SC State Park Hickory Knob

Hickory Knob is a really pretty state park on the SC/GA border. There are several state parks clustered right in this area on both the SC and GA side too. It's got over 20 waterfront campsites along Lake Thurmond (if you're from SC; Clarks Hill Lake if you're from GA). We stayed at site 22 which was first on a loop of nicely privatized sites. Really wooded with lots of buffer space between. We also had a large buffer and just a big cul-de-sac on our other site.

We were truly waterfront with about 20 ft of "shoreline" at the base of our campsite that goes out into a lovely cove—not the main lake. We woke up the first morning to 48 Canadian Geese swimming through the cove. Needless to say, we had to wait on them before we could let our dogs swim By that evening, just as we were winding down with letting the dogs swim, I ran down to the shoreline to figure out what was zipping across the water—it a doe swimming through the cove across to the other side of the park! Lots of deer were around this weekend.

The other water front site we scouted to be really neat was 13. Equally as private, on a different cove, and it had its own peninsula extending from the campsite out into the water. Great to set up fishing lines or for kids to play on.

If you're not familiar with it though, this part of SC is red clay country. Makes for a very messy—and at times slippery—site and harder clean up if you're here in rainy weather. Lots of wooded areas and trails. We took a short hike around part of one and it was really nice.

The park itself has it's on 18 hole golf course that overlooks the lake, a skeet course and archery range, a great boat landing and canoe/kayak launch. It's also got a whole "resort" aspect they offer at the opposite end of the park with with conference capabilities, wifi, several options for indoor lodging from barraks, cabins, what looked like motel rooms, swimming pool area, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a full restaurant.

Restrooms and shower facility was just up the road. Nothing fancy but nothing terrible. We'd definitely come back here but shoot for dry weather when we do.