Jones Gap

PARK ADVISORY

Park Hours : 9AM to 6PM Daily

Trails Close at 5:00 PM daily. All hikers must be off trails at this time.

There are parking procedures put in place at Jones Gap that affect weekends and major Holidays. Day-use Reservations must be made 24 hours in advance. Please read this document for detailed information.

-Day-use Parking Reservations are required on weekends and Holidays. Monday through Friday Day-Use parking is a first come-first serve, unless associated with a major Holiday. Jones Gap is very busy on weekends and Holidays, if you do not have a reservations please make alternate plans as there is a high chance you may be turned away.

Hike-in trailside campsites are available only by reservation. There is NO car-camping or RV camping at this park.

-It is difficult to drive and turn around any large vehicles that do not fit in a normal size parking space- such as RVS and campers. We have no parking spaces available to accommodate these size vehicles.

Trails Closure Warning:

>Falls Creek Trail (#31) is Closed.

>Hospital Rock Trail (#30) is Closed 1.6 Miles after Trail Head. It now ends at the rock formation referred to as Hospital Rock.

>Cold temperatures and ice have forced the seasonal closure of the yellow-blazed, western section of the Rim of the Gap Trail (between junction with trails 15-Frank Coggins, and 21-John Sloan). This section of trail will remain closed until spring temperatures are consistently warm enough for the ice to melt and the trail to become safely passable. If you have any questions, please contact the park directly.

HOURS

M-Su 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., daily, during daylight savings time and 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., daily, the remainder of the year. Trails close one hour before dark, year round.

OFFICE

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., M-Su

ADMISSION

$6 adults; $3.75 SC seniors (age 65 & older); $3.50 children ages 6-15; ages 5 and under, free.

PETS

Pets are allowed in most outdoor areas provided they are kept under physical restraint or on a leash not longer than six feet. Owners will be asked to remove noisy or dangerous pets or pets that threaten or harass wildlife.

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Jones Gap State Park

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Kathryn Gompers

Park Manager

Welcome. My name is Kathryn Gompers, and I am the park manager at Jones Gap State Park. For me, becoming a park ranger was all about chance. The first day on the job, I knew it was the perfect fit for my long-term career. I remember I was riding an ATV on the beach and couldn’t believe I was being paid to do it! It’s easy to fall in love with the resources and moments we get to experience in South Carolina's state parks.

The hike to Jones Gap Falls is such a great hike! You get to follow the Middle Saluda River and can take a break at the base of the falls. It is not as overwhelming as some of our other hikes and the scenery is just beautiful. It's one of my favorite things to do on the park.

If you're a first-time visitor to Jones Gap, make sure to take a moment and enjoy the sounds of the Middle Saluda River. From sitting in the day-use area, to entering the trail system-- the Middle Saluda River is breathtaking. Just stop and listen, if only for a moment.

**Our Ultimate Outsider stamp is located on the emergency kiosk near the vehicle bridge. This kiosk is to the left of the office building near the river. Visitors can also find a stamp in the park office during office hours.

Visitors can find the unforgettable peace and repose of a deep mountain cove at Jones Gap State Park. Trails and 17,000 acres of pristine mountain woodlands join the park with Caesars Head in what is known as the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. The Jones Gap State Park trails allow hikers to traverse between the two parks, as well as connect to a portion of the Foothills Trail and Palmetto Trail South Carolina hikers know and love.

When it comes to angling-especially trout fishing-South Carolina really shines. The state’s first designated scenic river, the Middle Saluda River, runs through Jones Gap and offers some of the best trout fishing South Carolina has to offer–and the trout fishing in South Carolina is quite good. The park also features a living lab for the park’s hand-on ecology learning center.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 scenic waterfalls

18 wilderness/back country campsites

60+ miles of hiking trails of all difficulty levels

1 fish hatchery exhibit and trout pond that once was part of SC's first state-owned fish hatchery

1 designated scenic river, the Middle Saluda River, runs through the park and is available for fishing

17K acres of wilderness when combined with Caesars Head to form the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area

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the Parks 2023

At Jones Gap State Park

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