Aiken State Park

About Aiken State Park

Built in the 1930s by the Civil Conservation Corps, the park is one of the oldest state parks in South Carolina and the only one in Aiken County. The park also offers fishing on a lake within the park, as well as hiking, cycling, fishing and canoeing on the Edisto River. A spring-fed lake and the meandering Edmonton River make Aikens state a popular destination, along with a host of other attractions. It is home to the largest freshwater lake in the world and testifies to a time when the sea penetrated far inland, when it did not penetrate as deeply as it does today.

The Aiken State Natural Area was developed by the Civil Conservation Corps, a New Deal program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programme is designed to create jobs while meeting national conservation and recreation needs through the creation of natural areas such as parks, forests, lakes and wetlands.

The CCC was responsible for the construction and maintenance of the Aiken State Natural Area and many other parks in the state. Inside the park, the buildings and businesses built by the CCCC in 1930 are still modelled on the construction activities of many of them.

Each pitch can accommodate a camper up to 35 feet, and each side is crammed with sand and has individual water and electricity connections.

There are 25 pitches with electricity and water that can be rented for $12 to $13 a night, and primitive group campsites are available for organized groups. The area is located on the banks of the South Fork Edisto River and includes an area of sand, sand dunes, waterfalls and a small stream. Each campsite is comfortably equipped with toilets and hot showers and there is $25 per pitch for electricity or water for 12 to 13 places per night.

Minimum price is $10 to $12.50, which can accommodate up to ten campers, but discounted rates are available in low-demand seasons. Group camping can be booked in advance for $15 per person or $25 per group per night, and prices increase with the number of people in the group and the number of pitches available.

Reservations must be made in advance by telephone (1 - 888 - 743 - 5555) or online. (www. Reservations can also be made at the Aiken State Park Visitor Center or by e-mail. To make a reservation, call the parking office at (877) 773-4357 or call the Visitor Center directly from your mobile phone. Reservations can also be made easily online or by e-mail, but must be made directly in the park.

Private boats are allowed on the Edisto River, but not on the Park Lake. Canoes can be rented for $12 a day to allow visitors to paddle the 1.5-mile stretch of Aiken State Park Lake. Non-motorized fishing boats offer access to the lake and are available for hire during the day or by appointment only at the Visitor Centre or the Park Office (1 - 888 - 743 - 5555) for up to 12 days.

Three picnic huts are available for families and other group gatherings, and accommodations can be reserved for $25 to $32 per day. If accommodation is not reserved, guests can use it free of charge upon arrival. To reserve a picnic, call the Visitor Centre (1 - 888 - 743 - 5555) or the Park Office.

Turn left onto State Park Rd and follow the parking signs along the freeway until you reach the intersection with the Aiken River Trail entrance (# 1) and turn right onto the road.