Cabin camping is an amazing way to experience Pelion, while still enjoying a little rustic luxury. Finding a cozy cabin in South Carolina has never been easier. Search nearby cabins or find top-rated spots from other campers.
In the High Hills of Santee, where the South Carolina Sandhills of the Midlands region meet the coastal plain region, you’ll find Poinsett State Park. Called the "mountains of the midlands," this mixed ecosystem yields a high degree of biodiversity and some of the most unique natural sightings in the park system, especially along the Palmetto trail which winds through the Manchester State Forest.
The High Hills of Santee are dotted with the hiking and biking trails that wind through the park–some of which connect to the Palmetto Trail that leads hikers through the Manchester State Forest. Poinsett’s 10-acre lake makes for a serene setting, and can be used for fishing and johnboat rentals. The park also offers campsites, a fishing pond, a coquina bathhouse built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, pre-revolutionary grist mill ruins and rustic cabins.
$33 - $35 / night
Located on a pristine spot, this 350 square feet of porch offers:
An elevated campsite, off the ground
A view of Lake Murray
98% quiet (you may hear a car drive by a few times a day...)
Privacy - we live on the other side of the road, and you'll have around 20 acres mostly to yourself
Port-a-potty - leave the shovel at home
$50 - $250 / night
Rosewood Farm and Agripark is my home. I honestly had about the most amazing childhood one could have on this very land! We hunted, fished, made mud pies and played outside for hours, as long as we were in shouting distance for supper time! I am so fortunate to be the daughter of two amazing parents, who had a dream to build a working farm from nothing more than a logging trail in the woods. They built a 3 story, 10,000 square foot house by themselves- while raising a family! We have 200 acres of farmland that features rolling hills, multiple ponds, creeks, farm animals, show horses and countless wildlife viewing opportunities. Wild turkey and deer roam free all over the farm, coveys of dove fly out from the pastures and trails, and coyotes howl in the night. Listen to the frogs croaking, crickets chirping and whipporwhills calling every evening under a magical blanket of stars. Take a guided horseback ride or nature hike through the trails that meander through the woods around the park. Our newest venture is to offer primitive camping and some cabin rentals around our 60 acre Agripark!
For those wanting to step it up a notch, we have erected a large concrete floor, covered event barn (for parties, family reunions, weddings, cowboy church, etc..,) and also a huge petting zoo barn with an area behind it for pony rides and 4-h/FFA functions. Also, a special historic Iron Horse miniature train and one mile of track has been purchased to go around the park! A greenhouse is being erected next, that will teach people about aquaponics and hydroponics! We have a rock wall, jumping pillow and many inflatables for the littles to enjoy too! Many things are on the immediate horizon for this special property. While we are under heavy construction at the moment in some areas of the park, many amenities are currently available. Why not unplug from the daily grind and spend time with those that matter most? My goal is to make this land as magical for your family as it has been for mine!
$80 / night
$20 / night
Scout
The pond is good for all ages, but don't expect to be dragging a big boat here. You can rent a canoe or a row boat or bring your own. There is some sediment in the pond, but it is still enjoyable.
You can go all out camping with no extras or enjoy nature in a luxurious cabin. The big one had two bedroom which could sleep two in one & 3 or 4 in the other. Plus, there is an alcove with bunk beds & chairs & a couch to make a total of 11 or 12 easily. It is fully stocked included linens & towels. Cook in or out. There is even a fireplace & screened in porch
And I haven't even touched on the trails. So much to do or relax & enjoy the peace.
Legend
This is one of the two campgrounds at Santee State Park, and it is as different from the other as night and day. Unlike the dirt roads at Lakeshore Campground(the other campground in the park) the roads in Cypress View are paved. The sites are gravel, and many of them are pull-through sites. Although tent camping is allowed in Cypress View, I would feel out of place since most of the campers are RVs. However, our teardrop camper fits right in. Cypress View is a much smaller campground than Lakeshore Campground, but the amenities are the same. Every campsite is a short walk from the lake, and the campground is closer to the store than Lakeshore Campground. Unlike Lakeshore Campground, Cypress View Campground’s sites are much closer together, so there is not as much privacy. The campground is quiet, other than the noise from the highway. That may be one reason to be in an RV or a travel trailer--to cut out some of the noise at night.
Close to the campground, there is a tennis court, a boat launch, Fisheagle Tours, a picnic shelter, kayak rentals, hiking trails, and more. It is conveniently located to most of the state park’s attractions without having to drive so far. Cypress View Campground is also close to the main office and the boat dock.
