Camping near Sumter with wildlife watching

Discover and reserve the best campgrounds, cabins, RV parks, and more.

94% (480 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Sumter

Community favorites near Sumter

Public campgrounds near Sumter

100%

(4)

Poinsett Campground

55 sites · RVs, Tents In Poinsett State Park

100%

(4)

Bluff Campground

6 sites In Congaree National Park

100%

(1)

Lee Campground

63 sites · RVs, Tents In Lee State Park

Just on the outskirts of the Long Leaf campsite

100%

(1)

Long Leaf Campground

14 sites In Congaree National Park

All sorts of canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, pedal boats

88%

(4)

Sequicentennial Campground

74 sites · RVs, Tents In Sesquicentennial State Park

83%

(9)

Santee Campground

182 sites · RVs, Tents In Santee State Park

Rocky Branch Seasonal Camp

10 sites · RVs, Tents In Sumter National Forest

80%

(6)

Lake Wataree Campground

69 sites · RVs, Tents In Lake Wateree State Park

Stories from the community

Henry

2 weeks ago

19 ft Class B

Weekend Trip to Camping on Pipers Pond

as advertised, nice quiet place. It's been years since I have heard a Bullfrog.

Weekend Trip to Dennis & Melissa's Hidden Creek

Melissa’s land was so fun to explore for a long weekend! We had so much fun fishing in their pond and hanging out by the campfire. Our dog fell in the love with the cows. We can’t wait to stay again!

2 nights at Bowen Farms

Myself and my 2 German Shepards. Had a wonderful time , plenty of room to play. When booking it's all about the dogs experience 😁.

2 weeks ago

13 ft campervan

1 night at Camp at The Farm - Outside Inn

Really well maintain camp area with the added bonus of the farm! The bath house was spotless. I booked the lamb cuddle and bottle feed time and it was the highlight of my week! Clair’s baked goods are really good too.

3 nights at Camping on Pipers Pond

As always.... an amazing place. Highly recommend. Great relaxing place and great fishing 🎣. The hosts are awesome and make sure you have everything you need.

3 nights at Camping on Pipers Pond

We love this place. Beautiful, peaceful, and awesome fishing. The water hose and ext cord came in handy also. We will be coming back again. Thank you.

3 nights at Beautiful Lake Camping

We had a great little getaway with a beautiful view. Great hosts! They gifted us with a carton of fresh eggs from their chickens. We will visit again!

Weekend Trip to Dennis & Melissa's Hidden Creek

Perfect secluded place to unwind and relax. Dennis and Melissa never disappoint with their upgrades to the sites. Every time I go it just gets better and better. Look no further than here for rest and relaxation.

Weekend Trip to Rustic Natural Campsite

Super one-night spot just off I-95 in South Carolina. As soon as I pulled onto the property, Josh (Debra’s nephew) came out and welcomed me warmly. We walked a few of the sites available, and he encouraged me to take a particular spot based on my rig (a new spot he just made). The stay was fantastic! AT&T, 1-2 bars, and I was able to launch a hotspot on AT&T, streaming YouTube videos. The camp site is not far from some train tracks. I came in Friday afternoon around 4:15PM, and I left the next morning by 7:30AM. The train only came through during my stay one time, at 6PM. It was actually really cool!! You can walk up to the train tracks. According to Josh, there are some trails that can be walked too but I did not take advantage of them. Great stop …. Great for a good nights rest.

Weekend Trip to Camping on Pipers Pond

Very relaxing and fun time and a very fun fishing spot

Weekend Trip to Camping on Pipers Pond

Absolutely Amazing Hosts, they check in with you at the start and then leave you too it. Incredible sunrises over the site, good facilities. Women I was with kept insisting the compost toilet was fantastic. Brilliant spot for relaxed fishing out the stocked pond.

Weekend Trip to Camping on Pipers Pond

We loved camping here! It was a beautiful spot!! As soon as we pulled in an osprey dove down to try to get a fish! 3 sets of mallards waddled over & spent some time there. We got to meet their friendly dogs also. It was very peaceful & beautiful! Dargan checked in with us when she got home from work, which was very nice. And both my husband & I were amazed at how clean and non-smelly the outhouse was! Best system ever!

