Chester

Zach Setzer

Park Manager

Hello! I am Zach Setzer, Park Manager at Chester State Park. As a child, I always enjoyed being outside and going on camping trips with my family. A lot of those family camping trips lead us to National and State Parks. After graduating from Clemson University, I was hired as an Assistant Ranger at Hunting Island State Park.  It was there that the memories of visiting parks flooded back to me, and I realized I could make a career from doing something I enjoyed.  

My favorite place at Chester State Park is the bridge that spans across the lake. It is a great place to see different types of wildlife, cast a fishing line or just relax and enjoy the sounds of nature.

If you are a first-time visitor, I would highly recommend taking a hike on the Caney Fork Falls nature trail to the CCC-built spillway or playing a round of disc golf on the 18-hole disc golf course.

Since opening in the 1930s, Chester State Park near Chester, South Carolina has been a haven for hiking, picnicking, boating and fishing for the surrounding communities in the Piedmont Region of South Carolina.

Located midway between Columbia and Charlotte, in Chester, South Carolina, the park centers on a 160-acre lake surrounded by a two-mile nature trail through the pine forest.

A community building, camping, jon boat rentals and an unusually serene, placid setting in the Piedmont Region of South Carolina are among this traditional state park’s attractions.

All of our state parks offer something unique! Have a picnic or try geocaching at Barnwell State Park or explore the South Carolina mountain bike trails at Baker Creek State Park.