If you had rather stay in a cabin, there are cabin rentals on the water. They are accessed by way of a boardwalk across the water. The bath house is modern and has hot showers. It is centrally located so that it isn’t that far of a walk from any of the campsites.
Overall, I do recommend this campground, especially if you are in a travel trailer or an RV. If you are tent camper, you would probably better enjoy being at the other campground in the park.
TravelerI prefer to stay at Poinsett State Park in the fall, winter, or spring as it is located in the sandhills and it can be pretty hot and buggy in the summer. The WPA era cabins are great. They have all the amenities you need for a little getaway, including a fireplace.
This is a good place to stay to mountain bike, there are two trails in Poinsett and Manchester State Forest is nearby.
GuideThe one bedroom cabins were secluded, rustic and completely charming. There is some hiking and a nice playground in this state park.
Rangerthis is a great park. have visited on many occasions both by tent and the cabins the park has to offer. It is great for the kids with playground and hiking trails.
LegendAshley here with The Dyrt. We're thankful to have this property on our platform. This super cute cabin is nestled beside a small pond at the bottom of a hill and surrounded by trees. Book your stay and leave them some love.
Scout
The campground was nice, the RV spaces had nice concrete pads and nice cabins. The roads had some serious potholes and the the campground doesn’t seem to be on a regular maintenance schedule but it was clean. There are a number of bugle calls that happen during the day on the speaker. All in all a nice campground and we would stay again.
GuideStaff very helpful and accommodating. Very clean camp grounds, good clean bathrooms. Sites are randomly laid out and spaced well. The camp grounds boarder the large man made lake.
Reasonably close to I95 and camp sites are $20/day. If you do not want to camp, they have nice cabins for $30/day.
they offer two camping areas, one near the camp store and office. The other is a few miles away and isolated, where we stayed.
ScoutIt looks nothing like South Carolina as you enter the gates. After half a dozen ups and downs and right turns you find yourself in a clearing and a large parking lot, a lake and a ranger station. Around the clearing are more than a dozen trails for hiking or MTB. It's a "mountain" in the low country.
LegendWe camped here over the weekend with the pups. The state park has 2 different campgrounds. We decided for the Lakeshore one. It's pretty big with over 100 campsites. They have the usual amenities like fire pit, and picnic table with bench. Our was private, but the sites in the middle are not. The bathhouse was very clean with nice hot showers. The park has several trails, a visitor center, cabins on the water, at least 2 boat ramps with a bait shop. There are no trash cans near the campsites, there is one big dumpster at the entrance of the campground. It's about 1.30h to Folly Beach. We would definitely camp here again.
GuideWe have camped here twice for several days each time. There are 2 main areas, both are close to a large reservoir good for fishing, kayaking, SUPs, rudderless sailing. There are playgrounds, ball fields, picnic areas, short hikes, and cabins for rent. Birdwatching hikes are available nearby at the Swamp Fox Nature Preserve that also offers historical and natural history information.The washrooms/showers are older, but cleaned daily. A camp store and information center are onsite.
My favorite activity was a guided kayak tour into an adjacent swamp. Birds, small mammals and alligators watch as the boats glide by. But make sure to go with a guide, especially if children will be on board.
Weather is changeable. The park is busy 3 seasons a year so make reservations early. Midsummer is hot, humid, and buggy. Spring and fall are lovely times to visit.
GuideThere are quite a variety of things to do at this state park, and the camp sites are spacious. There is a little store where you can buy any of the little things you may have forgotten. There were not too many people camping during our visit, but it could be that not many people want to stand the South Carolina heat! Either way, it made the visit quiet. There are also plenty of geocaches around, if you're into that. There are 2 places to shower in the campground, so I imagine that once it fills up, you may have to wait to shower. It was pretty clean and the water was clear, so I guess you could just go for a swim! I wish we had brought our tubes and some rope to float out on the water!
GuideFirst, in the parks defense, it was probably not the best idea to stay here during the summer time. July? Hottest month of the year? South Carolina? The bugs were massive. I probably could have been carried away by some of the horseflies I saw. However, I will not give a place just two stars for something out of the parks control. The mountain bike paths are really cool, and if you have a mountain bike, I suggest you bring it because there really is not much else this park has to offer. You can swim in a 10' by 30' area of a pond that is questionable. You can fish in that same pond. That's about it. The "overlook" is okay, but really you are staring at a sliver of flat land. I will also say that it is very clean and there are probably always camping spots available.
