Warren Mary Ellen
Ranger
Coneross Campground is a Corps of Engineers campground on Lake Hartwell in Townsville, SC. It is open from May 1- September 30. You are really close to Clemson where Clemson University is located. There are 106 sites on 3 separate loops with 4 bathhouses. We were in site 81. All the sites are large with gravel driveways, lantern poles and fire rings. Water and electricity at each site. A few sites had a grill like you see in a picnic ground instead of being attached to the fire ring, so you wouldn’t have to stoop to use the grill. Some sites (sites 77- 106) have sites have steps from the parking area to get to the picnIc table area. These areas with picnic tables were spacious and graded flat so they drain well and are framed with landscape timber’s. Sites 77-82 are on the water, but a steep slope to get to the water. Sites 1-13 would give you easy access to the lake and be in the shade in the heat of the day. Site 8 is the premier site with easy lake access and it is roomy. You could comfortably park 4 Camp Inn’s on it. If you have kayaks this is a good loop for that.
A lot of the sites from 58-74 are pretty exposed to the late afternoon sun. There is a beach here with playground so this tended to be the loudest area of the campground. There is a second swimming area in the loop near sites 16 & 17. Sites 96-104 have easy access to the lake and are shady. Another plus for these is across the cove there are no other sites so it is quiet. Site 96 has a nice view. We were on site 81 and looked across to the loop with beach and playground. At times we could hear it, nothing bad. Sites 83- 94 are primitive and in the heat you won’t have Many tent campers which made the loop quiet plus you weren’t sharing the bath house with as many people. Bath houses have flush toilets and each had 3 showers. Large dressing area with a shared bench.
Just before you get to the gate is an ice machine. $2.50 for 16 lb bag or you got 2 bags for $4. Be sure to read instructions if you do the 2 bag option. Next to the ice machine is a small building that is a camp store on Thursday-Saturday. The family that has the small farm next door operates it. They sell homemade sourdough bread, bagels, vegetables, have eggs from their chickens plus goat’s milk soap they make. Prices are fair and you will like the people. Bagels were good and with Mary Ellen being from Brooklyn originally, she is a bagel snob. She gave them a
Nearby is Clemson where the university is located and it is a typical college town. If you enjoy PBR on draft you will need to visit the Esso Club. Food is good there too. Find the Hendrix Student Center for the school’s ice cream the Ag department makes. My recommendation is the Lemon custard ice cream. If you like blue cheese, grab a wedge of it here too. SC Botanical Gardens on campus are a nice area to walk. School has several historic houses on campus too. Clemson’s Experimental Forest has nice hiking trails and mountain bike trails. Lake Issaqueena in their forest is another place to paddle kayaks too. Small lake so you won’t have larger boats to deal with. This lake was used as target practice during WW2 bombers. The spillway empties directly into Lake Hartwell. If you go here stop at the Lawrence Bridge Ramp on Lake Hartwell if you need a restroom either before or after paddling Lake Issaqueena. You can paddle on Lake Hartwell from the boat ramp to the Lake Issaqueena spillway where you’ll be at the bottom of it.
Townville is a wide spot the road. There is a Dollar General and a farm stand that has nice produce here. McAdams Store has good pizza, a little further away is Fair Play. Herschberger’s Bakery is run by a Mennonite family. Good baked goods and they do sandwiches at lunch. If you want really good meat to cook at your campsite head to Pendleton to PF Meats. They have make breakfast and lunch too.
This is only 20-25 minutes from our house so we know the area well. The Seneca River arm of Lake Hartwell is one of the nicer parts of the lake. There are 3 COE campgrounds in the area and the university owns a decent amount of lakefront property. The area between Townville and Fair Play is good for road cycling.
Campground Map https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/Abou...amping/Corps-Campgrounds/Coneross-Campground/
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A lot of the sites from 58-74 are pretty exposed to the late afternoon sun. There is a beach here with playground so this tended to be the loudest area of the campground. There is a second swimming area in the loop near sites 16 & 17. Sites 96-104 have easy access to the lake and are shady. Another plus for these is across the cove there are no other sites so it is quiet. Site 96 has a nice view. We were on site 81 and looked across to the loop with beach and playground. At times we could hear it, nothing bad. Sites 83- 94 are primitive and in the heat you won’t have Many tent campers which made the loop quiet plus you weren’t sharing the bath house with as many people. Bath houses have flush toilets and each had 3 showers. Large dressing area with a shared bench.
Just before you get to the gate is an ice machine. $2.50 for 16 lb bag or you got 2 bags for $4. Be sure to read instructions if you do the 2 bag option. Next to the ice machine is a small building that is a camp store on Thursday-Saturday. The family that has the small farm next door operates it. They sell homemade sourdough bread, bagels, vegetables, have eggs from their chickens plus goat’s milk soap they make. Prices are fair and you will like the people. Bagels were good and with Mary Ellen being from Brooklyn originally, she is a bagel snob. She gave them a
Nearby is Clemson where the university is located and it is a typical college town. If you enjoy PBR on draft you will need to visit the Esso Club. Food is good there too. Find the Hendrix Student Center for the school’s ice cream the Ag department makes. My recommendation is the Lemon custard ice cream. If you like blue cheese, grab a wedge of it here too. SC Botanical Gardens on campus are a nice area to walk. School has several historic houses on campus too. Clemson’s Experimental Forest has nice hiking trails and mountain bike trails. Lake Issaqueena in their forest is another place to paddle kayaks too. Small lake so you won’t have larger boats to deal with. This lake was used as target practice during WW2 bombers. The spillway empties directly into Lake Hartwell. If you go here stop at the Lawrence Bridge Ramp on Lake Hartwell if you need a restroom either before or after paddling Lake Issaqueena. You can paddle on Lake Hartwell from the boat ramp to the Lake Issaqueena spillway where you’ll be at the bottom of it.
Townville is a wide spot the road. There is a Dollar General and a farm stand that has nice produce here. McAdams Store has good pizza, a little further away is Fair Play. Herschberger’s Bakery is run by a Mennonite family. Good baked goods and they do sandwiches at lunch. If you want really good meat to cook at your campsite head to Pendleton to PF Meats. They have make breakfast and lunch too.
This is only 20-25 minutes from our house so we know the area well. The Seneca River arm of Lake Hartwell is one of the nicer parts of the lake. There are 3 COE campgrounds in the area and the university owns a decent amount of lakefront property. The area between Townville and Fair Play is good for road cycling.
Campground Map https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/Abou...amping/Corps-Campgrounds/Coneross-Campground/
View attachment 1749931620763.jpeg
View attachment 1749931534863.jpeg
