About This Park - Caesars Head State Park / Mountain Bridge Wildnerness Area

Caesars Head State Park/ Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area

[ Add to Trip Planner | Local Weather | Maps & Directions ]

Caesars Head State Park has long been a must-see in the South Carolina Upstate. A granitic gneiss outcropping atop the dramatic Blue Ridge Escarpment, it offers breathtaking views year-round, especially when fall sets the hardwoods ablaze.

Another annual highlight is the Hawk Watch program each fall, timed to allow visitors to marvel at the unforgettable sight of hundreds of soaring, swirling migrating raptors – hawks, kites, falcons, eagles and more – from the park visitors’ own perch at 3,200 feet above sea level.

Hiking trails ranging from easy to challenging circle and traverse Caesars Head and adjoining Jones Gap state parks, which together form the Mountain Bridge Wilderness, about 11,000 acres of pristine southern mountain forest.

One of the most popular trails at Caesars Head leads to 420-foot Raven Cliff Falls, where a suspension bridge offers one of the two publicly accessible overlooks to the falls as they splash deep into the mountain cove below.

Picnicking and wilderness trailside camping also are highlights. The park, easily accessible with its headquarters on U.S. 276 just shy of the state line, also leads to some prime trout fishing areas in the state-designated scenic Middle Saluda River.

GENERAL

Wi-Fi Availability: Free wifi is available for park guests at the park office.
Must See: Yes
Counties: Greenville
Acreage: 7467
When & How PRT Acquired: Acquired from various owners from 1976 to 1986
Pets: Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet.
Restrictions: Caesars Head is part of the State Park Services’ Project Green Program, designed to reduce trash and encourage recycling. Trash cans have been removed to improve the appearance and to ensure a more enjoyable experience for visitors. Pack it in, pack it out.
Tour and Programs Information: Caesars Head is a "DiscoverCarolina Site", which provides curriculum-based science programs for South Carolina school children.
Significant Natural Features: Caesars Head is one of South Carolina’s most famous natural landmarks. At 3,208 feet above sea level, Caesars Head provides a panoramic view of the mountain country.

Another significant landmark in the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area includes Raven Cliff Falls, a 420-foot mountain cascade that awaits day-hikers at the end of a moderately strenuous two-mile trail.

This area of the Blue Ridge Escarpment ends in South Carolina with an abrupt drop of some 2,000 feet to the foothills below, where the state’s Piedmont region begins. This escarpment affords spectacular scenic vistas and waterfalls, and provides a protected environment for many rare and endangered plant and animal species.
Pay Phone on Site: Yes

HOURS

Admissions: Trail access fee: $2 adults; $1.25 SC seniors; age 15 & younger free
Office Hours: 9am-5pm
Days and Hours of Operation: M-Su 9am-6pm (extended to 9pm during daylight savings time). During daylight savings time the trails close one hour before sunset.

LOCATION

Driving Directions:
From Greenville: Take Hwy. 276 W. for about 30 mi. Park is located at the top of the mountain right off the Hwy. The North Carolina border is 3 mi. away.
Miles to Nearest Hospital: 15
Miles to Nearest Town: 15
Miles to Nearest Grocery Store: 15

MILES TO:

Charleston, SC: 247
Columbia, SC: 138
Florence, SC: 219
Greenville, SC: 37
Charlotte, NC: 102
Raleigh, NC: 240
Atlanta, GA: 165
Augusta, GA: 149

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Are there Cabins or Villas at this Park?: There are no cabins or villas at this Park.
What kind of camping is available at this Park?: The Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area offers trailside backcountry camping at 24 primitive campsites. Please click on the Camping menu item above to see detail information. To check availability and/or make a reservation, click the Park Reservations banner on the right of this page.
What are your overnight rates at this Park?: Rates vary depending on campsite amenities. General information is available on the Camping pages of this site. Please click on these menu items above for more information
Are there any Overnight sites available?: Please click on the Park Reservations banner on the right of this page to check availability and make your reservation.
What kind of activites are available at this Park?: Fishing, Picnicing, and Trails are available. Please click on the Things To Do menu item above for more details.
If you cannot find it on this website: We try to provide you with as much information as possible on this website to assist you in selecting your favorite State Park and book your reservation on-line. However, if you can't locate the information you are looking for on this site, please feel free to email the park at CaesarsHead@scprt.com. We will respond to your email as soon as possible.