Hickory Knob State Park and Resort in South Carolina hugs the Georgia border and the shores of Lake Thurmond. Many know this park as a beautiful {golfing} vacation spot, because of the award-winning Tom Jackson-designed course inside.
In fact, it’s attainable to spend all of your time on these greens and fairways. We simply suppose you must learn about all that lies past them.
Throughout a visit hosted by the Outdated 96 District Tourism Fee, we discovered 7 methods to get pleasure from the remainder of South Carolina’s solely resort park. And that’s what we need to share on this information, together with all of the surprise that awaits throughout your subsequent trip to Hickory Knob.
This submit is a part of our collection on superior locations to go to in South Carolina.
Hickory Knob State Park and Resort (Keep, Eat, and seven Issues to Do)
Group Word: In the event you’re searching for one thing particular in our information, right here’s how we’ve organized it.
- Background
- Keep at Hickory Knob State Park
- 7 Out of doors Issues to Do
- Locations Close by
- Map of Hickory Knob State Park (and Close by Locations)
Background
Hickory Knob State Park is definitely one among many parks and recreation areas that sit on or close to J. Strom Thurmond Dam and Lake. This 1,100-acre park was developed in 1973 and is South Carolina’s solely State Park Resort.
Hickory Knob is a large financial driver to McCormick County and its environment, with roughly 100 staff on workers and annual tax income from lodging and leisure actions.
Keep at Hickory Knob
You might be greater than welcome to go to Hickory Knob State Park all year long however we expect the expertise is a little more particular in the event you keep right here. Throughout busier instances of yr, weeklong stays are required however completely price it.
You’ll be able to ebook by way of Hickory Knob’s reservation site or by calling their workplace at 864-391-2450.
Listed below are the resort park’s lodging choices.
Guillebeau Home
$115 to $161 per evening

For probably the most distinctive keep at Hickory Knob State Park, name and ask for a reservation on the Guillebeau Home. It was in-built 1753 by French Huguenots and lived elsewhere in McCormick County for a lot of its existence.
The home was shipped to its present location contained in the park in 1983. Whereas some additions and modifications have been made to the house, you’ll see that it nonetheless retains many unique options inside and outdoors.
Inside, there are two bedrooms, which encompass a grasp with one double mattress and a loft with two twin beds. As much as 4 folks can keep right here. You’ll even be handled to a fuel hearth, kitchen with a full-sized fridge and freezer, and oven vary.
One other nice purpose to strive for the Guillebeau Home is that you just’re proper throughout the road from the Boat Ramp & Dock.
Lodges
$70 to $128 per evening

The Lodges (rooms and suite) are excellent for households or {couples} in search of a pleasant escape at Hickory Knob. They accommodate between two and 4 folks and provide both two double beds or one king.
For the suite, you’ll have practically every part that the Guillebeau Home provides, aside from the hearth. We stayed right here and beloved the area for stretching out.

The balcony overlooking the pine-covered shores of the lake is an additional bonus once you’ve traveled with a bit one and must get pleasure from a morning cup of espresso in peace. If your loved ones features a furry buddy, a few of these rooms are pet-friendly as of 2020.
Cabins (Suites)
$78 to $134 per evening
Suites (also called Cabins) are just like the Lodges however not as near the lake. The inside has not acquired the identical latest renovations because the Lodges however they’re nonetheless nice for households or teams.
One other bonus to staying within the cabins is that they’re nearer to the swimming pool, customer middle, and restaurant.
The Barrack
$231 to $315 per evening
The Barrack is subsequent to the cabins and preferrred for big teams touring collectively. Inside, there are 4 bedrooms and 10 beds whole (six single beds and two units of bunk beds).
In your time earlier than and after getting exterior, there’s a separate front room with sofas and loos. A industrial kitchen is prepared for everybody, too, with a full-sized fridge/freezer, two ovens with rangers, microwave, and place on the desk for 10.
Tenting Spots

Whether or not you’ve come totally loaded in an RV or simply introduced your tent and provides, there’s a tenting spot for you at Hickory Knob. The 43 websites’ suface is packed gravel and each has its personal water and electrical hookups.
And for meals or only a place to sit down, all websites have one picnic desk.
Eat at Hickory Knob
Being a full-service resort, there are a few choices for meals at Hickory Knob and so they begin with the on-site restaurant. Throughout typical years, you possibly can get pleasure from a meal at their buffet all through the day.
In the event you’re {golfing}, the Professional Store’s Shagbark Snack Bar provides meals as effectively, together with sandwiches, pizza, and different munchies.
And in the event you really feel like grabbing some meals exterior the park, our “Close by Locations” part shares a couple of spots.
Guide the Barn

The Barn (also called the Lengthy Cone Conference Middle) is the primary place that you just’ll see after getting into Hickory Knob State Park. It may possibly accommodate as much as 200 folks and is ideal for conferences, company retreats, and every other giant gatherings you’d wish to arrange.
7 Methods to Benefit from the Open air at Hickory Knob
{Golfing}

I promised you we wouldn’t solely give attention to the golf at Hickory Knob. However in case you are a golfer, then you must know concerning the Tom Jackson-designed course that awaits.
The greens and fairways of this superb course hug the shores of Lake Thurmond, creating beautiful surroundings and backdrops in your spherical of golf. And for simply $30/spherical, you may get began from the clubhouse.
These are just some the reason why this public course (sure, public) does so effectively towards the personal ones within the space. For apply between rounds, there’s a placing inexperienced behind the customer middle.
Trace: that’s one more reason you must keep at Hickory Knob.
Fishing

Bass, crappie, striper, and different species await your traces at Hickory Knob State Park. You’ll be able to fish from the dock on the boat ramp and the park will even give you fishing rods and reels in the event you want them.
In fact, you can too experience the waters of Lake Thurmond looking for the right spot. There are practically 20 different locations to launch your boat from, together with the favored Dorn Sport Fishing and Boating Facility exterior the park.
Boating (and Kayaking!)

