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Best Tent Camping near Chapin, SC

214 Reviews

Tent camping options near Chapin, South Carolina center primarily around Congaree National Park, located approximately 30 miles southeast of town. The park's Longleaf Campground provides ten walk-in tent sites with varying levels of privacy and minimal amenities. A second camping area, Bluff Hike-In Campground, offers six more primitive tent sites accessible via a one-mile trail from the Longleaf parking area. Both campgrounds maintain a rustic, natural setting within the old-growth forest ecosystem.

Tent campsites at Congaree require varying levels of effort to access, with sites 1 and 2 at Longleaf being closest to the parking lot (approximately 100-300 feet). Other sites require longer walks, with some campers recommending a wagon for transporting gear. The primitive tent sites have no running water, electricity, or showers. Vault toilets are available at the Longleaf parking lot, while potable water and flush toilets can be found at the visitor center. Each site typically includes a fire ring and picnic table. Camping permits cost $5 per night, and reservations are recommended during peak seasons, especially during the synchronous firefly event in May.

Walk-in tent areas offer distinct advantages for those seeking seclusion within the national park. The sites are well-spaced at Longleaf, while Bluff campsites are arranged around a central grassy area with less privacy. Summer camping brings high heat and humidity with significant insect activity. Spring and fall provide more moderate conditions, though flooding can impact trail access during rainy periods. Nighttime brings remarkable wildlife sounds, particularly from frogs near the wetlands. A review from The Dyrt noted: "The sites were clean but the tree roots are horrible, at night you will trip over them and there will be some under your tent." Wildlife viewing opportunities include synchronous fireflies in May, numerous bird species, reptiles, and amphibians, making these primitive tent campgrounds particularly appealing to nature enthusiasts.

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Best Tent Sites Near Chapin, South Carolina (8)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Chapin, SC

14 Photos of 8 Chapin Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Chapin, SC

214 Reviews of 8 Chapin Campgrounds

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 24, 2023

    Lick Fork Lake Recreation Area

    Nice spot would return for sure

    I was passing thru SC on the SCAR headed down to the Palmetto Rally and stopped here to camp. It was a very nice campground with level pads, picnic table and fire ring (bring your own wood). As well there were several vault toilets and there was even a water faucet. It was a good campground and I would stay here again. It is not reservable so first come first served. There was some cell coverage as well. I tent camped so can not comment on RV as the others in the campground were tent camping as well.

  • D
    Nov. 19, 2021

    Sesquicentennial State Park Campground

    Campsite 41 was poorly planned and maintained

    Pros The pond was beautiful, nice walking trail for beginners, would never consider this a hiking park. Location was close to Colombia and all it offers. Bathhouse was acceptable but nothing to brag about. Toilets were three flushers is you cared about the next guy.

    Cons Guessing I may have had the worst site (41) but walking through there were others similar. Site 41 is a pull through lot which declines quickly upon entry and is marred by deep ra9n crevices. You then incline to the area you should probably land as there is an obvious flat spot. Unfortunately in you stop there, your camper door will open on the neighboring fire ring which is the only fire ring on the back side of the neighboring spot in in the fore ground of yours. Asinine. I had to manipulate my camper for an hour to a spot level enough yet not in my neighbor's fire and dealt with a large tree and had to tie back branches to extend my awning. Uggg

    Effing covid. The state of South Carolina, the City of Columbia don't have mask mandates. But this state park requires a mask to pee in the urinal. The boss says the county still mandates it.

  • SwitchbackKids
    Jun. 29, 2017

    Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

    Bluff Campground the way to go for quiet, peaceful park oasis

    Having been on the road for about three months before coming to Congaree, we were happy to arrive to such a quiet and tucked-away campground. For $5 per night, Bluff Campground was the perfect spot to hole up for a few days and relax surrounded by the old growth forest of Congaree National Park.

    Our time at Congaree was different from the other national parks we visited, because South Carolina had just undergone major flooding and much of Congaree -- especially its trails -- were under water.

    With no crowds and not much to explore, our three days in the park was very relaxing. We chose Bluff Campground -- a one-mile walk-in campground near the visitor center -- because we knew it would be less popular than Longleaf Campground, and we knew we’d be spending a lot of time there. The one mile hike seemed further than we thought because of our heavy loads, but once we arrived at our camp, set up our tent, chairs, hammocks, and slack line, we were able to just make the easy walk in and out each day.

    The campground itself has no facilities; its only amenities are the fire ring and picnic table at each site. We encountered only one other camper in our two nights here. We did encounter many mosquitoes, though, so don’t forget bug spray!

