Dreher Island State Park

A gorgeous place to walk during the fall, even saw deer in the woods. It's a good place to swim during the summer and have family day outings with kayaking on the lake. I would recommend this.Please for swimming and a family outing. They have several different parks, areas of restrooms throughout the entire park.

I stayed a week just before the big winter storm. Quiet out idyllic would be the 2 words I would use to describe this place in the Winter. I can imagine it gets quite busy in the summer, but at this time of year expect beautiful views, peaceful walks and gentle lapping of the waves on the lakeshore. Dreher Island appears to be a fishing lake, so if you're inclined, bring your boat. They have a marina with plenty of parking. And it's location on the lake is very central, so there's many miles of lakeshore to explore. If you're planning on staying anywhere near Columbia, Dreher Island is a good choice.

Great state park on Lake Murray. We took the teardrop camper here over Thanksgiving. Sites are nice with electric and water available on each site. Restrooms had hot showers and we were well maintained. The tackle shop, located at the entrance, has just about everything you need or forgot. They also sell bundles of firewood at a reasonable price.

Wonderful state park if you want to camp and fish! The shop was great and staff super friendly! Definitely will be returning to camp and enjoy the beautiful fishing going on here!

Just spent a loong weekend at Dreher Island SP Campground. We had a site at the very tip. Amazing views, could watch sunset and moon/sunrise, beautiful. Water and electric at site, dump station on grounds. Perfect if you love water activities. We launch canoe right from our site. About and hour from Congaree National Park. Host Gary and Lisa were very friendly and love that they have started there own little dog waste receptacles around the campground. Great for dog owners. Would have been even better if they had the stations with extra bags along with their garbage cans.

Not far from I-26, Great views, boat friendly, kid friendly, tent camping, RV camping & cabins! Say what, yes this better be on your destinations to come to stay at. Even the hike to camping for tents is very close from parking and Maori have water front and lake view. WOW!! Take a look!

Camping at Dreher Island has been a long tradition in my family and we love this campground. It has become very popular and we understand why! The campground host Gary was helpful, friendly and engaging. Love the addition of doggie poop trash cans-sure make discarding the waste easier. Highly recommend but don’t rush to get there ! Lol

We enjoyed our stay over the Thanksgiving holiday week. The small campground loop had full hook ups. We also enjoyed being on the smaller loop. Even though it was close to capacity it didn't feel crowded.

I stayed in camper cabin 3 the weekend of October 4th, 2025. The main reason we stayed in a camper cabin was because it's a pet friendly cabin. The cabin itself is tiny. One full bed and one set of bunk beds. One small dorm-type refrigerator and a small microwave. One thing I learned quick was to not run the microwave while the refrigerator is also plugged in as the breaker will trip. So I unplugged the refrigerator whenever I needed to use the microwave. The refrigerator will hold several bottles of water, ham, cheese, mayo, etc. I also brought some soup and a soup mug to use in the microwave. Also to note, it's about a 30-45 second walk to the bath house, at least from cabin 3. The bed wasn't horribly uncomfortable. I had my pillows and sleeping bag from home and was quite comfortable. The little Gree mini-split unit kept the cabin at a great temperature. Now for the not-so-good things. First, a metal roof surrounded by trees, some of which were dropping acorns. Large acorns hitting a metal roof from high up make a very loud BANG when they hit the roof. Quite the scare in the middle of the night. That's my only complaint. There was a nice little front porch and a picnic table with fire pit close by. I must say it was a great weekend away from the hustle and bustle of life. I'm still giving this review 5 stars. The state park employees work very hard to make sure you have a great experience. And you have to want to be a state park employee. It's not just a job you get. You have to have a passion for it.

We Loved camping at Dreher Island. We had T4 (Tent Site 4) and it was great. There was plenty of room, nearby bathrooms, electricity, water and best of all

This is a beautiful park. Stayed in little cabins that were spacious with a queen bed and bunks and a refrigerator. Clean restrooms/showers with key access use for only cabin occupants. Trailheads nearby. Boating. Little store/bait shop.

I initially thought of leaving a bad review , maybe that way people would stop coming and I could have the park all to myself . This place is amazing !!! The cabin we stayed in was super clean , We were really close to the water , fishing was great in that spot by the way ,we had the power go out all day during our last day ,it went out at noon and we didn't have power till around 5, most of that was our fault we never called to have it checked and just assumed it was something the park did for a few hours. We called the after hours number and within 5 minutes they had it fixed . If you're looking to get away from the hustle and bustle this is the place to be

Absolutely beautiful. We have loved the campsite on the water. Plus we had a Lot of fun riding our electric bikes around the park.

