Sumter/Brick House

Carey Armstrong

Brick House Campground, SC My husband and I stayed at Brick House Campground in South Carolina on two separate occasions—each for just one night. This was actually my first time ever camping at the age of 44, while my husband grew up camping, so it was quite the introduction for me! Our first stay was memorable. We arrived around 8 PM, so it was already dark. My husband set up our tent using the car’s headlights and the light of a bright moon. There were several RVs nearby, and the ambient light coming from them made the campground feel less dark than it might have otherwise. Fortunately, our site was relatively close to the restroom facility—a very primitive pit toilet with a seat, but it did have toilet paper. We were pleasantly surprised by some of the amenities: each campsite had a metal fire ring ready to use, along with a concrete picnic table and wooden benches. The area was quiet after the posted quiet hours, with just the soft hum of RV generators in the background and people quietly gathered around their campfires. It made for a peaceful atmosphere. It’s worth noting that both of our stays occurred during a government shutdown, which may explain why the campsites weren't well maintained—there were pine needles scattered everywhere and no visible upkeep during our visits. Our second visit, just two days later, was a very different experience. We stayed at the same campsite, but this time, there was only one RV in the entire campground, parked far in the back. It was also cloudy that night, which made it feel VERY DARK! That’s when we realized just how primitive this campground is—no electric lighting anywhere, not even in the bathrooms. Cooking and moving around became much more challenging without sufficient lanterns or flashlights. The darkness and isolation gave the campground a very different, almost eerie feel. It also made us question how secure the area was at night, especially since we weren't sure if park rangers make rounds during normal operations. Because of this, we packed all of our belongings—except the tent and blankets—back into the car before bed, just to feel safer. Both nights were quiet and uneventful, but based on our experience, I wouldn’t recommend Brick House Campground for tent campers with children. It might be a better fit for families with RVs who can provide their own lighting, security, and amenities. We’re still undecided if we’ll return, but it was certainly a unique introduction to camping for me.

Nancy Koskela

21 individual site areas. Quiet and peaceful. No running water or electricity though. Vault toilets full of little flys everywhere. Keep your mouth shut. Fire pits with grates but wished they got cleaned out like other campgrounds do that I've been to. Trash everywhere. My firepit along with others I've seen are really full of old ashes and debris. Not much room to build a new fire. Surrounded by forest and nature. Also have phone service through T-mobile. Grass needs cut so snakes are more visible. Ticks, crawling and flying insects galore. Prepare to be bitten. Bug spray does not help. It's only five dollars a night to stay, but I can see why. Hope the employees are getting paid good enough to take care of all they'll have to deal with! And needless to say, this is the last time that I'll be camping here.

Lisa Clark

PRIMITIVE CAMPING! There are cement and block tables and fire rings at the campsites. They do have a vaulted toilet house, which is basically a small block building that houses 2 port-a-potties.

Alan Gilstrap

Brickhouse is a primitive type campground. They do, however, have an outhouse type toilet. No running water or electricity. Ive been camping at this campground for over 25yrs. It's in the heart of Sumter National Forest, Enoree district. It offers many types of adventure. It is a day use area, and fees are required. Camping reservations are made through Recreation. gov. There's many miles of horse trails, hiking, and of course, it's primarily used for Wildlife Management Area for hunting. There is also an OHV trail within 8-10 miles of the campground. Be aware, hunting requires license, and permits.

Larry Perez

Tent camped here one night this week. Campground was mostly empty and very quiet. Pit toilets were well maintained. Gnats and mosquitoes were pretty annoying, but that's to be expected in late May in SC. Still can't beat the $5 price tag for a night!