2 nights at Camping on Pipers Pond

This was our first time using Hipcamp and now I’m a little worried it ruined Hipcamp for us since this was such a wonderful experience. We camped here since it was only about 20 minutes from Congaree National Park and seemed nicer than the Congaree campground. Dargan, her husband, and their two dogs Piper and Pearl are very pleasant and their property is incredible. Piper’s Pond is a beautiful wildlife pond that they created that we had the pleasure to camp next to. We enjoyed seeing the fish and ducks feed from their feeders and watching the large variety of birds around the pond. Piper and Pearl would come keep us company, and they’re great, well-behaved dogs, and Dargan is very accommodating if one wouldn’t want them around. The campsite itself is excellent, with wonderful seating and firepits, and the outhouse is clean and has everything one needs. Overall, we were super happy we found this place, and would definitely return!

3 nights at Camping on Pipers Pond

This was one of the best experiences I've had with camping. My partner and I stayed for 2 nights (ended up leaving early cause of some storms that were going to come through the morning of the last day). The location was quiet and very private. The owners respected our alone time. When we did need to reach out, response time was very prompt. I loved that they were willing to supply us with firewood. Fishing was really fun! There were plenty of fish to catch. I love the dogs and the ducks. Seeing all the wildlife was amazing. I can't wait to come back. Hearing about how the pond came to be was an interesting story. I felt very safe and welcomed here.

Weekend Trip to Camp at The Farm - Outside Inn

What a sweet place to visit! Already planning our next trip there. Lovely, family-friendly spot. Great trails to meander on their property. So fun to see the animals and experience farm life in a laid back, well-run campground. Your only regret will be having to leave.

2 nights at Camping on Pipers Pond

Dargan’s campsite was beautiful! Her and her husband were so sweet and caring! Dargan noticed a gushing sound in their water the one morning and was concerned that the hose they supplied to us was leaking and turns out it was. They fixed even before we knew something was wrong. The best part was the puppy visitors who were a delight! Would highly recommend this site to anyone!

Weekend Trip to Camping on Pipers Pond

We love camping, but we had never camped at a Hipcamp until we stayed at Piper’s Pond. Everything was perfect! The host was kind, the pond was lovely, the composting toilet was very clean, and the fire pit and firewood made everything so convenient. Our kids loved paddling out in the pond, and one of them can’t stop talking about Pearl, one of the dogs. This was a wonderful place to stay while visiting Congaree National Park.

Weekend Trip to Camping on Pipers Pond

Great host and a beautiful camp site. The camp was easy to find and very well maintained.

1 night at Camp at The Farm - Outside Inn

Incredible place! My second time and I plan to come again. You want to stay here. Bath house is clean and a nice added bonus!

Weekend Trip to Dennis & Melissa's Hidden Creek

Thank you Melissa and Dennis! You guys were fantastic hosts once again! We had a great stay. We appreciate all the hospitality and look forward to our next trip to the area! Maybe next time we will have some extra free time to explore the property more and check out the cows!

6 top campgrounds near Sumter with wildlife watching

99%

(157)

Dennis & Melissa's Hidden Creek

12 sites · RVs, Tents230 acres · Hartsville, SC

Our 400 acre family cow and pine tree farm most of which was purchased 60 years ago by my father and mother. My two siblings and me were raised here and later bought joining land that now makes up the 400 acres. We all still live on the farm with our families 1.4 mile down a dirt and gravel road. We all enjoy the peace and quiet that you will find here. Sounds of our cows, wildlife and the occasional rumble of a distant train is all you will hear on our farm. Our Hidden Creek is a short fun hike to cool your tired feet. Wide hiking paths all the way around our property if you would like a long hike. Learn more about this land: Enjoy your privacy on our 400 acres of farm and forest trails. 10 minutes from groceries and gas, 15 minutes from a small town. We are surrounded by farmland and forest. There are a few different attractions 5 - 10 minutes away (lake Robinson) it has a boat landing and plenty of fish, (Carolina Sandhills national wildlife refuge)it has plenty of hiking trails and roads perfect for bicycling, small mountain called (Sugarloaf Mountain)perfect for hiking. Local peach/strawberry farm (McLeod farm) with produce/gift shop/free museum/restaurant called (Big's), they have pick your own strawberries in the spring and early summer. In nearby Hartsville and Cheraw there are several golf courses and places for Kayak rentals. Neptune Island waterpark in Hartsville. We have a hidden Creek that is fun to hike to by way of a trail. Small pond for fishing, plenty of room for hiking and bike riding ( grassy, sandy, rolling hills). Beautiful hills to camp on and watch an unobstructed view of the Carolina sunset and sunrise that peak through wooded acreage. Choose a tent camp location or pull/drive your RV/camper right near our cow pasture and watch the cows graze. Fresh drinking water at campsites. Bathroom and heated shower. Pick wild blackberries in early summer and wild grapes in late summer early fall, and we may share some of our home made jellies with you. We welcome family groups year round. At night enjoy the sounds of wildlife while watching the highly visible twinkling stars and tracing the many constellations and if lucky see a shooting star or two.

