Elmwood Recreation Area, near McClellanville, South Carolina, is a laid-back spot for those who appreciate a more rustic camping experience. This location offers a vast area for camping without designated sites, making it ideal for those who enjoy a bit of freedom in choosing their spot.

The campground features drinking water and pit toilets, which are essential for a comfortable stay. Visitors have noted the peacefulness of the area, with one camper mentioning, “It’s very quiet if you want to get away from everything.” While it’s a bit more primitive, it’s perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

For outdoor activities, you’re just a short drive from the Sewee Visitor and Environmental Education Center, where you can learn about local wildlife conservation efforts. The surrounding Francis Marion National Forest offers plenty of opportunities for hiking and exploring the natural beauty of the region. Just remember to bring your own firewood, as there’s no firewood available on-site.

While some campers have pointed out that the area could use a bit of maintenance, the charm of Elmwood lies in its simplicity and the chance to connect with nature. If you’re looking for a quiet retreat where you can pitch a tent or park your RV, this spot might just be what you need.

Elmwood Recreation Area

McClellanville, SC is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that South Carolina camping has to offer. Get the dirt on all the best camping near McClellanville. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

McClellanville

The Best Camping Near McClellanville, South Carolina

**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](https://primus.us/products/kamoto-fire-pit?variant=30578573842) 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](https://southcarolinaparks.com/hampton) (historic rice plantation) as well as [St. James-Santee Church](https://www.stjamessantee.org/-history.html) (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](https://www.fws.gov/refuge/sewee_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](https://blog.thedyrt.com/lifestyle/full-time-campers-coastal-camping-south-carolina/) 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](https://primus.us/products/kamoto-fire-pit?variant=30578573842)

**Product Video:** [https://youtu.be/6ooC6kDfjKI](https://youtu.be/6ooC6kDfjKI)

Ranger Review: Primus Kamoto OpenFire Pit & Spatula at Elmwood Recreation Area

Nice spot water and bathrooms on site very quiet and peaceful

Nice spot

I understand the point of this campground.

It is a very large area with no designated campsites. The vault toilet has grass growing around the entrance that is about knee high. There was a water spigot on site that worked. I would filter it first.

No one was there when we showed up for a mid-day lunch and nap! 

If it isn’t hunting season this campground may be a good place to check if you need free.


Quiet 

Nice open field. Has pit toilet and 1 water faucet. Currently overwhelmed with may flies. But over all a nice campground. No cell reception

Nice, quiet

I was planning on staying a few nights at Elmwood campground but on entering the site it put me off straight away. Very badly maintained signs just about to fall down and fair amount of trash. There were about 6 groups camping when I passed through, I waved at everyone to be polite and one woman who was chopping firewood called out "I dont know you so dont wave at me". That put me off immediately, it looked as though she had made it her permanent home.

Not my kind of campground.

Photos of Elmwood Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers