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January 2024 by Camp Cats
We really enjoyed our stay here, where we camped in an RV for a week just before Christmas. It was quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. The bath houses were clean and warm.
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December 2023 by Greg White
We camped there a few times this summer. Nice place.
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December 2023 by Southern Furniture Plus Tommy Carter
Great park!
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November 2023 by Roger Strabala
We stayed at site #66. We were waterfront, it was a short walk to the water. Very close to the bath house which was kept very clean.
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November 2023 by Barrie Mac
We stayed in a motorhome. The pull through site was easy to get into and hook up. The campground was quiet and peaceful.
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November 2023 by pamela steele
We really like it there. First time camping there. We will go back.Restrooms: CleanDog-friendliness: Great clean Camp ground.
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November 2023 by Jenny N
We spent the weekend at Lake Hartwell State Park in Fairplay, SC, and encountered several aspects that led to an overall disappointing experience. The park's close proximity to our home, just an hour's drive, was its initial appeal, but it fell short in several key areas.While the park isn't responsible for the lake's water levels, which were low and left deep muddy banks instead of a pleasant beach, we felt that other amenities could have compensated for this. An updated and engaging playground or well-maintained roads suitable for biking would have greatly enhanced our experience. Unfortunately, these aspects too were lacking. The playground was outdated and uninspiring, and the park's roads were in poor condition and challenging for those on bikes or scooters— especially with them also being very hilly.Additionally, the camping sites, though well-spaced for privacy, were quite small. This, coupled with the underwhelming waterfront and other amenities, made it challenging to fully enjoy our stay. Our own 50-foot hanging obstacle course proved to be essential for keeping the kids entertained.Another point of confusion was accessing the beach if your site wasn’t directly on it. Locating a public access point to the beach was unclear and not well signposted.On a brighter note, our weekend was salvaged by some enjoyable excursions outside the park. We had a fantastic lunch at The Smoking Pig BBQ in Clemson, SC, a short 25-minute drive away. Additionally, a visit to Tugaloo State Park in Lavonia, GA, which was only 20 minutes from our campsite, showed promise for future camping trips.In conclusion, despite the favorable weather, Lake Hartwell State Park did not provide the memorable camping experience we had hoped for. The park’s shortcomings, particularly in its amenities and infrastructure, significantly impacted our stay. While we understand some aspects like water levels are beyond control, improvements in other areas could have made a significant difference. We wouldn’t recommend this park based on our experience and are unlikely to return, though our exploration of the surrounding areas offered some consolation with promising alternatives for future trips!
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November 2023 by caley eldridge
PROS- Really enjoyed the trick or treat weekend. I believe I heard it was about 600 trick or treaters that came through. Lots of decorations and fun atmosphere! Bathrooms were clean and I didn't run out of hot water even though I took a fairly late shower. My son is a bit old for the playground but I saw lots of families with young ones playing on it. Lake is easily accessible from many lots. Most lots allow for decent privacy from neighbors. Very dog friendly campground, lots of fellow dog parents camping. SxS friendly... I saw more than just golf carts going around the loops which is nice and we would have brought ours if we would have known as our friends were on a different loop and it was a significant walk to get to their lotCONS- The roads are pretty terrible. We were going to bring my sons hoverboard but I think he would have to get off it too much due to the bumps and potholes. However it was great for his mountain bike, turned the raised pavement areas into jumps. The pavement isn't completely broken apart - but sunken in or raised in MANY places. Lot 78 is not desirable. The sidewalk from the bathroom ends about 1/2 way up your lot so you only have about 4 feet from the front of your camper before people are walking to and from the bathroom (and we only have a 26' camper). Late at night & early AM people don't want to walk as far so they literally park in the driveway to your camper. We had to wait for someone to come out of the bathroom one time to be able to get our vehicle out.We will be back but won't ever stay in that lot and REALLLY hope they will repair the roads.
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November 2023 by Michael Taylor
A bit small on the campsite front but amazing cabins and decent facilities. I will be back when I am in this area.
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November 2023 by Heather Stone
Pretty nice park but not super impressive for hiking trails. We did the 1 mile loop nature trail and it was nice- lots of roots and a few little hills but no spectacular views or anything notable other than the lake midway. I did Tugaloo State Park yesterday (a few miles away in GA) and it may have spoiled me with the super lake views from their 4 mile trail (highly recommend) Lake Hartwell State Park may have great camping areas (Idk) but for hiking, it was just okay. We also walked the road to the pier, which is very nice (as long as not too crowded since it wouldn’t accommodate more than a few families at a time). Since we visited on Thanksgiving we had most of the place to ourselves, so that wasn’t an issue. Entrance fee for adults was $3 each (less for children and seniors who are South Carolina residents) You could pay online in advance or use the cash envelope pay box, but change is not provided)Playground: Saw some playground equipment, nothing big, but some climbing equipment and a slide for the kids.Restrooms: There are a few restroom buildings throughout the park. We used one by the main entrance and it had soap but the hand blow dryer was hard to keep on. Overall cleanliness 8/10.Dog-friendliness: Dogs allowed on a leash 6 foot or less.Picnic area: We saw lots of picnic tables throughout the park, so can definitely accommodate lots of families for picnics.
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November 2023 by Thomas Fuller
Had a great time, in a great place, with great friends. What more could you ask for. Bathhouse was clean and warm. We weren't on the lake but we didn't care to be. They do have a few nice lake view sites. A little steep going down to the lake but they are nice. The tiny cabins are cute but I didn't see them inside.
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November 2023 by SS T (Chevy)
Spent a Great day on the lake.
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October 2023 by April Thompson
Boat ramp needs repaired dramatically. Other than that. Rangers where great, park was nice. Going to try other services they have there one day
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October 2023 by Deborah Martin
Nice staff. Beautiful camping sites. The roads are tight and crumbling in areas and the boat launch was a nightmare with a larger pontoon.
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October 2023 by Travis Rada
Beautiful park. Thank you South Carolina.
