The campsite was clean, quite and a short walk to the river. Bathrooms available but less fancy and not as well maintained as a state park bathroom. I had great cell service. I’d stay here again plus I’m telling all of my climbing friends about this place for their New river gorge trips.

Paris mountain is a personal favorite of mine and take any chance to go. This is a great dog friendly park with clean trails, plenty of parking, and friendly staff. Now is the time to go as it is less crowded and and the leaves are changing color.

I randomly stumbled across this camp recently. It is a Christian retreat that holds religious summer camps as well as boy/girl scouts retreats. As for hiking trails there’s a few within the camp some including caves, waterfalls, and river cable crossings. My favorite part about this location is that you can access Ceaser’s head state park from the Asbury Hills camp.

It is a very family friendly site that is always a favorite. The lake isn’t the cleanest but it’s great for boating, kayaking, and paddle boarding. The biggest plus for me is that it is a short distance from Fants Grove and T Ed Garrison arena. During rodeos held at the Garrison arena we often take breaks to Fants Grove for the wonderful horse friendly trails on Lake Hartwell. As far as I know no facility offers over night horse boarding at this site which is a shame.

Spent 4 nights here for a family vacation. It unfortunately rained half the time but it was still an amazing trip. Clean nearby lake, perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding, and boating. Plus it’s near the wonderful Toccoa waterfall.

As someone who enjoys Myrtle beach but not all the people his park was a great compromise. You are close enough to all of the tourist destinations to fill your week with entertainment while not being right in the middle of town. Myrtle beach isn’t exactly known for it clean beaches and clear water but the further up north you go the better the water/sand quality gets.

I am much more of a hiker than a biker but during my last stay here while visiting family I took the chance to explore some of the mountain biking trails. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would although some of the trails were a little to difficult for my current ability, I had fun none the less. The park is also dog friendly which I always appreciate.

I unfortunately haven’t been able to return to this location for quite some time now but I remember it fondly. Spent many nights and days here during middle school with my local horse club. Trails were clean although a little to narrow in some spots, especially when needing to pass another horse and rider but there is plenty of wide open areas that allow for the perfect opportunity to stop and rest. If you ever have time I also recommend stopping by stump house tunnel which is near by its 2 adventures for the price of 1! Writing this review makes me want to go back!

I seem to always believe my most recent adventure is my most favorite but no where in the upstate of SC has stood out to me like this area. Wonderful trails with breath taking views and technical climbs plus discrete camping. It’s a trip I recommend to all of my camping and hiking friends and Im already looking towards my next trip there!

I adored this area for its flora and fauna. As a wildlife enthusiast I was impressed with the amount of frogs, fish, salamanders, birds, and rabbits I saw in such a short amount of time. I arrived shortly after heavy rain which helped my herping odds. The trails were nice and clean and they few staff members I spoke to where incredibly helpful.

My only complaint was that the grounds could have been cleaner but I’m sure part of the blame is on the poor weathers we have been having for the past few weeks. Fortunately for us the poor weather also scared off fellow campers so we ended up being the only ones in sight.

I spent 5 days 4 nights on the shore of Assateague. As an equestrian this was a once in a lifetime adventure. Feral chincoteague ponies everywhere you look! Both towns of chincoteague and assatesgue lean into the horse craze, they have equestrian stores, riding barns, and horse museums just about everywhere you look. During the summer there is an annual “pony swim” where the wild ponies are rounded up and swam from one island to another so they can be sold. I cannot speak from experience but from what I learned from locals this event brings in over 50,000 people. You will need to plan around this if you wish to avoid crowds, although this location seems to be heavily populated all year round, don’t let that discourage you.

Side note- the crabbing is amazing among the local marshes!

I had a wonderful opportunity to spend a couple of days at a cabin with friends for a workshop. It was incredibly secluded and quiet. We had a great place to hang hammocks near the fire pit and small trails behind the cabin to explore. We took this chance to go “snipe hunting”! Unfortunately no pictures to share. I also highly recommend stopping by the local fish hatchery, not only educational but fascinating as well!

Campground on Keowee lake that my family has been routinely going to since before I was born. Very clean grounds and facilities plus the lake is fairly clean.

pictures will be coming soon

Late last year was my first time here. Cabins and campsites are nice and the hike to the top of the mountain is beautiful and technical. As someone who likes more primitive areas and obscure trails- table rock is a little to congested for me. You must plan your adventure carefully to avoid crowds.

As avid boaters, kayakers, and paddle boarders my family spends a lot of time at Hartwell. It’s a large lake located right on Clemson University, you can see the football stadium from the water and there is many great restaurants and bars on the water that are worth the trip alone. My only complaint about Hartwell is that the water is poor quality compared to other local lakes, especially near the Clemson side of things. But this doesn’t stop us from enjoying the lake and campground.

Spent many weeks here over the past few years. Its a clean and well maintained park with beautiful trails and lake. Perfect for equestrian as most of the trails are horse friendly and there is a large arena free to use. The barn is clean as well and provides stall shavings for a small fee.

One of my favorite local spots. Great trails and a near by lake for swimming and kayaking.