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Tent Camping near Winnsboro, SC

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    SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

    Tent camping opportunities near Winnsboro, South Carolina include access to the nearby Congaree National Park with its walk-in tent sites at Longleaf Campground. Located approximately 40 miles from downtown Columbia, Longleaf Campground provides a natural tent camping experience with sites spaced along a trail from the parking area. Bluff Hike In Campground also offers backcountry tent camping within the national park boundaries, requiring reservation permits.

    Most tent sites at Congaree require walking gear in from parking areas, with site #1 at Longleaf located closest to the parking lot at about 20 meters away. According to one visitor, "Sites 2, 10 and 8 are private or not too close to other sites." Campers should bring their own water as no potable water exists at the campgrounds themselves, though water is available at the visitor center. Primitive facilities include vault toilets at the Longleaf parking lot, but no showers. Sites typically feature a fire ring and picnic table, with camping fees around $5 per night for basic tent sites.

    The tent camping experience at Congaree offers immersion in a unique forest ecosystem. The campground becomes especially popular during the synchronous firefly season in late May. A visitor noted that "the fireflies at night almost make it all worth it" despite challenges with insects during summer months. Tree roots can make tent placement challenging, as they protrude from the ground throughout most sites. The surrounding area offers hiking opportunities on boardwalks and trails that showcase the park's old-growth forest and flood plains. Summer camping brings high humidity and abundant insects, while spring and fall provide more comfortable temperatures for tent campers. Nighttime in the tent sites brings the sounds of frogs and wildlife from the nearby pond and swamp areas.

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    Best Tent Campgrounds near Winnsboro (7)

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      1. Blythewood Acres

      5.0(1)13mi from Winnsboro1 siteRVs, Tents

      from $45 - $55 / night

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      2. Longleaf Campground — Congaree National Park

      4.1(30)40mi from Winnsboro16 sitesTents

      "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."

      "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."

      from $15 - $25 / night

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      3. Rocky Branch Hunt Camp

      Be the first to review15mi from WinnsboroTents
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      4. Herbert Seasonal Camp

      Be the first to review25mi from WinnsboroTents
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      5. Sedalia Campground

      3.3(4)41mi from WinnsboroTents, Glamping

      "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 . Definitely will be back"

      "If you're a road cyclist this is heaven, and some decent trail riding down to the lakes. Just be aware that there are no picnic tables. Still it's cheap and close to where we live in Spartanburg."

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      6. Poulous Loop Seasonal Camp

      1.0(1)36mi from WinnsboroTents

      7. Bluff Hike In Campground — Congaree National Park

      Be the first to review40mi from Winnsboro6 sitesTents

      from $10 / night

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    Recent Tent Camping Photos near Winnsboro, SC

    13 Photos of 7 Winnsboro Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers

    Tent Camping Reviews near Winnsboro, SC

    315 Reviews of 7 Winnsboro Campgrounds

    • Hannah W.
      Mar. 11, 2022

      Poinsett State Park Campground

      Great stay!

      Stayed 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)

    • 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.

    • Maria Mercedes M.The Dyrt Pro User
      Sep. 27, 2025

      Dreher Island State Park Campground

      Family Adventures on Lake Murray

      I loved how Dreher Island State Park in South Carolina gave our family the best of both safety and fun, with shaded, roomy sites that included picnic tables, fire rings and well-kept bathhouses that made camping easy with kids. The campground sits right on Lake Murray, so the kids spent hours swimming, skipping rocks and spotting herons, while short hiking trails gave them just enough adventure without wearing them out. With boat ramps, fishing spots and wide-open lake views, it felt like a true escape, yet I had peace of mind knowing everything was family-friendly and close by when we needed it. Evenings ended around the campfire with tired, happy kids and a beautiful lakeside sunset.  I would highly recommend this place!

