Sumter National Forest Guide Profile

Camping, trails, maps & photo credits — Sumter National Forest

Sumter National Forest in South Carolina offers Forest Service recreation at Brick House Campground, Parsons Mountain Recreation Area. For a walking or hiking visit, start with Brick House Campground, Parsons Mountain Recreation Area. Each recreation site has its own facilities and access rules; use the official maps and current site instructions to plan your visit.

Camping & reservations

The booking button opens the official reservation destination for Brick House Campground. Other campgrounds in this forest may have separate reservations, first-come sites or district permits. Read the current instructions for your chosen site.

Brick House Campground ↗

This campground is open year-round and provides opportunities for many recreational activities such as wildlife and plant observation, horse riding, mountain riding, hiking and photography. Abundant wildlife populations provide some of the most desirable hunting areas in the upstate. Campsites at Brick House are available for reservation through recreation.gov .

Reservations: Reservations are required, and are made EXCLUSIVELY through Recreation.gov or the Recreation.gov app.

Reservations / current camping instructions ↗

Site rules: Stay is limited to 14 days. Ensure you have a reservation before arrival. Highline horses behind white banded trees. Quiet hours are 10pm-6am No fireworks. Campfires are allowed only in designated fire rings. Only dead and down wood may be collected. All tents and vehicles must be located on the hardened areas of the campsites. Care should be taken in the woods during big-game season. Wear blaze orange.

Parsons Mountain Recreation Area ↗

Parson’s Mountain Recreation Area is located in the northern portion of the Long Cane Ranger District. It features a 28-acre man-made lake next to a 23-site campground. The area offers relaxation and solitude as well as easy access to a variety of recreation activities. Highlights include an accessible picnic area. The day use area was designed with an earthen pier, a pedestrian bridge and a boat ramp for non-motorized boats. The Parson’s Mountain Lake Trail and Parson’s Mountain Tower Trail incorporate the upstate’s rich history and diverse wildlife habitat. Click here for a printable guide and vicinity map.

Site rules: Stay is limited to 14 days. South Carolina fishing and boating regulations apply. www.dnr.sc.gov . Shooting is not permitted within 300-yards of the recreation area.

Cherry Hill Recreation Area ↗

Nature's peace and quiet attract many to this 29-site campground. Visitors have access to flush toilets, warm showers, and a dump station (no hook ups). Each season, many regulars who like to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life enjoy this area. Surrounding Area: Enjoy your afternoons visiting the nearby Chattooga River Picnic Area, Walhalla State Fish Hatchery or Ellicott Rock Wilderness Area. Hike part of the Foothills Trail or take a 30-minute drive northeast to Whitewater Falls, the highest waterfall in the east. Get your exercise by riding a paddle boat on a mountain lake found at Oconee State Park, a few minutes south of the campground. A small park store meets some camper’s supply needs.

Reservations: All sites are reservable. Reserve sites up to 6 months in advance by calling 877-444-6777 or at www.recreation.gov .

Reservations / current camping instructions ↗

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

Brick House Campground ↗
This campground is open year-round and provides opportunities for many recreational activities such as wildlife and plant observation, horse riding, mountain riding, hiking and photography. Abundant wildlife populations provide some of the most desirable hunting areas in the upstate. Campsites at Brick House are available for reservation through recreation.gov .

Parsons Mountain Recreation Area ↗
Parson’s Mountain Recreation Area is located in the northern portion of the Long Cane Ranger District. It features a 28-acre man-made lake next to a 23-site campground. The area offers relaxation and solitude as well as easy access to a variety of recreation activities. Highlights include an accessible picnic area. The day use area was designed with an earthen pier, a pedestrian bridge and a boat ramp for non-motorized boats. The Parson’s Mountain Lake Trail and Parson’s Mountain Tower Trail incorporate the upstate’s rich history and diverse wildlife habitat. Click here for a printable guide and vicinity map.

Chattooga Picnic Area and Fishing Pier ↗
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, the stone and timber picnic shelter at this site provides a cool spot to hide from the summer heat. A curving boardwalk winds through the cool streamside forest, allowing one to stop and rest or fish at the fishing pier. In this forest, you will see some of the state’s largest and oldest white pine and hemlock trees. Surrounding area: Visitors who want to stay longer may like to see the adjacent Walhalla State Fish Hatchery . Witness the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources fisheries management practices as fish swim the runs. More than 200,000 pounds of brown and rainbow trout are produced each year to stock the Chattooga River, Lake Jocassee and many streams in Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties. If you’re looking for a more serene environment, you can access the East Fork Trail leading into the Ellicot Rock Wilderness from the picnic area. Consult the Andrew Pickens Ranger District for information on the…

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: Chattooga River, Sumter National Forest
20230416-FS-PJK-8052 Visitors enjoy the view of Chattooga River on the Sumter National Forest, Andrew Pickens Ranger District, April 16, 2023. (USDA Forest Service photo by Preston Keres)
Credit: Preston Keres / Forest Service, USDA. Original source ↗ · Public domain ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.

Second large photograph: Whitewater rafting on the Chattooga River
20230415-FS-SR-5002 Whitewater rafters play on the Chattooga River on the Sumter National Forest, Andrew Pickens Ranger District, April 16, 2023. (USDA Forest Service photo by Scott Raymond)
Credit: Scott Raymond / Forest Service, USDA. Original source ↗ · Public domain ↗. 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.