If you like the outdoors, then Croft State Park has something for you. From horses to bikes to hiking to boating to shooting sports, this park offers a heavy helping of fun for everyone and is another outstanding South Carolina destination to explore.
Located in the rolling, wooded terrain of the upstate, Croft has an amazing amount of trails within the park to explore. All the 50 miles of trails at Croft are open to hikers and include the 12.6 mile Croft Passage of the Palmetto Trail, almost 17 miles of trails for Mountain Bikes, and another 17 miles of horse trails. While my girlfriend rode the horse trails with her friends, Radar and I took a day and hiked just about 13 miles of various trails including 8.5 of the Palmetto Trail section. We barely scratched where we could go.
This park opened in 1949 and with 7054 acres, is the third largest in the South Carolina State Park system. Besides the hiking, biking, and horseback riding, this park is packed with other things to do too. There are about 190 acres between the two lakes which support fishing, boating, and bird watching. There are picnic shelters, a playground, and several geocaches are located on the park. This is also one of the few South Carolina Sate Parks with a shooting range (contact the park for more information).
Favorite Time of year: Anytime for camping.
Things to Know: Please speak to a park ranger before setting a geocache. Swimming is not permitted in the lake, but you may wade in the Fairforest Creek at your own risk of course.
Camping: Camping from RV to primitive is available at Croft. Call 1-866-345-PARK (or go here for reservations).
Pet friendly: Pets allowed in most outdoor areas but must be physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet.
Getting There: Croft is in the upstate of South Carolina, just 5 minutes South and East of Spartanburg, between I-26 and US-176. It’s about a 4 hour drive from the Charleston area.
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