    • Stuart K.The Dyrt Pro User
      Jul. 1, 2023

      Dreher Island State Park Campground

      Lakeside Island Camping Paradise

      In my never-ending quest to discover the most perfect campground haven, after a rather intense amount of research, I landed on Dreher Island smack dab in the very center of South Carolina, where my daughter and I spent this past Labor Day weekend – our annual daughter & daddy camping trip – along with another very good family friends of ours. And while we’ve camped out in South Carolina before – and have been very pleasantly delighted by what the great Palmetto State has been able to offer us, we were in store for a real treat here at Dreher Island. 

      To begin with, Dreher sets amongst a number of islands in the midst of one of South Carolina’s most pristine and largest (50,000 acres) natural waterparks – Lake Murray. If you are looking for a campground destination that has a tremendous amount to offer, than look no further than Dreher Island. First of all, you’re on a proper island, so here’s what that means – nearly every single campsite here has either direct lake access or, at a minimum, a brilliant lakeview. One bit of warning would be that while the view is impeccable, the winds can be strong, and as we found out one hard, rainy and windy night, if you are camping here with a tent, you’ll want to stake your abode down with as many lines as you quite possibly can. Ultimately, we tied our cabin tent down with more than 20 lines around our makeshift abode and we still felt a howling wind each night that had us think at times that we were reshooting the tornado scene in ‘The Wizard of Oz!’ 

      As for amenities, there’s a ton: from the marina that this SP manages, where there’s a solid mini-mart (that has you covered on just about every front, from snacks and firewood to boat rentals (book WAY in advance if you want to rent anything!), ice, T-shirts and bait ... but you will want to note that there is NOT much in the way of actual groceries here) to picnic shelters and recreation pavilions, both hiking and biking trails as well as some of the most amazing water to canoe and kayak on as well as an amazing tackle loaner program – that’s right! You don’t even have to bring your own fishing pole and gear– the State of SC has this amazing program where they’ll lend you whatever you need. 

      Of course, all of the campsites come equipped with a fire ring and pull-down BBQ grill, nice level back-in paved sites (unfortunately, despite being tent campers, we only had a single slot to choose from, which was an RV site, so we pitched directly on top of the pavement – not ideal, but not the end of the world either). Each campsite has solid space, although there’s not a ton of privacy offered between campsites (really the only downside to our whole experience). The bathroom / shower facilities were just OK, but fairly clean and just a short hike from our campsite. 

      The greatest point to highlight about Dreher Island is the impeccable way in which the good rangers here take spartan great care of this magnificent campground jewel. But of course, Murray Lake itself is the real draw and she does not disappoint. My daughter and I, as well as the family who joined us, spent 90% of our time on the lake swimming, paddle-boarding, kayaking and enjoying one of the best lakes we’ve ever experienced. 

      Other amenities that you’ll appreciate: tons of shoreline for boat fishing opportunities  and what you will normally catch will include: largemouth and stripers, catfish, bream, crappie and yellow perch.  You should note however that you will need a proper SC state fishing license to catch any fish.  Other plus-ups include: playgrounds for the kids, complimentary WiFi (only near the park store though). 

      A couple insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you need anything at all, it’s just a 15 minute drive to the nearby quaint town of Chapin, where there’s a Lowes, Publix, Food Lion and Walgreen’s, Dollar General, Ace, etc.;(2) When/ if you get tired of cooking campside, then there’s a few great options (also in Chapin), where we dined at Chophouse, which was supremely awesome (side note: we were incredibly welcomed to this smart, upmarket restaurant despite showing up in our camping gear); (3) Looking for a nice spot for some late night suds? Lazy Creek Taphouse has you covered and has an outstanding outdoor vibe that will be sure to leave you with a memorable ‘Low Country’ backyard memory; and (4) if you are wanting to know the absolute best camping spot while at Dreher Island, while there are only 15 sites for tent campers, I recommend one of two places: the lakefront views of T-4 through T-7, where there’s 4 platforms perfectly set-up for large tents and that have easy access to the restrooms and showers just behind them … and T-11 through T-14, which are nothing except ‘pure tent camping bliss’ with simply fantastic, unobstructed views of Lake Murray. 

      Happy Camping!

    • 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.

