Excellent Destination

Table Rock SP offers many camp sites, to include trailer, tent and cabins. The trailer sites are far enough apart that you don't feel like you're on top of your neighbors, but still make good use of a small space to keep from encroaching on the rest of the park. Each trailer site has water and electricity connections and there is a comfort station with toilets and hot showers.

The fee was reasonable for a popular place like this and reservations are definitely needed during peak seasons. I went during the off season so there weren't too many others out with me. The campground as a whole is clean and well-maintained.

South Carolina SPs currently have a ban on bringing in firewood, forcing me to buy some at the camp store, leading to my only criticism: The wood was still very green and required significant work to get lit and constant attention to keep burning.

Overall, though, it was a great experience and I plan on going back many times to check out the other trails and activities in the area.

Beautiful but popular

Unicoi SP is a popular resort type area right outside Helen. We stayed in Hickory Hollow primitive camp area. It wasn't bad, but the sites are really close and expensive, hence the rating.

Each site has a tent pad, lantern hook, picnic table, and fire pit. The tent area is about 15x15, room enough for two to three smaller tents. There are water spigots throughout, but we carried our own in.

There's no parking at the campsites, everything has to be carried in from the parking lot. This could range anywhere from a couple dozen feet to almost a quarter mile. Due to the denseness of the campsites, a lot of people stumble into the closer sites not realizing they're off the trail.

The area has plenty to do though, from hiking Anna Ruby Falls to ziplining over the lake or visiting Helen.

I prefer more solitude, so i probably won't go back, but it's worth it at least once.

Quiet spot and a simple campsite

Bussey Point is primarily for equestrians. The campsites have pre-installed horse hitches and plenty of room to move a horse trailer. The sites have a picnic table and a fire pit. The campground has a well for water and an open pit latrine. There's no power which is perfect for camping off grid away from all the trailers.

The campsites are right on the water and the view is beautiful. Over the weekend I was the only one here and the only person I spoke to was the volunteer Camp Ranger from the US Army Corps of Engineers.

There is a 12-mile horse trail that goes out on the peninsula and some pack-in or canoe-in campsites out on the peninsula.

Fee per night is on an honor system at $10. I have no complaints about this campsite only about the other campers that leave their trash behind.

I recommend this campground if you're looking to get away from all the people especially the crowds at the more popular campsites at the state parks, and if you're fine with more primitive camping that doesn't involve daily showers.

My local favorite

I've camped here a few times and frequent the trails. Great for car camping, trailers, RVs, and back woods camping.

Main camp areas have bathrooms, showers and even laundry. Individual sites have power and water. There's a small beach area and playground for kids too. Tree cover is great in the summer.

Camp sites are close, but not in top of each other (probably 20 yds at closest).

The staff is super friendly and provide a lot of informative and interpretive resources.

Great get away

Stayed here over the Fourth of July and I was the only camper there while all the other sites were packed. Sites are only a hundred feet or so from the lake, so I threw up a hammock and watched the sunset over the water and spent time during the day swimming.

Only complaint is that it seems to attract people inclined to leave a lot of garbage. I filled a bag before I even set up camp. Still, for that kind of isolation right on the water for only $10/night, I'm not complaining much about the site, just the people there before me.

Facilities included a pump for well water and open-pit latrines.