Camping in Buck Hall Recreation Area: 40 Mins from Charleston

It’s no secret that Charleston, South Carolina is a tourist hot spot.  And with a tourist hot spot comes inflated prices for places to stay, even campgrounds!  But if you’re willing to drive 40 minutes, I found a cheap and hidden gem of a campground at Buck Hall Recreation Area!

This campground has 15 Electric and Water hook-up sites and 5 tent only sites.  You’re right on the coast of Bulls Bay, with easy boat ramp access to your favorite beach or fishing hole.  But the best part is the price!  For just $28 per night (water and electric sites) or $20 per night (tent sites) you can stay just north of Charleston, South Carolina.

So what’s the catch?  I will admit this place is a little rustic.  The bathhouse could use some updating, and there isn’t too much to do in the area.  But if you are looking for a cheap and quiet getaway near Charleston, you have come to the right place!

Important Links

Recreation.gov – Book Camping Here!

Forest Service – Everything You Need to Know

Location

Buck Hall Recreation Area is located in Francis Marion National Forest, which is just 40 minutes north of Charleston, South Carolina, 2.5 hours north of Savannah, Georgia, and 3 hours south of Wilmington, North Carolina. 

This great little campground is quiet and family friendly.  While there isn’t much in the immediate area, you can still find a Walmart 20 minutes from the campground in case you forget anything essential.  

Time to Spend Here

My husband and I camped at Buck Hall Recreation Area for 2 full weeks (which is the longest amount of time you can stay) because of the proximity to Charleston and the price.  We saw many fishermen stay here for a few nights and use the boat ramp attached to the campground.  

But besides boating/fishing, what is there to do at Buck Hall Recreation Area?

I’ll be honest, there isn’t much.  This campground is located sort of in the middle of nowhere, and you have to drive 20+ minutes south or south to find even the semblance of a town.  

There is 1 hiking trail that starts in Buck Hall Recreation Area, the Palmetto Trail.  This trail is 7 miles one way and is perfect for biking because of how flat and shady the trail is.  We did walk a portion of this trail with our dog, and can confirm it is a nice easy trail, albeit buggy.  

But how long should you camp here?  

If you are a big fisher or boater, this place is great!  We saw many families stay here for over a week as they took their boat out each day.  But if you are just in the area to visit Charleston, then a weekend will probably suffice.  

Our Itinerary

As I’ve already mentioned, we camped at Buck Hall Recreation Area for 2 full weeks.  This was mostly due to the price and because we wanted to visit Charleston as well as be close enough to Congaree National Park.  (Check out the trails we hiked at Congaree here!)

Most of the days we spent just sitting and relaxing around the campground.  The campground is so quiet! In the evenings we would sit by the water and watch the boats or watch for wildlife.  We did get to see a Swallow-Tailed Kite and even some dolphins swimming up the channel!

But while we were here, we were able to visit the historic district of Charleston, we took a day trip up to Congaree National Park, and we spent several days on the beaches of Sullivan’s Island.  

The affordable price was worth the extra driving time as we explored and enjoyed this coastal area.  

Campground 

With 20 total sites, Buck Hall Recreation Area campground is rather small and not particularly shaded.  But the campsites are well-spaced and there is a centrally located bathhouse with hot showers.  

We saw everything from tents, to RVs, to campers of all sizes, and even camper-vans roll through here.  Dogs are welcome and the campground was very family friendly.  

We camped here over Memorial Day weekend, and while the campground was completely booked, it never turned into a party scene.  The boat ramp was definitely insane during the long weekend, but we were able to sit out and watch the boats on those busy days.  

I will say there were a LOT of bugs because of how swampy the national forest is.  We had a major issue with biting flies on our first few days and we weren’t even able to sit outside without getting bit.  But the bugs did relent the longer we stayed and we were able to enjoy walking around the campground in the evenings.  

So here are the quick details of the campground!  

Details

• 15 Water and Electric Sites
• 5 Tent-Only Sites
• Boat Ramp Access
• 1 Centrally Located Bathhouse (Hot Showers!)
• 1 Set of Bathrooms over by the Boat Ramp
• Dog Friendly
• Large, Paved Pads
• Well-Spaced Campsites
• Dump Station on site

Tent/Camper/RV Sites

Buck Hall Recreation Area has 15 sites that offer water and 30/50 Amp electric hook-up.  Each pad for your camper is long, wide and even paved!  We had an easy time parking and leveling our rig on these paved pads. 

Each campsite comes with the typical picnic table, fire ring and trash hook perfect for a great weekend camping with the family.  These sites can all be reserved using Recreation.gov up to 3 months in advance.  

Tent-Only Sites (No Hook-Ups)

The tent-only sites are all water-front sites.  The perpetual sea-breeze and the large trees in this section create a perfect place to relax in a hammock on a hot day.  While the camper sites are largely in the sun, these spots are all shaded, offering a cool spot even on the hottest of days.

These sites also come with a picnic table and a fire ring to relax by.  Sites T1, T2, and T3 can also be reserved at Recreation.gov up to 3 months in advance.  However, sites T4 and T5 are First-Come-First-Serve and you cannot reserve online or by phone.  You must arrive at the campground and see if they are open.  

Price Comparison

In 2023 the price of Buck Hall Recreation Area rose from $24 per night to $28 per night for Electric/Water sites.  While it’s never good news when prices increase, this place is still super affordable!  Let’s look!

Water and Electric Hook-Up Sites

• $28 per night
• $196 per week

Tent-Only Sites (No Hook-Ups)

• $20 per night
• $140 per week

Our Camping Experience

Camping at Buck Hall Recreation Area was a little bit of a mixed bag for us.  We loved how spaced out the sites were, the peacefulness of the campground, and the proximity to Charleston, but there were a few drawbacks.

First off, the bug situation was really rough!  The biting flies were relentless and aggressive.  Then the bathhouse looked as if it had never been updated as well as had a bug/spider infestation.  And while neither of us complain too much about a rustic campground, these bathrooms were not the nicest.  I will say the camphost kept the bathrooms as clean as she could and always restocked the toilet paper.  

Overall, we would stay at Buck Hall Recreation Area again, and for the price, we could definitely put up with a little “roughing it”.  Just be warned, it’s an older campground!

Conclusion

Buck Hall Recreation Area is the perfect campground for boaters, fishermen, and those who want to visit Charleston on a budget.  The campground is a little rustic, and there isn’t much to do in the area, but you just can’t beat the price!

This location allowed us to visit several places in South Carolina without breaking the bank!  And as long as there are hot showers, we can’t complain too much.

As always, feel free to reach out to averagewildexperience@gmail.com if you have any questions or need help planning your stay.

Happy Camping!