Wow! This out first trip with our "new to us" travel trailer. We decided to make this out first stop on a 2 week RV-cation, and we are super happy we did. We are in site 22 and spending all day with the most amazing views of the lake. In addition to the views, the fish are jumping, the turtles are peeling above the water top. The roadway is pretty good for biking and walking. Wi-Fi is available at the Visitor's Center, along with bundles of firewood (currently, $6.50 per bundle), gas for your boat, and tons of other camping essentials. Dreher Island State Park has definitely earned a spot on our go to camping list.

One of our beautiful states hidden gems. From the nature trails to the clean camp/ RV sites to the amazing fishing. Don't miss out!

I was excited to find a state park that has easy access to the lake. We were on a cove which were able to swim and kayak without boat traffic. When I arrived it appeared to be the perfect place, however, I began to notice a problem. The state park that I had paid for to have a peaceful weekend was not that. Boaters began to anchor themselves in a row began to get louder and louder without restriction. I do not recommend lot 32 because of this possible issue.

Great to camp on the island on the lake' great for the day, night, or all week! Bring the kids too

The bathrooms need to be updated and site 59 has roots growing up into the parking place making it very uneven and a trip hazard. Other than that had a great stay.

Nice State Park near Chapin. Mostly fishermen and campers here. I like to come here to walk the trails and go birding. I see people bring floats and play in the water, bike, and walk their dogs. I would give it 5 stars if it had more hiking trails. Nice place to see the sun set

One of my favorite close by go to's hikes when I need to get outdoors. Pet friendly on the leash. Water views all the way around you as you hike. Don't miss the old ruins half way thru Little Gap Trail. Wonderful place to hike New Year's Day when the lake is drawn down and there are no leaves on the trees. You can see so much more of the lake and walk out further along the shoreline

Family friendly and great for camping with children of all ages. Pull up on your boat and enjoy the day!

Beautiful SC State Park. The access to Lake Murray is awesome and the park is spacious and family friendly.

Love lake Murray. The most underrated place I. The state of South Carolina. Dreher is a great resource provided by The State.

This park is very clean, plenty of beautiful trails to walk, and great for the entire family whether you like fishing, boating, kayaking, camping, celebrating, etc. We'll have to bring some water floaties and toys next time!

We love a dreher!! We visit there multiple times a month as we live just across from it. We kayak over with our dogs and walk the property. (Don't worry, we Park pass holders) or we bike thru or park and run! Well maintained Park with nice trails, pretty campsites and nice facilities.

I came here for a little bit of day hiking. The park and lakes were beautiful, but next time I will bring a boat! My dog enjoyed the trails.

ok well I came here one weekend and absolutely loved it, kids and I had a great time, we swam and floated on float-ees relaxation at its best. Ok well later that week I was thinking about how much fun we had, so why not get a cabin and stay not one night but 2, Yep I really wanted to show the little people mom is so cool she planned a whole weekend of lazy fun in the sun and marshmallows toasting nights. I start searching for cabins online to house my family of 6 and an extra one of my daughters friends, yep I need at least a villa that sleeps 6 but those cabins were all booked. I kept searching and found a cabin that was free for the weekend, so I booked it for Sat to Monday. Now most normal people might think well this cabin said it only sleeps 4 no way a family of 7 is going to fit but that is so not me, I booked it!. Saturday comes and we packed up 2 cars, had to take 2 so we could make sure and fit all the chairs, float-ees, coolers and most importantly the little people. We had a great time waiting on our cabin. Once the cabin was ready 1600 is check in, hubby and I decide to drive on up to the cabin before we bring all the little people. So as we drive up we notice all these little bitty wood cabins Im thinking to myself surely that cannot be what I booked but it was. So tiny you walk in a double bed, and a bunk bed that is it no bathroom no divider nothing. Ok fast forward to when we get the little people, they were shocked how little it was, but we managed to make it work. we moved the double bed against the wall and had a blow up twin mattress along with a cot. It rained that night so we decided that we would just go to bed and start fresh and early in the morning. Lights are off we all trying to get some rest until we are jolted up by screams of little people. We turn on the lights and notice bugs everywhere. These aren't just your traditional little bugs, oh no they were the silver dollar sized cock roach better know as the famous Palmetto bug!!! Make a long story short you are a guest in their cabin, the bugs rule the place. If you like or don't mind sharing your space with all the 4 legged creatures spend the extra money and get a Villa hopefully those aren't the same.

This was such an awesome state park! We camped at the Islanders side of the campground. The lakefront sites were AWESOME! We had a whole beach and backyard to ourselves. The sites are paved which makes life so much easier. The bathhouses are typical state park, nothing fancy, great water pressure though and no problems with the hot water. Lots of great islands to explore by kayak or boat! Highly recommend!

