especially in the tent areas. The boat launch is walking distance from the campground and has a nice picnic area adjacent to it. We watched a pods of pelicans and dolphins come through the area, as well as many other sea birds.

We kayaked along the intercoastal waterway and out into marshy sea grass areas and had one of the most amazing wildlife encounters to date (and we’ve been all over the country). We saw a pod of dolphins in the distance, which appeared to be feeding. We stopped about 150 away and just enjoyed watching them dance and dive in the morning light. Then, two of the dolphins peeled away from the pack and headed straight toward us. As they approached our kayaks, the larger one gave an extra tail fin flap and dove under our boats, coming up just a bit on the other side. As naturalists, our hearts were pounding with excitement! We also hiked and mountain-biked along the gorgeous Palmetto Trail (which is a mountains-to-sea trail across South Carolina, and this campground serves as its coastal terminus).

Also, don’t miss the famous Sewee Restaurant for some downeast coastal Carolina fare, as well as the Center for Birds of Prey just across the highway from this restaurant. This wildlife conservation and rehabilitation center is doing some amazing things for birds and in the region and doing a great job of public education. If you head up the coast, be sure to stop in Boats & Hoagies in McClellanville for a bite to eat. Cute place, great food, awesome service!

The $20 per night fee is a great price for the amenities this campground offers, especially with full hook-ups and showers, and a boat launch. Check out our blog on The Dyrt's Online Magazine about our experience on the coast of South Carolina.

This KOA is located 30-45 minutes from the city, if you have to be closer to the north area for family or just cause Charleston has limited availability for RV’s , this is the place. We were purchasing a home and stayed here 5 weeks Overall every other campers was considerate and quiet. We had no issues with anyone running a business or being rude. The staff is not overly friendly but not unpleasant . The amenities are limited, not a KOA for kids. The pool looks nice but was closed for the season. The playground area is very small with one gym set. A horseshoe pit looked overrun with weeds as was the basketball area. The roads are very tight for larger RV’s and trailers. The wooded sites are close to the interstate and you can here traffic constantly also the wooded area is a little marshy which doesn’t help with the mosquito control. the traffic to turn left out of the -ark can be a nightmare during rush area , I recommend right turns only . The biggest con for me was the laundry , it is open air and surrounded by trees and foliage which blows into this area. The tile is ripped and a hazard , no trash cans and no place to sit. Also it is shared with the trailer park adjacent to the KOA ( same owner) A note is posted that weekends are for KOA tenants only but many workers use the facilities. We have a dog that we kept on leash and never had an issue with management telling us he couldn’t be .

Santee Coastal Reserve is a hidden gem near the South Carolina coast offering eight, first come, first served primitive campsites in the Santee Coastal Reserve Wildlife Management Area.

The campsites are spacious and can easily accommodate multiple tents and/or RV's. This is primitive camping so there are no water or electrical hook-ups. We drove the short distance to the Elmwood Recreation Area to fill our water jugs. They do not sell firewood at the campground and we didn't see any for sale by local residents on our way in. Fortunately, we were able to gather a lot of downed wood around our campsite since it wasn't until the end of our stay that we found out that firewood, groceries, fishing, and other supplies were available at the Seewee Outpost, about 26 miles south of the reserve on highway 17.

Out of the eight sites, only about 4 or 5 were occupied at any given time and everyone was fairly quiet. Except for one camper who ran his RV generator for hours morning and night. Fortunately, they only stayed one night.

There are several hiking trails around the reserve where you can see various birds and spot alligators bathing in the sun. The only wildlife that we weren't happy to see were the gnats and mosquitos, which we weren't respecting so early in the season.

Overall, this is a beautiful campground and e look forward to visiting again.

We stayed in the Live Oak campground portion of the State Park at a walk-in rustic tent site. These sites have the most privacy in the park. There are six walk-in sites all with beautiful views of the salt marsh and pleanty of space (within and between sites). The sites are located on one of the many trails in the state park. All trails are open to pedestrians and cyclists alike, and none of the trails are challenging in length or terrain. Matthew and I were able to bike them all in a morning. We visited in early May and had excellent beach weather without much of a crowd!