Concerned about campfire/firepit smoke

charming wrote:
Our first camping trip was a couple of nights at Huntington Beach state park in SC. It was very hot so no one was using the firepits.

Yesterday afternoon we drove through Myrtle Beach State Park because we were thinking about going there for our next camping trip. Now MB has a much heavier tree canopy than Huntington and the campsites are much closer and a lot more of them; but I could hardly breath from the smoke. Was this a fluke? Or is it something we should be concerned with camping in cooler weather at any park?

As long as you are in a park that allows campfires, there will be varying amounts of smoke at various times on various days. It's impossible to predict. As someone else said, if you are concerned about this camping may not be for you. I don't know your tolerance for smoke. What is dreadful to you , others may not even notice.

Or you need to research the campgrounds that don't allow campfires. Most CGs in your area that are right on the beach don't allow them.

People can rant and rave about them, but until the free market decides, campfires will be found in campgrounds.