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Chester

Chester  Image
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HOURS

9 a.m. - sunset

OFFICE

11a.m. - noon & 4p.m. - 5p.m. M-F 9a.m. - 5p.m. Sa-Su

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ADMISSION

$3 adults; $1.50 SC seniors; $1 children age 6-15; age 5 & younger free

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PETS

Pets are not allowed in the camper cabins or the camper cabin area. Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet. Owners will be asked to remove noisy or dangerous pets or pets that threaten or harass wildlife.

Chester State Park  No Wifi

No Wifi Available

Chester State Park

Midlands

Park Manager

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.

**Our Ultimate Outsider stamp can be found at the park kiosk near the Ranger Station.

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.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 of 16 SC State Parks built by the Civilian Conservation Corps

1 really cool boathouse that sits over the lake where you can fish from and rent boats

160 acre park lake for boating and fishing for the big one

1 community building that accommodates up to 75 people, perfect for meetings or family reunions

3 picnic shelters that are available for rent and are located near the lake

1.3 mile Caney Fork Creek Nature Trail that follows along the shore of the park lake

523 acres in rural Chester County, located smack dab between Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC

2 camper cabins for those who like to camp with a roof over their head

25 campsites with 50 amp service for RVs or tent camping

5 primitive hike-in tent sites

18 hole and 9-hole disc golf course

472 foot bridge over the park lake for fishing or observing the wildlife

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