Anderson / Lake Hartwell KOA

The South Carolina State Tree The South Carolina Palmetto Tree stands tall as the state tree of our beautiful state. The palmetto tree is in the palm family and can grow to be 80 feet tall. Its gray green foliage is fan like. The palmetto tree is also the state tree of Florida and is known as the Cabbage Palm or Cabbage Palmetto.

How did Anderson SC get its name? Anderson is named for General Robert Anderson, a Revolutionary War hero, who came to South Carolina to assist his good friend, Andrew Pickens, in surveying land that had been given previously to the English Colony by area Native Americans. The City was founded in December 1826 and incorporated by an Act of Legislature in 1833.The Electric CityWhy is Anderson called the "Electric City"? In the late 1800s, Anderson boasted numerous textile mills. Anderson engineer William Whitner produced a way for electricity to be conducted by wires to these mills using hydroelectric power. Anderson was the first city in the United States to have a continuous supply of electric power and the first in the world to create a cotton gin operated by electricity. Mr. Whitner has several places of distinction in Downtown Anderson, including a statue in front of the Anderson County Courthouse and a street named in his honor. Also, at the corner of McDuffie and Whitner Streets, you will find Generator Park. On the grounds of this 10,000 square-foot park stands the century-old generator that was operated by Whitner at the Portman Power Plant.

Campground Amenities

• 50 Max Amp
• 65' Max Length
• Wi-Fi
• Cable TV
• Pool (Open May 15 to Sep 14)
• Snack Bar ($)
• Propane ($)
• Mini Golf ($)
• Firewood ($)
• Pavilion
• Bike Rentals ($)

• 30 and 50 amp electric
• Cable TV: (overnight section, some rental accommodations)
• Deluxe Camping Cabin: (sleeps 5, cable TV, mini-kitchen, full bath)
• Game Room: (pool table, ping pong table, foosball, pop-a-shot, air hockey)

• Cabin(s): one room, two room, deluxe Camping Cabins)
• Deluxe Camping Cabin: (sleeps 4, cable TV, equipped kitchen, full bath)
• Full Hookup (water/electric/sewer) and Water/Electric RV sites
• Group Pavilion: Gas Grill (charge), fire pit available

2012 Weekend Campground Activities April 7-8 Easter:,We will have the traditional egg hunt but check out our Jelly Bean Relay or Easter Egg Roll or other of our activities or crafts.

June 15-16 Minute to Win It: Contestants of all ages can participate in different challenges just like the show on TV. Only difference is you won't know what our games will be so you can't practice ahead....oh well, it's for fun anyway!

Hiking Hike on the Foothills Trail - the main stem of this nearly 100 mile long trail extends along the South Carolina Mountains, just 45 minutes from the campground. Information on local area hiking trails is available online.

Golf The scenic foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains provide a beautiful setting for a unique golfing experience. Several challenging courses are located within fifteen miles of the campground and are open to the public.

Covered Bridges of the Upstate Take a driving tour in 90 minutes or less and you can visit the early 19th, 20th, and 21st Centuries through four bridges (and a restored grist mill) along the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Drive.

First, visit historic POINSETT BRIDGE, the oldest bridge in South Carolina. Built in 1820 of locally quarried stone, it was one of three bridges on the Old State Road, a toll road from Charleston to Asheville, N.C.

At the junction of Scenic Hwy 11 with Highway 101 and State Road H912, take H912 for 1.6 miles; turn right on Callahan Mt. Road; go 1.1 miles (pass by Camp Old Indian on the right). This 19th Century bridge is on the right .2 mile past the Boy Scout camp entrance.

The bridge features stepped parapet sidewalls and a graceful 15-foot Gothic arch over Little Gap Creek, a small tributary of the North Saluda River.

Next up is BALLENGER'S MILL & COVERED BRIDGE, a privately owned wooden bridge with a tin roof. Spanning a south prong of the Middle Tyger River, the late 20th century structure sits near a restored mill originally built in the 1820s by Lewis H. Dickey, the largest landowner in the area. Visitors are welcome to drive through the picturesque property and cross the bridge.

Heading east on Hwy 11, take Glassy Road, located .1 mile east of the Cliffs at Glassy entrance, south for 1.8 miles (NOTE: DO NOT take Glassy Mountain Road which turns from the Byway at Glassy Mountain Baptist Church). Turn right on Old Ballenger Mill Road, go one-half mile.

Farther east on Hwy 11 is the KLICKETY-KLACK BRIDGE, the handiwork of two guys and a tractor named “Old Blue.” In full view of motorists driving along the Cherokee Foothills Byway, the wood structure spans a wide drainage expanse next to the driveway that leads to Look Away Farms.

Owner Don Spann recruited his buddy Troy Coffey to help him build the covered bridge in 2000 as a gift to the Dark Corner area of upper Greenville County. Spann designed the intricate pattern of beams, rafters and vertical supports that ensures the integrity of the structure.

To create a nostalgic feel, he set the floor timbers of the bridge in a scattered pattern resulting in the namesake “klickety-klack” sound you hear when you drive your car over them.

Feel free to walk through the pedestrian pass way or drive your car over the bridge, circling around the asphalt roadway back to the scenic highway.

This 21st Century covered bridge is located on the north side of the Scenic Hwy 11, at the Look Away Farm entrance, 2.3 miles west of the junction of the Hwy 11 and Highway 14 at Gowensville.

Finally, your last stop will be CAMPBELL'S COVERED BRIDGE in the small rural town of Gowensville. Built in 1909, it is the sole-surviving covered bridge in South Carolina.

The pine structure measures 35 feet long and 12 feet wide and features a four-span Howe truss system with diagonal timbers and vertical iron rods. Permanently closed to traffic in 1980, it earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

Continuing east, at the junction of the Hwy 11 and Highway 14 at Gowensville, take Hwy 14 south for 2.2 miles; turn right on Hwy 414 and go one mile; bear left on Pleasant Hill Road and go .1 mile to the entrance to Campbell’s Covered Bridge Historic Park on the right.

Split Creek Farm Located just 10 minutes from the campground, Split Creek is a goat dairy farm which produces and sells 'all natural' goat milk products including cheeses, milk, fudge and soap as well as antiques and locally produced folk art. The farm is listed as an agricultural tourism stop on the SC Heritage Corridor. Visitors are welcome to visit and pre-arranged tours are available. Additional information is available at the Split Creek Farm website.

Pendleton Historic District The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the most visited little towns in America. When visiting Pendleton, be sure to stop at Hunter's Store which features an arts and crafts shop, bookstore and genealogy research library. In the town square is the Farmer's Society Hall. It is the centerpiece of the town, built in 1828. The town of Pendleton is just 10 minutes from our campground.