Croft State Park

Wooden dock, clear lake, tiny minnows sparkling in sunny shallow waters, tall trees, horses, hiking trails, and a playground.  Sound good?  Then you’ll want to check out Croft State Park the next time you’re looking for a family adventure.

STATE PARK POLICIES have changed due to current public health safety issues. We encourage you to check the updated COVID-19 State Park policies, before heading out to a state park.

A little about Croft State Park

The 7,000 acre Croft State Park offers miles of hiking, biking, and even equestrian trails.  On our visit, we walked the short Lake Craig connector trail and then enjoyed views of an absolutely beautiful Lake Craig.  We ate snacks we brought sitting on an adorable little dock and watched the tiny minnows in the shallow water around us.  The nearby fishermen were also quite entertaining for my crew.

We enjoyed a very peaceful morning in the park.  My homeschoolers were able to practice making super sentences with quality adjectives about all the things they were noticing from the dock.  “The sun sparkles on the backs of the wiggling minnows.”   The next time we go I will bring sketchbooks and writing paper so they can write down their sentences and illustrate.  There were definitely plenty of places to sit near the lake, and lots of grass for blankets, if that’s your preference.

You will find bathrooms conveniently near the parking lot for Lake Craig, and a short walk up the hill brings you to a nice playground with views of the park’s equestrian facilities.  While there were only a handful of horses and riders when we visited, my children really enjoyed watching as we walked past.  The playground was great for my children (ages 4 through 8), but younger children will need to be watched carefully due to the height of some of the equipment.

Hiking in Croft State Park

Croft State Park has many hiking trails, including an easy Nature Trail that’s about one and a half miles.  We went to the park intending to hike this trail, but even with a map, we struggled to find the trailhead.  We gave up and went on our little adventure at the lake and playground instead.  However, as we drove back down the park road headed for home, we noticed work crews clearing a few trees, and their trucks had been parked in front of the trailhead for the nature trail.  We could have driven by 20 times and never seen it! 

Fortunately, there’s so much to see and enjoy at Croft State Park, it didn’t matter much to us.  But, do bring a map with you, and if you’re looking for the nature trail, the trailhead is on the right, just before you get to the parking lot for the equestrian facilities.

Want to go?

Admission for Croft State Park is $3 for adults, and $1 for children 6- 15. Children under 6 are free.

You can rent canoes and kayaks:
Canoe rentals are available for $15 for four hours or $25/day. Kayaks are available for $10/hour.

The park is open 7 am – 6 pm daily (8 p.m. on Fridays), and 7 am – 9 pm daily during daylight savings time.

The park address is 450 Croft State Park Road, Spartanburg 29302.  We had no problem finding it with our phone GPS.

Have you ever been exploring at Croft State Park?