The hip part of North Augusta is built around several parks. The pond here has various soft and…read morehard trails and boardwalks. Ample signage warns of alligators. I did not see any, but I expect there must be some. This particular bit of park is not on the waterfront and is not that aesthetically distinctive, but it is connected with the greenway trail that goes to several useful places, as well as being next to a sporting venue. Plenty of people were roaming through.

So gorgeous! There was a lot of wildlife and the trails are well maintained! I went recently at the…read morewarmest part of the day and saw lots of reptiles sun bathing (turtles and alligators)

This is my 11th year bringing a groups of university students to learn about soils. Ruth Mead is a…read moresuper awesome person. She loves her job!

The name would be an ace Scrabble play if it weren't a proper noun (I assume; I see no explanation…read moreof where this word comes from on their website). The park scores high on its own merits, however. The area is substantial, and includes both boardwalks through some classic wetlands, an educational complex that includes a lab and a conference center, a playground, and a series of artificial wetlands created as part of a reclamation project. Despite the nearby local airport, I experienced minimal distractions. Though it wasn't the greatest weather day, I did see wildlife, including some fairly horrific-looking spiders and a raptor of some sort that allowed me to get unusually close (I stumbled on it before carefully walking away). Alligators were not visible, and in my experience they do tend to hide on colder days, but I definitely believe there were some around. It's a great resource for the community, and it's free. If I were local, I would be checking out the event calendar.

#HNY2018 Yahhh, I hiked Barnwell State Prk SC today with…read moresome like minded explorers!! We met promptly at 1pm and hiked the prk for 2 miles, the park ranger was very knowledgeable and led us on a wonderful trek. There are 3 ponds for boating or fishing, I wouldnt swim in lakes due to alligators and snakes... I would most def go back and use the facility for hiking, fishing, cabins, or camping. The park was clean and well kept, free entry but it is always kind to leave a donation! Oh almost forgort there is a natural spring fountain that you can drink from! Great way to start the N Year '18, this will be a Yrly trek for us!!

Quiet and beautiful escape. Cabins are appropriately appointed. Don't count on the tv service…read morethough. It's spotty. Good thing I didn't come here for the tv. It's a good place to decompress. I'll be back when it's warmer for sure.

Such a beautiful place to walk on a far and for pets. The loop is pretty strait forward and…read morebeautiful. Also, if you want food you can stop at a shop or restaurant halfway thru the trail. There is plenty of parking and well lite with cameras.

Great little walking loop, it gets hot though so be sure to get there early or late on summer days…read more Pretty nice to walk around the pond though. We also like that it runs by the brewhouse so we usually stop for a drink. FYI there is a walking trail through the woods on the southwest side of the lake that will get to the coffee & book place.

Top notch park with a little bit for everyone. Walking trails, a beach and a fantastic playground.read more

If you have a canoe, boat, kayak, or fishing rod, this is the place to be! They have a small sanded…read morebeach area, several charcoal grills, covered pavilion, restrooms, shower stations, and a large playground area. There's a trail around the lake but not sure how far it goes around! There's a bridge over the dam and it's pretty interesting. If you look closely, you might see some turtles and gators!

Well groomed gardens…read more Summer concerts in the park are great with good weather. The band was very good. They played some favorites and some of their own music. Every Monday at 6:30pm is a free concert. Check them out.

This complex includes a series of manicured greenery and waterways as well as some exhibitions…read morefocused on horse racing. Apparently a lot of very fast thoroughbreds came from around here. The grounds were quite pleasant, but I was surprised that many of the water features were not running or seemed not well maintained and rather sludgy. The place is named as a set of gardens, but I didn't see a ton of interesting plant life either. Nonetheless, it was a nice area, and it is free.

The good- beautiful lake, lots of sites and amenities. The…read morebad- most items in tackle shop unpriced, busted up roadways, small sites, mostly unkept and broken. The ugly- mold in bathrooms, shower curtains ready to walk away on their own on the 80 loop. (Like, loose your campground host they're terrible) Not the best campground in SC, but you can have a good time here on the right site.

I stayed in camper cabin 3 the weekend of October 4th, 2025. The main reason we stayed in a camper…read morecabin was because it's a pet friendly cabin. The cabin itself is tiny. One full bed and one set of bunk beds. One small dorm-type refrigerator and a small microwave. One thing I learned quick was to not run the microwave while the refrigerator is also plugged in as the breaker will trip. So I unplugged the refrigerator whenever I needed to use the microwave. The refrigerator will hold several bottles of water, ham, cheese, mayo, etc. I also brought some soup and a soup mug to use in the microwave. Also to note, it's about a 30-45 second walk to the bath house, at least from cabin 3. The bed wasn't horribly uncomfortable. I had my pillows and sleeping bag from home and was quite comfortable. The little Gree mini-split unit kept the cabin at a great temperature. Now for the not-so-good things. First, a metal roof surrounded by trees, some of which were dropping acorns. Large acorns hitting a metal roof from high up make a very loud BANG when they hit the roof. Quite the scare in the middle of the night. That's my only complaint. There was a nice little front porch and a picnic table with fire pit close by. I must say it was a great weekend away from the hustle and bustle of life. I'm still giving this review 5 stars. The state park employees work very hard to make sure you have a great experience. And you have to want to be a state park employee. It's not just a job you get. You have to have a passion for it.