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(261)

Camping on Pipers Pond

2 sites · RVs, Tents32 acres · Eastover, SC

Learn more about this land: Watch the sun and moon rise over the pond from the grassy knoll in the edge of the woods or under the trees. Enjoy paddling around the pond, fishing and watching the ducks and geese during the day and relaxing around the fire pit at night. We offer 2 campsites on the pond on our private property. They are both slightly sloped. Site 1 is on the grassy knoll overlooking the pond. It is sunny early in the day and gets shady as the day progresses. It is closer to the outhouse. Site 2 is under the trees and right beside the pond. It gets spotty sun throughout the day. We live through the woods past the campsites. An outhouse with composting toilet, potable water, picnic table, grill, fire pit, fire wood and trash can are provided. Please note that we do not offer a 30 amp camper hookup, only a 15 amp electrical cord running from our house that will run lights, but not a/c or heat.

98%

(28)

Camp at The Farm - Outside Inn

2 sites · Lodging, RVs54 acres · Santee, SC

We are a family campground with a focus on keeping things natural. Enjoy an afternoon with the farm animals, a stroll through the woods, star gazing at night and fellowship with friends. Our campground hosts outdoor movies under the stars (see events for dates & times) as well as farm tours and snuggles sessions with the animals.

98%

(60)

Rustic Natural Campsite

1 site · RV, Tent11 acres · Santee, SC

We are located on 11 acres. Wooded areas, hiking trails on-site. Perfect place to watch for deer and other animals including our 6 on-leash dogs! It is a train lover's dream because we are close to the tracks and enjoy watching the train come and go so much so that the conductor toots and waves to us!! The Santee State Park has many water activities, picnic areas, and hiking trails. There are several golf courses nearby, and a local restaurant/bar within walking distance which often offers trivia, karaoke, pool tables, and live music. Just be careful as you will be walking on the side of a main road as well as over train tracks.

89%

(31)

Bowen Farms

4 sites · RVs10 acres · Reevesville, SC

Ease of access! Minutes to I-26, I-95 and Hwy 301. Equal distance to Columbia and Charleston on I-26 and Florence and Savannah, Georgia on I-95. Relax with the whole family at this peaceful place to stay. Private, rural area. Santee, SC is 15 minutes away with golfing, Lake Marion, and a small water park. Edisto River is 20 minute drive. Central to Columbia, Charleston, Florence, and Savannah, GA.

100%

(25)

Beautiful Lake Camping

1 site · RV2 acres · Great Falls, SC

Lake Wateree, a 13,250-acre lake with unspoiled natural views, was created by the damming of the Wateree River in 1920. It is located about 30 miles northeast of Columbia, just east of I-77. The lake is owned and managed by Duke Power and is surrounded by three counties: Fairfield, Kershaw, and Lancaster. One of South Carolina's oldest man-made lakes, Lake Wateree is known for crappie, bass, catfish, and bream fishing. The 242 miles of shoreline include a bird refuge, the Lake Wateree State Recreation Area and State Park, and Carolina Adventure World for Recreational ATV and dirt bike riding. All these amenities are only a few miles from this site. There are many eclectic little towns to visit and shop when you are not spending time swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, paddle boating, fishing,or just sitting around the fire or hanging out on your own private dock and island. Learn more about this land: Lakefront RV site with private dock and lots of amenities. Acres of solitude and nature. The ideal getaway unlike any other. This is your own oasis on a large cove with a private island and an expanse of nature that opens up to the lake. Bring your boat, there is a nearby boat ramp. Pets must be contained or leashed at all times. Pets are welcome but one must adhere to the leash rule for safety. Though this site has an open ambiance, there are other homes in the area with their own pets and there are large birds of prey.

Nearby parks

Explore the area’s public lands.

