SC State Park Lake Hartwell State Park

Made the short trip to this state park on the South Carolina/Georgia border where I-85 crosses the state line. Lake Hartwell is located about 1.5 hours from downtown Atlanta to the South and to the North is Anderson (25 miles where we live and Greenville is about 45-50 miles.). Lake Hartwell State Park is located at the southern end of the Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Byway/ SC Hwy 11 at Exit 1 which passes below the mountains of South Carolina and eventually rejoining I-85 in Gaffney, SC around mile marker 90. SC 11 is a good diversion from the interstate if you don't mind the extra miles. When you get into the area near the mountains, you are passing several state parks. (See below)

As for Lake Hartwell State Park's campground, we found it be a very nice one whether you chose to stay here for a few days or were just using it as an overnight stop while passing through the area. There are 115 paved sites with picnic table and fire ring with attached grill, both in a small gravel area in the site. Driveways are asphalt, but you should not have problems staking down your canopy over the back of your teardrop/raindrop. I will take my PVC frame for the side tent when I camp here. Mostly back-in sites and some of these would be tough backing. The terrain is hilly and you would be backing uphill or downhill into a lot of them. Pull through sites are what I would choose unless I could see the site first. We were there today, Wednesday in late July, and the place was nearly empty. If I was going down there right now, I would probably drive in and pick a site that way otherwise I would do one of the pull through sites. There were only around 20 or so sites being used on a weekday.

Several sites have good views of that water but sit pretty high above the water due to the terrain. From around site 37 the next 10 or so sites would be close to the water. There is where we found the biggest concentration of people camping. They could step right off the site and be at the water's edge. In this area, I would pass the bathroom and camp on the right in Sites 53 -59 which have good views of the water. There are 2 boat ramps and one is in the campground. Site 5, a pull through is a good site for a view but you would walk up hill to the bathouse. Sites 6 & 7 are back in but would not be difficult ones. Sites 16-31 would be the toughest area to back in, but 24 is a pull through directly across from the bathhouse. There are some others that would be tough backing to get into. We liked the area where the sites are in the 70's and after you passed the camper cabins there are some pull through sites. None of these, sites 100-108 have views of the water and I would rather be on the inside of the loop. Campground is very shady with mostly hardwoods and there is a playground. Bathhouses were very nice with a great bench outside the shower to put clothes on. The bath house on the loop around the loop at sites 37-59 was the muddiest. Remember this area is mostly red clay so if you swim, you stir up the red mud. (Don't wear cotton in the water or your tighty-whities will be a peachy kind of pink). When the weather is warm enough for swimming, I might would camp elsewhere to avoid the crowd and the inevitable goofball who will fill the shower area with a ton of red mud.

Not much else to the park besides the campground. There is a picnic area where you will find the other boat ramp, a second playground and a fishing pier. From this area, I could hear the interstate, but in the campground I could not. Near the park office there is a large covered picnic area if you had a large group. A short nature trail is there too.

Earlier I mentioned the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Byway and if you take this you pass near several other state parks and county parks in the area. The other parks along it or near it are Oconee Station Historic Site (waterfall there), Devil's Fork State Park (campground, Keowee-Toxaway State Park (campground), Caesar's Head State Park and Jones Gap Park. Oconee County has 3 County parks that have camgrounds - ChauRam, High Falls, & South Cove. Oconee State Park (campground is not far away either). Day trip possibilities - Sumter National Forest (Bull Sluice on the Chattooga River or park on Burrel's Ford and you are near 2 waterfalls, Walhalla Fish Hatchery or Yellow Branch Falls), Rafting on the Chatooga River. Stumphouse Tunnel near Walhalla is interesting although it is only half a tunnel as the Civil War stopped construction of it. September and October, go to Long Creek to pick apples. Nearby towns of interest - Walhalla (Go to the Steakhouse Cafeteria and get the fried chicken). Clemson has Clemson University in it - South Carolina Botanical Gardens is worth going to see. Fair Play is at Exit 4 - go to Herschburgers Bakery for great baked goods and sandwiches (related to the folks in the Berlin/Sugarcreek, OH area). Need a bigger town, you need to come to Anderson or go to Seneca). Nearest grocery store is probably at Exit 11 and then head towards Anderson about 5 miles or so on HWy 24 you will see an Ingle's Grocery Store, Also one in Westminister or West Union (near Walhalla). Need a boat, you will be across the lake from one that is in Georgia or Portman Shoals coming toward Anderson from Exit 11.

Lake Hartwell | South Carolina Parks Official Site

 

And from the look of it dog friendly!