TravelerAbout 31 RV sites. Onboard Ft. Jackson. Lake views. Boat rental available. Summer time swim beach. Spacious sites. No laundry at campground. Closest is about 3 miles away. Entrance road is really rough.
RangerI 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.
Ranger
This campground is a breath of fresh air and my new favorite campground. The park is clean and so are the bathrooms! The sites are spacious and if you get site 11 during the week, you might be the only ones in a large section of the camp. The cheaper sites (the non-"full service" ones) still have electricity and water. The bugs seem to be under control here, too.
There are at least 8 geocaches, a self-led park BINGO, a swimming beach, paddleboat rentals, fishing ponds stocked with catfish, and a tackle loaner program. Note that the park office is only open from 11a-noon and 4-5p. The rangers are super-friendly.
If you get a chance to go to nearby Blackville, make sure to dine at Miller's Bread-Basket, an Amish-Mennonite restaurant with a Southern touch.
ScoutPoinsett State Park is absolutely beautiful and a true hidden gem. We recently visited South Carolina and after spending the weekend visiting nearby Congaree National Park, we opted to stay at Poinsett State Park for 4 nights in our Mercedes Sprinter campervan. As we had read online, the roads into and around the park are truly in desperate need of repair, but once in the campground, the sites are very nice. Site 24 was perfect as it is the last one with hookups and that allows RVs. The hiking is fantastic- I was able to easily hike several miles each day with my dogs and most of the hiking trails are very peaceful and pretty. Even though we were there in early February, we did encounter some gnats/mosquitos and we had to be incredibly vigilant about picking ticks off of our dogs. The only negative is that the park host was incredibly rude to us. We travel with our two well behaved dogs and ALWAYS keep them on a leash. I spent several hours a day hiking with them and walked through the campground with them on several occasions, which I know the host saw since we walked past him multiple times. On the third day of our stay, as I was bringing one of our dogs back and we were switching leashes and harnesses, our other dog jumped out and got away from us for a minute. We immediately ran after her, and after calling her name, she turned around and came back. She was out for less than a minute, and we were actively pursuing her with leash in hand the entire time. My husband was literally running after her without shoes on. The camp host came and yelled at us claiming that our dog"almost attacked his dog." She's a 9 year old Golden Retriever that is literally the most friendly dog on the planet. She was in our view the entire time and never barked or growled, only went up somewhat near them(several feet away) to say hello. It was clearly a mistake that she got out and something we rectified immediately. He kept yelling at us well after she was in our control. While I 100% understand and agree that all dogs should be on leash, it was clearly a mistake and absolutely nothing happened. It made us feel really awkward and uncomfortable. Then, on top of that, the next day, we couldn't even walk our dogs because there were 2 loose dogs running all over the campground with literal bells on- the camp host of course didn't address what was actually a flagrant violation of the rules by a neighboring camper. Other than that, our 4 day stay was perfect, but this really negatively impacted our stay.
GuideLarge. Multiple trails. Secluded. Scenic. Rental/Activities. Waterways. Picnic areas. Kid playground. ***BUT...! if you are camping... there's no wifi or cell service in camping section!! Whether 'primitive' or tent/rv with power, it ALL seems a little primitive. Only difference is power connection sites and a bathhouse. I'm truly ok with semi-primitive, but no cell service or Wi-Fi (in camping area), as a female... this needs to be addressed for safety, at minimum. It was beautiful, but we had to leave, as safety is #1. *oh.... SITE 17.... is the worse, if you wanted a little seclusion. It's the only rv/tent site that is "in" the 'activity field' (there was a group of teens playing loud and rough football right next to us, even my daughter did NOT like it). Highly suggest day visits, not so much camping.
TravelerStayed here for a few nights with a friend for spring break. The staff were very friendly and answered all the questions that we had. We were tent camping and the campsite was perfect! Had a picnic table, fire ring, plenty of space to pull the car in, level ground for the tent, and trees for hammocking. The bathroom facilities were very clean, and were right by the campsites. In terms of activities, there are plenty of hiking trails and a beautiful lake right in front of the visitor center. We rented a paddleboat and got to see some wildlife on the water (cranes, turtles, and even a couple little gators). Overall, this was a perfect state park, great for a quiet getaway.
