Francis Marion National Forest Guide Profile

Camping, trails, maps & photo credits — Francis Marion National Forest

2019 Recreation Fee Increases News Release Q & A's

Camping & reservations

The booking button opens official site-specific camping instructions for Honey Hill Recreation Area. Check current reservations, first-come arrangements and any permit requirements there.

Honey Hill Recreation Area ↗

This primitive camping facility is located between McClellanville and Honey Hill. A short camp loop swings through an upland pine/oak forest and encircles a fire lookout tower. The fire lookout tower is no longer in use. Click here for a printable guide.

Site rules: Stay is limited to 14 days.

Elmwood Recreation Area ↗

Primitive campsite. This recreation area is located in the northeastern portion of the Francis Marion National Forest. It’s a popular camp during deer and turkey hunts on the Waterhorn Hunt Unit. The area also serves as a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources game check station during big-game hunting season. Click here for a printable guide.

Site rules: Stay is limited to 14 days.

Truck-camping & permitted overnight use

Confirm with the district whether your chosen designated campsite accepts a truck camper or RV. Check pad length, turning space, approach surface and seasonal access; a trailhead or day-use lot is not an overnight campsite.

No forest-wide permission to camp is implied. Check the district’s current dispersed-camping rules, designated areas, fire restrictions, stay limits and seasonal closures before choosing an undeveloped site.

Activities, hiking & trails

Sewee Shell Ring Boardwalk ↗
The mystique surrounding the area emcompassed by this one-mile, self-guided, interpretive trail dates back 4,000 years. The trail begins along a shady lane of trees which opens into an area heavily influenced by the forces of nature and man. A large portion of the area was scarred by Hurricane Hugo and wildfire. It is a picture of a land in recovery. The boardwalk overlooks a prehistoric shell mound and offers five interpretive stops in addition to breathtaking views of the salt marsh, tidal creek and the Intracoastal Waterway. Take an aerial look over the boardwalk and the surrounding area. Click here for a printable guide and vicinity map.

Maps & road access

Consult the current Motor Vehicle Use Map for permitted motor routes, vehicle classes and seasonal designations. A route on an MVUM is not a guarantee that it is maintained or passable. Check current road closures and conditions with the district; carry an offline map.

Use the official directions for the exact named campground or trailhead; forest boundaries and administrative offices are not campsite entrances. Official directions / site access ↗

Before you travel

Check the forest’s current alerts, seasonal services, fire orders and campground rules. Download the relevant official maps before entering areas with limited reception.

Source review: 2026-11-01. Conditions, fees, permits and availability can change. USDA Forest Service official information ↗

Photograph sources & licensing

Banner: Turkey Creek, Francis Marion National Forest
Turkey Creek Turkey Creek — Turkey Creek is a beautiful tannic stream within the Francis Marion National Forest in South Carolina. We recently deployed Hester-Dendy (H-D) artificial substrate samplers upstream and downstream of the bridge at Highway…
Credit: U.S. Geological Survey. Original source ↗ · Public domain ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Second large photograph: Longleaf pine in Francis Marion National Forest
Longleaf Pine Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris) at Francis Marion National Forest
Credit: Chris M Morris. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Photographs are real images of the named unit; no AI-generated photographs are used. Federal photo credit register.