    • Matt C.
      Oct. 30, 2021

      Poinsett State Park Campground

      Nice state park

      We tent camped for the weekend in mid October. The park was probably 80% full, but didn’t seem crowded. All the spaces were spread out and the sites were level. We stayed at site 30, so it was a close walk to the bathhouse, with plenty of space, picnic table, and fire ring. The bathhouse was in fair condition, but the hot water was limited. The mens bathroom definitely needed to be cleaned. There were lots of trails, a pond, and a park for thing to do. T-mobile service barely worked. Check out our review https://youtu.be/pL1zgad0rN0

    Guide to Winnsboro

    Tent camping options near Winnsboro, South Carolina extend beyond the well-known Congaree National Park to include several primitive Forest Service sites. Most campgrounds in the area feature basic amenities with vault toilets and fire rings. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F with high humidity from June through August, while winter nights can drop below freezing from December through February.

    What to do

    Hike the Palmetto Trail: Sedalia Campground provides direct access to the Palmetto Trail for day hiking or backpacking. "If you're thru-hiking, this would be a good place to camp for the night," notes a camper at Sedalia Campground. The area features a mix of forest roads and single-track trails.

    Cycling opportunities: The roads surrounding Sedalia Campground offer excellent road cycling terrain. "If you're a road cyclist this is heaven, and some decent trail riding down to the lakes," reports one visitor who appreciated the minimal traffic and varied terrain through the national forest.

    Wildlife viewing: The Congaree area provides exceptional wildlife viewing, particularly at night. A camper at Longleaf Campground shared: "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."

    What campers like

    Private campsites: At Sedalia Campground, campsites are arranged with ample spacing for privacy. "We like it. It's been quiet the times that we've been there," mentions one camper. The campground features individual sites and a separate group camping area with a communal fire pit.

    Wildlife sounds: Nighttime brings a chorus of natural sounds at Bluff Hike In Campground. Campers report the pond areas create a natural amphitheater for frogs and other nocturnal creatures. One camper at Longleaf noted: "The campground is next to a pond that gets rather loud at night. I never knew frogs/toads could be so loud."

    Easy walk-in access: For campers preferring minimal hiking with gear, certain Longleaf Campground sites offer convenience. "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," explains one visitor. First-time tent campers often prefer these closer sites.

    What you should know

    Seasonal flooding: Low-lying areas experience occasional flooding during heavy 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," reports a visitor at Longleaf Campground. Sites closer to parking areas typically drain better after storms.

    Limited facilities: Most campgrounds offer only basic amenities. A Rocky Branch Hunt Camp visitor noted the primitive nature of the facilities, with no running water and minimal maintenance of toilet facilities during off-seasons.

    Water requirements: Pack in all water needed for your stay. "I never did figure out where the spigot was at the visitor center, but I didn't ask anyone," mentions one camper. Sedalia Campground does have running water according to a reviewer: "I was glad to see that it had running water and one of the cleanest pit toilets I think I have ever seen."

    Tips for camping with families

    Device charging: Solar charging stations are available at some locations. "Pit toilets and solar powered device charger available in parking lot," notes a visitor to Longleaf Campground. This allows for emergency phone charging while maintaining a disconnected experience.

    Site selection for kids: Choose sites with minimal hiking distance when camping with children. "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," shares a camper at Herbert Seasonal Camp. Sites further from parking require multiple trips with gear.

    Insect preparation: Bug spray is essential for family comfort. "Bring bug spray!" emphasizes one camper at Longleaf. Another adds: "This is a small campground. It's National Park so there are no amenities. Walk in sites. Lots of bugs so come prepared."

    Tips from RVers

    Limited RV options: Few campgrounds accommodate RVs in the immediate Winnsboro area. Blythewood Acres is an exception with full hookup sites. "Water, sewer, power and dump station on site! These sites are level and waiting for your RV," notes a reviewer.

    Small RV considerations: Some forest service campgrounds can accommodate small, self-contained RVs for dry camping. "Overall, it is a great area for primitive camping and for dry camping if you are in a small RV," explains a visitor to Sedalia Campground. Sites lack hookups but offer more privacy than commercial campgrounds.

    Frequently Asked Questions

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

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Winnsboro, SC is Blythewood Acres with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

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