And talking of boats, you may get within the water with a kayak, canoe, SUP (stand-up paddleboard). In the event you didn’t deliver any of the above with you, leases can be found contained in the park, beginning at $5/hour for SUP and $10 for 4 hours/$15 for eight hours for kayaks and canoes.
Outdoors the park, Earth Connection Outfitters is a superb useful resource for Lake Thurmond. They’ll additionally ship boats to you in the event you didn’t deliver a automobile geared up to haul them.
Swimming
Proper behind the customer middle is the pool, with chairs and tables, but in addition umbrellas to supply much-needed shade on sizzling Carolina days. To enter, you’ll want your room key.
Multi-Use Trails (for Climbing and Biking)

We actually loved Hickory Knob’s Multi-Use-Trails, as they’ll take you into the woods and additional away from seemingly every part. You’ll be able to stroll these paths (keep on path) or deliver your mountain bike, although I’d recommend warning on the latter as a result of rocky and slim sections we encountered.
Personally, we beloved the Beaver Run Path (2.5 miles a technique) most of all. It’s a pleasant mixture of tree cowl and runs alongside the primary highway from the customer middle towards the capturing space, which we’ll point out shortly.
The Turkey Ridge Loop Path (1.7 miles) is the shortest path, taking you thru oak and pine-covered paths and throughout streams.
And at last, there’s the Lakeview Loop Path (7.2 miles). You’ll stroll by way of a mixture of forest and open areas, with a few of the path hugging alongside the lake, viewable by way of the timber.
Capturing (Skeet and Archery)

The out of doors recreation at Hickory Knob additionally contains capturing skeet or archery, relying in your choice. Classes are made by appointment by way of the park. In the event you’ve introduced a gaggle of 5 or extra, you have to make an appointment at the very least one week upfront.
Right here’s a breakdown of value and choices for every:
Skeet
- $20 per spherical of 25 clay pigeons, with your personal gun and ammo.
- $27.50 per spherical of 25 clay pigeons, with park-provided gun and ammo.
- Obtainable for ages 13 and up.
Archery
- $5 per particular person, with your personal tools.
- $10 per particular person, with park-provided tools.
- Every particular person receives half-hour of instruction.
- Obtainable for ages seven and up.
Playground (and Video games)
For households touring with little ones, you’ll like to know that there’s a playground at Hickory Knob. Letting them get their wiggles out, as , makes the day go a lot simpler so both an early morning or late afternoon cease here’s a should.
Able to Take pleasure in Hickory Knob State Park?
We completely loved Hickory Knob State Park and sit up for seeing how you probably did, too. In the event you’re able to get pleasure from this park, what are you ready for?
Because you’ve already learn this information, isn’t it time so that you can look into reserving your subsequent trip right here? We sit up for seeing how a lot you liked this park and personally, can’t wait to return again.
Close by Locations to Go to
McCormick

The closest meals and grocery retailer is about quarter-hour away in McCormick. You’ll cross by way of this city in the event you’re coming from Greenwood or elsewhere to the east.
McCormick is an attention-grabbing city, with quite a lot of good eating places and streets to stroll round and stretch your legs. We beloved the pizza and Philly Steaks at Michelle’s on the town and the fried rooster at McCormick Drive-in is price exploring. Simply name upfront earlier than they cook dinner to order on the Drive-in and it takes about half-hour to get issues prepared for you.
A few spots between downtown McCormick and the park are price a cease. Undoubtedly Scrumptious makes some superior wings with quite a lot of sauces that’ll maintain you coming again. And the final cease earlier than the park you must make is on the Ice Cream Parlour, particularly on sizzling days.
Surrounding Counties and Cities

Greenwood, Edgefield, and Abbeville counties border McCormick on the South Carolina facet. Simply throughout the Savannah River is three extra counties bordering McCormick on the Georgia facet (Lincoln, Elbert, and Columbia).
State Parks (in South Carolina and Georgia)
There are numerous parks and guarded areas close to Hickory Knob State Park, so we’ll keep on with the primary two which are closest.
Baker Creek State Park
On the South Carolina facet is Baker Creek State Park, managed by the US Military Corps of Engineers. There are two campgrounds, picnic shelters, and boat ramps that’ll get you on Lake Thurmond.
A ten-mile nature path cuts by way of the park and is common for mountaineering and mountain biking.
Elijah Clark State Park
Elijah Clark State Park is a very talked-about park in Lincolnton on the Georgia facet of the Savannah River. It’s additionally well-known for boating and fishing, but in addition for tenting and picnicking.
Many of us additionally come right here to benefit from the seaside and keep at one of many 20 lake-front cottages.
Map of Hickory Knob State Park (and Locations Close by)
Our map contains the situation of Hickory Knob State Park, all of the issues to do there, and the close by locations we talked about. Choose each for more information, together with instructions.
Extra Issues to Do in South Carolina
Disclosure Word
Particular because of Outdated 96 District Tourism Fee for internet hosting us throughout our keep. All opinions inside this text are our personal.
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