Devil's Fork State Park

Hiking 2019 week 28

Devil’s Fork State Park is on Lake Jocassee, in the mountains of South Carolina. If you’re looking for a place to cool off, I recommend this lake. It’s one of the prettiest lakes in South Carolina. Lake Jocassee doesn’t have much development. Most of the shoreline is prohibited from development. Also, the park is one of the few access points to the lake. So the boat traffic is pretty low compared to nearby Lakes Keowee and Hartwell. Because of the cold water temperatures and the location of the lake, the water is very clear and blue. It’s refreshing on a hot day. 

There are many ways to enjoy Devil’s Fork State Park and Lake Jocassee. The park has campgrounds, a boat ramp, a swimming area, and paddle rentals. There are also trails in the park for hiking. Recently, we rented a tandem kayak and set off from the park along the shoreline. There were quite a few others on paddle boards and kayaks too. We found a couple of places along the way that had beach areas where we could get out and swim and enjoy the cold water. There are also a couple of other boat ramps further along the shore for those who want to put in their own kayaks or boats. We also saw this juvenile bald eagle while we were paddling.
Young Bald Eagle

Another popular feature of Lake Jocassee are the waterfalls. In many places along the shoreline, there are waterfalls that fall into the lake. They are really pretty and some make great swimming holes. The best way to get to these is by boat. There are even pontoon boat tours that will take you out to the waterfalls and drop you off with your kayak, so you can explore the area. This same company will do guided lake tours for birding/nature sights and sunsets. I highly recommend them. People also scuba dive in Jocassee because of it's clear water. There is even an old hotel in the lake that serious divers visit. 

In the spring, around late March to early April, Devil’s Fork State Park is known for being a great place to see the Oconee Bells wildflowers. These small white wildflowers are only found in a small area of the Appalachia mountains. The park has a festival for these flowers around April. We were able to see them a couple of years ago when we went on some wildflower hikes. 
Oconee Bells Wildflowers

Any time of the year is a nice time to visit Devil's Fork State Park and Lake Jocassee. If you go, especially in the summer, try and get there early. The parking lot will fill up and they will turn people away. I also recommend reserving your kayak or paddleboard in advance, if you know you want to rent them. When we went, some of the rentals were already sold out. It worked out fine for us but I would probably reserve them next time. Also, remember that in the summer, thunderstorms can pop up midday. Be sure to keep an eye on the weather. When we were there in July, we had some strong storms around 1:00 pm. 
Admission is $5.00 per person.

Some recommendations that I gave previously on the Caesar's Head post:
  • Keowee Towne Market - on Hwy. 11 but a good place to stop for supplies or food. Know that restaurant service can be slow but they have a nice outside seating area to relax in.
Location: Devil's Fork State Park, 161 Holcombe Cir, Salem, SC 29676, USA

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