After hours of scrolling through nature photos and majestic mountains, the urge to get out and explore is hard to ignore.  We applaud the explorers and adventurers of the world who brave the treacherous elements, as well as the sweet photos that come as a result. However, for many the ideal of a fun weekend away consists less of roughing it, and more relaxing on a beach or in a warm cabin. If you’re in the latter of these groups, you’re going to love Oconee State Park. 

Oconee is the idealistic place for families and friends looking for a nostalgic getaway complete with rustic charm and character. Dotted throughout the park are rustic, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Cabins available for nightly and weekly rental. Meanwhile, a small, glassy lake lazily invites campers to disrupt its reflection with the canoes and kayaks located on shore. 

The Greenville region is known for 25+ waterfalls found throughout. Closer in, the 1,100+ acre state park hosts  a number of wooded nature trails snake throughout. It also serves as the trailhead for South Carolina’s 77 miles Foothills Trail. Friends and families visiting can enjoy the local wildlife, as well as the regional flora and fauna which proudly thrive in abundance. 

In the summer Lake Oconee comes alive, creating the backdrop for unforgettable family vacations. Festivities begin in June, including Square Dancing, mini golf, pedal boating competitions, and so much more. However the Winter Months are just as enjoyable if you don’t mind getting cozy in a warm cabin, sipping some coco, and reading a good book. The rangers here are known for their hospitality, and are knowledgeable on the area. Stop in their lodge for a small convenience store, firewood, and great conversations. 

Oconee offers all the benefits of a mountain resort without the upscale pricing. There are 140+ sites available for rent, starting at just $21/night.  Cabins and lodging is available but pricing is dependent on group sizes and room choice, so be sure plan out your trip in advance before coming.

Oconee State Park Campground

When I stayed here, there were very few campers. Part of the reason was that school had started, and it was during the middle of the week. That was a good thing since there is limited privacy between the sites. I say limited, but compared to most campgrounds, there is a lot more privacy than some that have very little space between sites. The sites are well shaded, there is electricity and water, there are picnic tables, and lantern poles. The sites are gravel, which is fine for RVs but not necessarily for tent campers. However, there is a separate group tent section. The only other thing I didn’t like about staying here were the mosquitoes, but that’s to be expected in this environment. There are a lot of things to do. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to explore everything, and the beach area was closed. There are two lakes, so I could go fishing and/or kayaking. During the season, peddle boats and canoes are available for rent. There is a really nice playground area for children. When I go back the next time, hopefully with grandchildren, they will take full advantage of that. What really surprised me was the condition of the bath rooms. It was modern and up to date with tiled floors. I felt as if I were in an exclusive resort. There is also a camper recreation building, along with a community building for special events. The trading post is interesting looking with an old ca. 1930s gas pump out front. There is quite a bit of history at this state park. Not only is there a CCC dedication with statue and plaque, but there is also a plaque recognizing the treaty with the Cherokee moving the frontier boundary into what is now Oconee County. The possibilities at this campground seem endless. There is mini-golf, a wildlife habitat, and lots of trails(including the Palmetto Trail), a fishing pier, and one of my favorites—the waterwheel. Overall, I spent too little time here to enjoy it all, but I will definitely want to come back. The only downsides are the gravel for the tents and the minimum two-day reservation system.

State Park Close to Waterfalls

This state park is located in a beautiful part of South Carolina. There are a range of fun hiking trails. The cabins are rustic, but with all the amenities you need for a trip to the mountains. 

Rustic cabins in a WPA Era State Park

had a wonderful time at this beautiful campground. We stayed in one of the cabins which were clean and cozy

wonderful

We spent 2 nights in one of the cabins in this beautiful state park during a road trip through South Carolina. And let me say, 2 nights was not enough! The cabin itself was very well kept. There was air conditioning, 2 bedrooms, 1 full kitchen, 1 full bathroom, and a fire place. We stopped at a Walmart in one of the towns before the park to stock up on food.

There are multiple cabins scattered around the lake but they are a good distance apart from each other so you won't be disturbed by your neighbors. There was a fire ring and picnic in front of the cabin where we made smores after dinner and a cute screened porch with rocking chairs where we had coffee and breakfast on every morning. The cabin was right next to the small lake, which had a short trail going around it. We saw people fishing and I believe you can rent canoes as well in the park.

You definitely need more than 2 days to explore this cute little park. There are multiple hiking trails near by and definitely a lot of wild life. But it was definitely a peaceful and quiet park perfect for a relaxing weekend away.

Cute cabins in beautiful state park 

Situated on a lake. Campgrounds were close together with not enough trees for sound barriers but plenty of trees for hammocks.  Some campers did not follow quiet hours and we had to ask them to quiet down. 

Beautiful!

Great spot for all kinds of boating and water sports.

Close to other parks with waterfalls and hiking trails.

Pretty, well-maintained, hiking & water sports

A large but secluded campground in the foot of the Appalachian mountains. The people at the park were very friendly and the park well kept. The lake was nice and provided a beautiful background for cool evenings watching the fireflies. Although we did not take advantage of some of the amenities, my wife went swimming and I went hiking a few times. I can’t vouch for the swimming area, but the hiking trails were well marked and maintained. 

The facilities all worked as they should, and the park trash pickup came by at least a couple of times a day. 