Great state park friendly rangers and a great place to drop in a boat or a paddle board!

What a beautiful little gem west of Columbia! We camped on this island with our 32' Class A motor home in early November. Reserve well in advance or they'll be booked up. We prefer campground B on the southern end with lots of trees and lakefront camping; don't know how many hours we spent skipping rocks and sitting by the water. They drop the level of Lake Murray in winter so more shoreline is exposed. All sites are basic hookups (no sewer) so be sure to bring your Blue Boy to haul liquid wastes to the dump station. And if you depart on Sunday around checkout, be prepared to wait in line for the dump station. Really nice easy hiking around the island and spectacular sunsets!

PET OWNERS BEWARE! They advertise the cabins as being "pet friendly" but DO NOT disclose a $58 non-refundable fee for bringing a pet. They spring this on you at arrival. This should be plainly visible when making a reservation and part of the registration process.

We came here and drove through the state park. This is a nice clean park that has lots of cramping sites. There are villas or homes along the lake for rent. In addition there are covered picnic areas where someone can have family gatherings. I loved the varied outdoor activities available for use. I recommend this state park.

Absolutely great place to relax, take a walk, take your pets ( even your birds!). Well kept, and huge! Great for biking, hiking, fishing, or just chillin. Can't wait to go back!

All I can say is beautiful!! Love this park !! Bra places to sit and relax And fish !!

Amazing place to relax and spend time with family. Make sure to take a pillow and blankets!

First off, I must say that this state park is absolutely great! If you are into fishing, camping, hiking, or just want to get outside for a few hours, this park is the place to go. I came here toward the beginning of December 2017 and I was so grateful that I discovered this state park. I needed a place where I can both hike and think about a career opportunity that I needed to spin my thoughts around. I completed the 2.1 miles Little Gap Trail and "every fiber of my being" felt renewed that I was able to complete the trail and view different shoreline areas of Lake Murray. If I were into fishing and even more into camping, I would definitely come here again. Since I am neither, I would still come here again. I recommend you do as well!

This is one of my favorite state parks. We camp here a few times a year. Very family friendly but still quiet and relaxing. The waterfront sites are just BEAUTIFUL. The staff is friendly and helpful as well.

Dreher is a great place to take your family and relax. Fishing, swimming and hiking are just a few things you can enjoy while visiting the park.

I just love this place! It's far enough away from town but not so far away if you have any emergency that you would like to call for help. The staff is top notch and courteous and the amenities areas convenient for me to get around with in my wheelchair! I am a regular local and I definitely plan on bringing friends and family back here for a great time! This place is an amazing family friendly place to visit!

Dreher Island State Park is my favorite campsite as well as my family's. I like that it is indeed an island and you feel somewhat secluded. There are plenty of nice campsites that are waterfront and have nice views. Fishing here is the main and also favorite activity of ours while camping here. Be on the look out because this island is pretty packed with wildlife. There are also plenty of picnic shelters to choose from but you might want to reserve because this place is popular in warmer seasons. My family and I try to make it here at least two or three times a year for camping. Great place and I highly recommend it.

Villa # 5. This is a review I wish I had read before we went. Dreher Island State Park is a fabulous location. There were two adults and four boys who went and stayed in Villa number five. We stayed for four days. There were linens but you should probably bring your own towels because they have just enough to take showers with. The sheets on the beds were nice the bedspreads were old icky polyester bedspreads. The kitchen is stocked but just six plates six bowls six glasses six coffee mugs six wineglasses. The pots and pans are minimal but there is a colander so you can make spaghetti. We were lucky that the people before us had left dishwashing detergent. There's an old washcloth to use to clean the dishes and there's a small dishwasher which we did not use. The bathrooms are huge but note if you're an elderly person or someone with not great balance the tub is slick. There is no soap. Thanks to the mercy of the people who were there before us there was a roll of toilet paper - you must bring your own. The couch was comfy, the porch has fabulous Adirondack chairs and a table with six chairs around it. There is a nice dining room table with six chairs in the Villa. No paper towels no dish drying towels all that you have to bring your own. All in all was a great place but very sparse. It's nice they do recycle, and trash seems to be gotten often. But bring your own trash bags! Air conditioning worked fabulously, even during the heat of August. Very quiet and peaceful during the middle of the week, we were not there on the weekends when I'm sure it gets busier on the lake. We could tie our boat up to a tree in front of the Villa. There is a community dock for short-term docking at the villas. Fishing was good, everybody caught something and didn't get discouraged. The fish that we caught were not huge. No state records for us! Swimming and tubing more fun, also. We would definitely come here again.