    At Congaree, there are several hiking trails and kayaking trails that we would have liked to do, but with our plans foiled by rain, we spent time at the visitor center, around the short boardwalk trail adjacent to the visitor center, and kayaking through the flooded plains, straight off the boardwalk.

    You can read much more about our three days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Congaree)

  • Thomas H.
    Mar. 21, 2022

    Weston Lake Recreation Area

    Peaceful

    I was stationed at Jackson from’07-‘09 and the only thing that has really changed is the dam is being worked on so you can only observe the lake, no swimming, boating, anything on the lake until repairs are completed. The receptionist said they’ve been working on it for maybe 4 years. Hopefully it’ll be completed sooner than later. The grounds could be kept up a little better as could the restrooms/bath houses but I imagine they lost some revenue due to the lake being closed for dam repairs.

    There isn’t any concerns getting back here, the biggest rigs will not have any problems. All sites are large concrete pads, FHU. Most sites are spaced very well, some better than others but you won’t be on top of anyone whichever site you’re at. They have a large concrete patio area, nearly the size of the pad itself with a picnic table and fire pit/grill and stand alone grill.

    Verizon cell coverage is adequate. I had 2 bars and LTE, sometimes 5G. Not like being in the city but sufficient. No wifi.

    There are cabins and tent sites as well. This isn’t a large campground but there were still a few open spaces.

    There will be various bugle calls throughout, morning, day and night. You may hear firing range training going on in the distance. You should expect this and it should not be seen as negative, you’re on a military campground.

    Current RV site price a night is $35, if you have a National park pass it’s $32.50. Despite the lake being off limits right now I will still come back. Once it’s opened back up I’m sure it will be more busy, right now it’s very peaceful.

  • R
    Sep. 3, 2019

    Lake Wateree State Park Campground

    Busy campground

    I can see why this is a busy campground. Bathhouses were clean. Many lakefront sites have posts to tie up your boat to if you have one. Beach area by the store. No WiFi and rarely did we have cell service but that’s not a bad thing! Large sites with some pull through. We had site 39 and there was nothing but woods behind us which was perfect for us. Only negative was I that I was bitten up by mosquitoes and I used bug spray ( obviously I need a better kind) and citronella buckets. Even with a packed campground for the holiday weekend it was relatively quiet especially by 11. This campground tends to be booked solid on weekends so important to make reservations. Also not much for stores close by so pack well. Oh and no alcohol sales on Sunday’s in the county.

  • Michael W.
    Jan. 8, 2021

    Brick House Campground (Sc) — Francis Marion And Sumter National Forests

    Better than Thought

    Easy access from I26. Spent a week here and really enjoying it. Has 21 spots. All have legal gravel pads, fire rings with grill bars. Vault toilets clean and trash containers serviced. Within good driving distance to larger towns. Access for bigger rigs too. Ranger Bob was here and talked to him. Real nice and informative. 5.00 to me is great for the peace and quiet. Arrived after hunting season, informed was busy then. 4 or 5 come and go.

  • M
    Jun. 23, 2018

    Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

    Congaree National Park Longleaf Campground

    If you like seclusion this campground is for you. The campground is primitive. There are 10 single sites that you have to walk into from the parking lot. Not a very long walk but just enough to feel secluded from traffic and other people. It has no showers, vault toilets and no running water. There is potable water at the visitor center and also flush toilets. The trails are very nice and well kept. Depending on when you go you may be the only ones on the trail. The wildlife is very neat it makes you feel like you are in a mini rainforest. There are snakes, skinks, lots of birds, insects and fox squirrels.

  • S
    Jun. 10, 2018

    Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

    Nice campsites, and great experience, prepare to walk in and bring water

    We stayed in Longleaf campground at Congaree National Park for a stop-over on our way back north from a family trip in Florida. The campsites at Longleaf each had a fire ring and picnic table, and were pretty good sized. The key thing to know about Longleaf is that you need to be prepared in several ways:

    1. You have to make a reservation online. The ranger at the visitor's center told us to make sure we had some kind of documentation of our reservation. Reception can be spotty, so printing your reservation ahead of time might be a good idea.
    2. There is one parking lot, and you'll be walking with your stuff into your campsite. It isn't far, but be prepared to carry things. (Note: The walk into Bluff campground is further than Longleaf)
    3. There is no potable water at either campground. Bring your own. (Relatedly, there are only vault toilets at the campground)

    We stayed in campsite 6 at Longleaf, which was great. Campsites 1-3 are closer to the lot, but also closer to the walk that everyone takes from their cars to their sites. For a little more space/privacy, opt for campsites 4 and above.