(Side note: the bugs were practically nonexistent in March when we visited, but we were told that they can get bad in the summer months)
TravelerBE CAREFUL EROSION IS SEVERE IN SECTIONS OF THE PARK. We stayed here for a week to take care of some medical issues. VA healthcare is difficult on the road. Anyway the campground is ok, nothing amazing. The location is nice. They have a boat dock. Cabins and 2 RV camping areas. The bugs are plentiful. The shoreline is difficult to reach from the campground. I see the lots are mowed after the campers leave. The grass gets mowed and anything left on the ground gets chopped up, small trash included. When we arrived with our RV we were neve directed to check in. We found our site and on the pole was a small tag with our name and a checkout date. We have been here 5 of the 7 days and we have yet to see the camp host unless he IS the "Mad Mower" even so we didnt get as much as a wave. My wife did venture over to the restroom / showers and refuses to return. She said they were not clean and had bugs everywhere and it was disgusting. I figured she was exaggerating so I checked the men's room. It really needs some help. I would be happy to spray down a bath house or 2 but since I haven't seen a camp host I will leave it be. It's amazing how much fellow campers will help out if they have the opportunity, I was ready to help and even have everything needed to help out. Maybe I will see him this weekend before I get busy with other things. Anyways this came was not a bad experience so far but I think they really need some better hosts and maybe set up some kind of activities. They have nothing going on here other than the lake. UPDATE: Before we left our week stay in santee we were able to visit the other campground connect to the same park to get to this side you must turn right. They were collecting a $2 fee. At 1st everything seemed ok. Minor road damage, downed trees here and there, nothing that 2ould keepme away. It seemed like the permanent camps were here. Some of the camps appear to have been set up for a very long time. As we went back the roads got worse and worse. I would not take my rig into the back 2 loops without locking in 4 wheel drive and riding on the "grass" to go around. The road in the back has some major road erosion going on. I suggest you walk back before taking a rig of any size back there. With the leaves on the ground it does not look bad. I saw drops of at least 12" BE VERY CAREFUL, THE ROAD EROSION IS SEVERE.
ScoutOverall good experience with this campground. The ranger was super sweet and helpful. We enjoyed the trails, and they were nice and easy to get through and just long enough to feel like you got a bit of hiking in. They offer rentals for John boats, paddle boats, and kayaks for a very reasonable cost. We rented two paddle boats and had a blast (it was exhausting though). There is wifi at the office and meeting building, which came in handy for communication since cell service was spotty at best.
The sites are kind of on the smaller side and close, so if you are bringing a large camper it might be a challenge. There were lots of campers, so it's definitely doable though. We were in a tent so the pad size was perfect for us. The pad is mostly sand over clay, rather than gravel, which was great with the tent. The sites have power and water. Lots of trees, so it's perfect if you have hammocks. They also sell fire wood on site, if you need it.
My only minor complaints were the bathrooms, office hours, and wasps. The bathrooms are clean and fully functional but oddly proportioned so the showers and stalls are really cramped but the sink area is huge. The office is only open a couple hours a day, which was understandable but inconvenient. There were a lot of wasps around the fishing pier and the boats. Didn't have any problems with them in other areas or at the camp site, so that was good at least.
All in all, the trip was very enjoyable and we look forward to going back to Barnwell as well as making our way through the other state parks.
Scout
We had a great little stay. Beautiful cedar trees and pond. Rustic with everything you need and nothing you don’t. Owners super friendly and even helped us park
TravelerBeautiful place but the rooster! 4:30 in the morning! Maybe get far from the office.
TravelerThe owner was very kind and friendly. There is a very cute love swing by the pond y’all beautiful oak trees. Very quiet and peaceful. I would give 5 stars however one of the long term residents was screaming at me and my boyfriend for walking our dogs at 11 pm and called the police, when the police came he told them my boyfriend “ a black man was walking around” rude and racist.
Legend
Jake from the Dyrt here! This is a unique experience for those looking to camp a little higher off the ground and enjoy the huge deck looking out into the forest. Check them out and leave a review about your stay on the Dyrt!
Scout
Good location off I-26 and shopping nearby. Friendly staff. Call for reservations. They keep only 5 sites open for one to two openings. They have a lot of full time people. We stayed in Lot 24 and it was the best spot for us.
ScoutWe were just traveling to Fl and needed someplace to spend the night without unhooking. The site was perfect and the campground was wooded and lovely. Easy in and out.
Cabin camping near Pelion, South Carolina, offers a delightful escape into nature with a variety of well-reviewed options that cater to different preferences and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Pelion, SC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Pelion, SC is Poinsett State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 40 reviews.
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