When we first got the camper back in April, there was one campground I had my eyes on: Poinsett State Park in Wedgefield, SC. For some reason, the picturesque views and abundance of trails seemed like the perfect stay for my family of five.
While I’d adventured throughout the state parks of South Carolina (and beyond) with my parents and grandparents as a kid, Poinsett never made it on our list, which made me more curious than ever on if the campgrounds would live up to my expectations – or would be a good place to come again.
With that in mind, I’m recording each spot (and step) of our stay – and answering some of the commonly asked questions that aren’t on the State Park website – so you can see if it’s right for you, too:
The TL;DR of Poinsett State Park (And It’s History)
Poinsett State Park is located in the Midlands of South Carolina, in the “High Hills of Santee.” It’s a little over 18 miles away from Santee State Park (where I’ve visited nearly every year for 18 years on a four-day weekend excursion with 90% of my family), but is a 44 minute drive as it’s on the other side of the Congaree River.
The park was created in the 1930s as a New Deal initiative to provide economic relief during the Great Depression, conserve natural resources, and develop public recreational areas by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) at least, that’s what the SC State Government says. It was one of the first 16 state parks founded in SC that are still open today.
With 1,000 acres of park to enjoy, the most popular things are likely the Levi Mill Lake – where you’ll also find the Coquina Trail – and the trails themselves, which are ideal for bikes and hikes.
Poinsett State Park Campground: A Breakdown of What to Expect
Poinsett State Park currently has 50 campsites, 24 with power and 26 without power. Luckily, the majority of the sites are shaded – which, while it made it cooler, was a pain when we connected our Starlink Mini. None of the sites are paved, but a majority are flat. Or as flat as an average campsite tends to be.
Some (like ours and my grandparents, sites 21 and 23) are outlined with wood and have loose gravel serving as a foundation – others offer just dirt. The camper sites are in the first loop with the tent sites (sites that do not offer electricity) start on the second loop. They also have a handful of trail sites available.
Every camper site can hold at least a 28ft travel trailer/camper, with 12 sites able to hold up to a 36ft, 6 sites can host a 43ft (sites 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 22) , and the max camper lot being a 58ft rv/trailer on site 7. Most are also pretty accessible – excluding site 2, which has a weird, narrow back-in angle and site 23, which is also hard to back into when someone is actually in site 22.
We stayed in site 23, which offered a more “private” area for the kids to run and play. Personally, this was one of my best moves as they spent SO much time exploring the wooded area and walking down a connection piece to the Wipperwill Trail.
At the cost of privacy, you do have a weird positioning – we could only back in so far due to the slide-out and the length of our drop cord. There’s also a pine tree that was almost too close to open our awning.
Site 21 was tougher to back into with my grandparents motorhome. They had a harder time maneuvering into the spot as the one way “loop” separates into the full loop and the tent loop.
4 Things to Do While You’re Visiting Poinsett State Park
Whether you’re visiting with littles or going solo, there’s plenty to do at Poinsett State Park – more than the State Park’s website gives ’em credit for.
Trails, Trails, and More Trails
There are more trails at Poinsett State Park than you’d know what to do with. With around 19.6 miles of trails (a with some dedicated to hikers and some dedicated to cyclists), it offers more trails than any other South Carolina State Park.
Some of Poinsett’s trails are even a part of The Palmetto Trail, the only cross-state trail in SC and one of only 16 in the country.
We didn’t hike all 19.6 miles, but we did take the kids (ages 3, 5, and 6) on the Coquina Trail that loops around Levi Mill Lake:
The Coquina Trail is also an entrance to the Knot cyclist’s trail!! But, overall, the 1.4 mile trail took our group about 40 minutes to complete. We had a light drizzle and mild weather helping us – but the trails were obviously cared for (better than Dreher Island’s, but that’s a story for another day) and clearly marked, including your halfway point.
10/10 would recommend, the views were beautiful and the kids had fun. Just make sure to pack the bug spray, the mosquitos were awful.
Paddle-boarding & Kayaking on Levi Mill Lake
But the math has to math for it to work out. You can rent 1-2 person kayaks and paddle boards for $10/hour – but kids must be five years or older to participate and must fit in a lifejacket (so I’d recommend bringing one for them).
We have three littles – meaning the math didn’t math this time (and neither did the rainy weather). But the pond is mild and space is good for a 1-hour adventure.
You can also rent peddle boats and jon boats, but again, the math has to math with your adult to kid ratio if you have them.
Side note: this lake is absolutely on my day-date list for a trip with just me and hubs. I love paddle-boarding and kayaking, and this mini-adventure is worth the 1 hour drive from home – at least, it is in MY opinion.
Visit the Singleton Grist Mill Ruins
This is what drew me to Poinsett in the first place, someone had a beautiful photo of the Singleton Grist Mill ruins on Google and as someone who loves historical things, I wanted to see it in person! This was the quickest part of our trip, but it was something both I, my hubs, my grandparents, and my kids enjoyed seeing.
A grist mill is used to grind cereal grains like wheat, corn, or barley into flour – although the Singleton Grist Mill (a pre-revolutionary war facility) isn’t quite functional anymore. The mill was built in 1761 by John Dargen by damming the western end of Shanks Creek.
The biggest issue with the mill (and a lot of Poinsett – and, to be completely fair, the Midlands of South Carolina) is the mosquitos. And they we’re awful down by the bottom of the mill. There’s a short path next to the mill that we didn’t explore simply because they we’re swarming around the kids like we we’re a free buffet.
Go Bike Riding (and Not Just Mountain-Bike-Riding)
Poinsett is known for their bike trails (they’ve even been featured in a SC bike race), but it’s also an ideal campground for young cyclists. AKA the three children who I took with me.
Now, it is sand and dirt roads, so if your little ones are still using training wheels, it’s a bit hard to go anywhere. But if they’re comfortable on two wheels, they’ll have a great time riding through the campground and some of the flatter trails.
Actually, we spent some of the time teaching our 5-year-old how to ride her bike without training wheels.
What Else Do You Need to Know About Poinsett?
Honestly, nothing! Ultimately it’s up to you what you’re looking for and what you prefer — which means you might like it, you might not.
For us, this was the perfect in-between for distance from home, affordable campsites, and plenty of things to do that kept the littles busy (and out of energy).
100/10 would go back again! You can explore their campsites and available dates here.
And if you book your stay, come back and let me know how it goes in the comments below! Share the site you stayed in, how it went, and any tips for your fellow campers with families, without, or with fur-babies.
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