    Although the campground is barebones, it had everything we needed and made for a great stop for us. Most of the park trails were underwater when we were there after a recent flood. It seemed like paddling would have been an optimal way to see the park and surrounding areas, but even so, we had a great time. There were lots of people out on the boardwalk trails, including lots of kids and dogs. Before you hit the trails, stop in the Visitor's Center and pick up the interpretive brochures on the types of trees/wildlife - they have kid versions and grown-up versions. Both were helpful in understanding the unique environment of the floodplain.

Guide to Chapin

Tent camping near Chapin, South Carolina provides primitive backcountry experiences with seasonal challenges. The region receives approximately 46 inches of rainfall annually, creating a humid subtropical climate that supports diverse wildlife populations. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F between June and September, while winter nights can drop below freezing from December through February.

What to do

Explore ancient trees: The pristine trails near Congaree River showcase remarkable old-growth forest. "Pristine, but organized trails near the Consgree river and Swamp. Lots of wildlife and ancient trees on the trails. Small campsite to include group camping. 40 miles from downtown Columbia SC. A rare treat to go back in time like this," notes a visitor at Longleaf Campground.

Witness synchronous fireflies: A rare natural phenomenon occurs in late May to early June. "The fireflies were very pretty and interesting. We saw other wildlife around the campground too. A lizard during a walk during the day. Many frogs during the rain at night," shares Veronica S. from her stay at Longleaf Campground.

Hike the Palmetto Trail: This long-distance trail passes through multiple camping areas. "The Palmetto Trail runs through it, so if you are thru-hiking, this would be a good place to camp for the night," explains Myron C. who camped at Sedalia Campground.

What campers like

Wildlife encounters: Many tent sites offer excellent natural observation opportunities. "We saw the synchronous fireflies! There were even a few at our site. There is vault toilet at the parking lot," reports kelly from her experience at Longleaf Campground.

Spacious sites: Tent camping areas provide good separation between sites. "Good amount of space between all spaces. Sites 1-3 are the easiest to get to. We were at site 7, it took about 250 steps from the parking lot to our site. All sites have lots of shade," notes a camper at Longleaf.

Clean facilities: Some primitive sites feature well-maintained amenities. "I was glad to see that it had running water and one of the cleanest pit toilets I think I have ever seen," writes Myron C. about Sedalia Campground.

What you should know

Flooding risk: Low-elevation sites can experience water issues after rain. "The first night got a lot of rain and storms and several of the campers from sites farther back left saying they were flooded out. Our site did have some water during the storm but it was gone by morning," reports Veronica S. about camping at Bluff Hike In Campground.

Insects are intense: Prepare for significant bug activity, especially in warm months. "Definitely bring a wagon for packing your stuff in and prepare to be eaten alive by deer flies everywhere you go! The heat in June is also pretty bad," warns Jacinda S. about her Longleaf experience.

Noise levels vary: Natural sounds can be surprisingly loud. "The campground is next to a pond that gets rather loud at night. I never knew frogs/toads could be so loud," shares a camper from their Longleaf stay.

Tips for camping with families

Bring a wagon: Many sites require walking from parking areas. "I stayed at the site closest to the parking lot. It's a quick walk. I only stayed one night so I didn't bring everything to the site, but if I did, it would be nice to have a second person or a wagon," advises Allissa F. about her stay at Longleaf Campground.

Plan for supplies: Limited services nearby require advance planning. "There is a convenience store with sandwiches, ice, beer, and groceries in Gadsden 8 min away which was convenient. Just a couple minutes from Congaree national park. Bring bug spray!" recommends Allissa F.

Consider group sites: Some campgrounds offer dedicated areas for larger parties. "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," notes Myron C. about Sedalia.

Tips from RVers

Limited electric hookups: Few tent camping locations near Chapin offer RV amenities. "Nice, quiet campground. Has fire pit and access to running water. No picnic tables and has vaulted toilets. But very nice place to get away from stress of life," reports Susan B. about her experience at Sedalia Campground.

Tent-focused facilities: Most sites prioritize tent camping with minimal RV support. "This is a small campground. It's National Park so there are no amenities. Walk in sites. Lots of bugs so come prepared," advises Joel R. about his Longleaf experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Chapin, SC?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Chapin, SC is Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park with a 4.1-star rating from 31 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Chapin, SC?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Chapin, SC, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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