About This Park - Oconee State Park - South Carolina State Parks

Oconee State Park

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Oconee State Park offers the joys of a mountain retreat without the work.

The historic park rests deep in the Blue Ridge foothills, with several picturesque but non-demanding hiking trails and well-kept cabins and campgrounds that have welcomed families for annual trips since the days the park was first built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression.

The park’s fishing lakes offer bass and bream and the woods are full of wildlife, fur and feather alike.

Oconee State Park also serves as the southern trailhead for the Foothills Trail, an 80-mile wilderness hike on the dramatic Blue Ridge Escarpment on up to Table Rock. Adjacent to Sumter National Forest, the park also serves as a jumping off point to the nearby Chattooga and Chauga rivers, hotspots for whitewater rafting and trout fishing.

For those wanting to take it easy, Oconee State Park is an ideal destination. After all, its mailing address is the town of Mountain Rest.

GENERAL

Designation: Oconee State Park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a New Deal Program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The program was designed to provide employment during the Great Depression while addressing national needs in conservation and recreation. The CCC was instrumental in the development of many of South Carolina’s state parks. A number of buildings built by the CCC in the 1930's are still in use at this park.
Counties: Oconee
Acreage: 1165
When & How PRT Acquired: Donated in 1935 by Oconee County.
Pets: Pets are not allowed in the cabins or the cabin areas. Pets are allowed in most other outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet.
Pay Phone on Site: Yes

HOURS

Admissions: $2 adults; $1.25 SC Seniors; free for those 15 and younger
Office Hours: M-Fri 9am-5pm; Sa-Su 11am-noon & 4pm-5pm
Days and Hours of Operation: Su-Th 7am-7pm; Fri-Sa 7am-9pm (extended to 7am-9pm daily during Daylight Savings Time)

LOCATION

Driving Directions:
From I-85: Take exit 1 to Hwy 11 toward Walhalla. From Hwy. 11 take Hwy 28. Travel through Walhalla and continue for approximately 10 mi. Turn rt onto Hwy 107 and the park will be 2 mi on the rt.
Lake Location: Yes
Miles to Nearest Hospital: 16
Miles to Nearest Town: 11
Miles to Nearest Grocery Store: 11