100%

(4)

Poinsett State Park

Wedgefield, South Carolina

100%

(5)

Congaree National Park

Gadsden, South Carolina

100%

(1)

Lee State Park

Bishopville, South Carolina

88%

(4)

Sesquicentennial State Park

Dentsville, South Carolina

83%

(9)

Santee State Park

Santee, South Carolina

75%

(10)

Sumter National Forest

Joanna, South Carolina

80%

(6)

Lake Wateree State Park

Great Falls, South Carolina

Other options near Sumter

Carolina Adventure World

182 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents1 acre · Winnsboro, SC

Welcome to Carolina Adventure World, a unique 2,600-acre private park that offers an unparalleled off-roading experience. Here, adventure enthusiasts can explore a variety of trails while riding dirt bikes, ATVs, side-by-sides, and other off-road vehicles. Our expansive grounds provide a rare opportunity to connect with nature and enjoy outdoor activities that few places can match. As you embark on your adventure, we encourage you to practice courtesy and respect towards fellow riders and park staff. Off-roading comes with inherent risks, but exercising common sense and personal awareness can significantly enhance your safety and enjoyment. We ask that you adhere to our code of conduct and share the responsibility for creating a positive off-road experience for everyone. At Carolina Adventure World, we prioritize the enjoyment of our guests. Please remember that access to our park is a privilege, and we reserve the right to refuse entry or remove individuals if necessary. We strive to maintain a welcoming atmosphere, so we appreciate your mindfulness and consideration for others while enjoying our trails and facilities. Whether you're seeking thrilling rides or a peaceful retreat in nature, Carolina Adventure World is the perfect destination for your outdoor adventures.

Palmetto Shores RV Resort

78 sites1 acre · Summerton, SC

Palmetto Shores RV Resort stands out as a premier destination for outdoor enthusiasts, nestled conveniently off I-95 at exit 102, alongside the stunning Lake Marion, part of the renowned Santee Cooper lake system. This unique location offers visitors a serene escape with full-service hookups (50/30 amp) available at all pull-thru and back-in sites, making it an ideal spot for big rigs and RVs of all sizes. As you explore the natural beauty of South Carolina, let Palmetto Shores be your perfect home base. The resort provides easy access to a variety of outdoor activities, including fishing, boating, and hiking in the picturesque surroundings. Nearby, you can discover charming restaurants and local shops that showcase the region's culture and cuisine. Whether you're looking to relax by the lake or embark on an adventure, Palmetto Shores RV Resort offers the ideal blend of comfort and excitement for your next getaway.

Pets

Potable water

Toilets

CrossRoads Coach Resort at the ROB

15 sites1 acre · Lake City, SC

CrossRoads Coach Resort at the ROB stands out as a charming RV park nestled in the vibrant Heart of Art in Lake City, South Carolina. This unique resort combines comfort and convenience, offering paved streets and level concrete pads that provide ample space for your RV slides. Each site is equipped with 30 and 50 amp service, freshwater, sewer hookups, and complimentary citywide Wi-Fi, ensuring a hassle-free stay. For those seeking adventure or leisure, the resort is just a short walk or bike ride away from a variety of attractions. Explore boutique shopping, visit local museums, or enjoy the serene atmosphere of the nearby library. Don’t miss the fresh fruit stands, art galleries, and stunning murals that adorn the area. Food enthusiasts will appreciate the fantastic restaurants, as well as the local meat and fish markets. Additionally, the resort is located on the grounds of Festival Park at the ROB, home to the largest art venue in the city during the renowned ArtFields event. Whether you're looking to relax or explore, CrossRoads Coach Resort offers the perfect base for your Lake City adventure.

Pets

Potable water

Toilets

The Barnyard RV Park

21 sites1 acre · Lexington, SC

Discover the charm of our unique campground nestled in the heart of South Carolina, where you can experience the perfect blend of warm hospitality and stunning natural beauty. Our expansive grounds provide a serene escape, allowing you to unwind in privacy while enjoying the mild climate that this region is known for. Explore a variety of local attractions that cater to every interest. Whether you’re drawn to the thrill of bass fishing or the elegance of a ballet performance, you’ll find that a short drive can lead you to exciting activities. Spend your day casting a line on the lake or enjoying a vibrant night out in town, and then return to the peaceful comfort of your secure campsite. We are dedicated to ensuring your stay is enjoyable and memorable. So come on over, kick off your shoes, and relax. Our team is committed to making you feel right at home, providing you with the perfect getaway in South Carolina.

Pets

Potable water

Toilets

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Camping near Sumter with wildlife watching guide

Overview

Looking to immerse yourself in the great outdoors near Sumter, South Carolina? Hipcamp has over 796 options specifically tailored for wildlife watching enthusiasts like you. With campsites starting as low as $10 per night and an average price of $40, you're sure to find the perfect spot to unwind and observe nature's wonders. Check out top-rated campsites like Hanscombe Point Plantation (247 reviews), Socastee Creek Seclusion (130 reviews), and Rosewood Farm and Agripark (123 reviews). Enjoy popular amenities such as trash disposal, pet-friendly areas, and showers, and take part in activities like exploring historic sites and, of course, wildlife watching. Get ready to experience the beauty of nature up close and personal!