Do be aware that you will be out of touch when you stay here. There is almost no cell coverage, and wifi (weak wi-if) is only available at the office. 

This campground is a welcome getaway. We will be back!

Great Place To Get Away

We had a great first experience here. Nice amenities: playgrounds, lake , activities. Park was beautiful, but spaces were a little tight. Bathhouses &amp; premises clean ! Wifi didn’t really work, but that can be expected. Stumphouse tunnel  Isaqueena Falls is very close, gas station right down the road. 

Great camping! 

Wat do you like? Solitude? Try the dispersed campsites, they're awesome. Swimming? There is a roped off area for swimming in one of the lakes. RV camping? Full hookups available. Cabin? Cabins available for rent. Hiking? Trail head for the Foothills Trail as well as Secret Falls. Fishing? There's a lake stocked with bass and bream and even trout in cooler weather. Put-put? They have that too. Kayaking? Bring your own or rent one there. Hot showers? Got 'em. Waterfalls? Convenient to dozens including Station Cove, Yellow Branch, Issaqueena, King Creek, and Spoonauger to name a few. You seriously can't go wrong here unless you go in the summer and stay in a tent. It does get hot here.

Something for everyone

We stayed here for a weekend in July 18, I really appreciated the shaded site and the ac! Nice campground to walk around with a few hiking trails.

Cool evenings and shaded spaces 

Nice park with a lot to do close by. We tent camped here the first weekend in June. 

Bathrooms were always clean and seem to have been recently redone. Sites were small but not overly so. 

Being regular tent campers, we understand that sometimes you are at the mercy of your neighbors. The people staying across from us decided that 1030 was the time to start blaring music and screaming. No camp host showed up, but after they fought and someone threatened to crush someone’s tent, they decided to calm down. 

There are tons of hiking opportunities in the area with tons of waterfalls. We did get to hike to a few, but wish we had more time to spend there. We live 4 hours away, and if it were closer, we would be regular visitors. We will definitely go back at some time. 

The park staff came around twice a day to pick up trash, very nice. There were warning signs for bears, but we saw no trace of them. Posted in my pictures is one of two baggies we found at our site. Being a former corrections officers, I know what I think it is, but I’ll leave that to the reader. 

This place is still getting 4 stars due to overall cleanliness and location. 

June 2020

In the midst of all the Covid claustrophobia, it felt amazing to get up to the mountains and feel like being alone was normal.  The site was great, the bathrooms are amazing, and the campground was everything you'd hope an RV/tent-camping place would be.  There are primitive, walk-in sites that had the benefit of added privacy, but with 3 little kids, bathroom proximity was a higher priority this time around.  The waterfalls are closeby and you should really try King's Creek (30 min hike), Reedy Branch (10 min walk) or Yellow Branch (1.5 hr hike), they're some of our favorites.  Hidden Falls is also a hike that starts from the campground, about 1.5 hrs each way. So lovely and remote!Being able to get up in the morning and go to the falls without having to drive 1+ hrs to get there made it just dreamy for our crew!  The fire pit was easy to cook over, there's a mini-golf area and a playground that was closed still while we were there.  We loved it and will definitely be going back, my 5yo hails our time there as "best of the summer" everytime we ask :)

Great Sites, Great Waterfall Access look

One of the gems of the Palmetto State. Oconee has a variety of hiking trails and private, wooded campsites. The fishing lake has a netted swimming area and the option to rent kayaks and paddle boats. The replica of the historic water wheel is a must see! Be sure to stop at the visitors center for free WiFi because you won't have a cell signal anywhere else :-)

A fun get away in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains

Only stayed one of our two nights due to rain but we hope to be back! Our site was great size for our two vehicles to back into. Set up our area and hammocks!

Great Tent Sites!

The area very serene, quiet and pretty. Nice hiking area and swimming area.
If you need to get ahold of someone though you'll have to drive 10 to 15 minutes into town.

Quiet area, 0 reception 

We camped here at Oconee, at site 7, on the Lake Loop, in the middle of May 2020. PERFECT!! We were able to pitch a tent AND had room for my tow vehicle and teardrop camper! The folks that run the Visitor Center were PHENOMENAL! Plenty of room, nice sun and shade areas, EXTREMELY clean bathrooms and bathhouses, wifi, MANY trails to walk and hike, and really awesome buildings and a man made lake, that were built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps)! I HIGHLY recommend checking this place out, and camping here! We're planning another trip in the Spring!

You can also visit nearby Table Rock State Park, Bald Rock Heritage Preserve, and Riley Moore Falls! 

This park is BEAUTIFUL!! 

We've stayed here a couple of times in 2021.  Lots of construction going on right now as some of the loops get upgraded RV parking.  The tent loop is great for those who want more privacy and are willing to trek their gear a short distance, but the park needs to address parking for the tent area. The best feature of the park are it's access to excellent hiking for all skill levels.

Nice state park for hiking

What a lovely, relaxing park. There is an area for day-use people, with boat rentals, a small swimming area, and playgrounds (including mini golf!). 

  

As for camping, you have two options: a large drive-in section (each with electric and water), some near the lake, some more forested, and some in the middle on higher ground.

  

Pro-tip: Site 18 has an amazing view, of the lake, and you can walk directly down and boat (but not swim) from the site. It's also on a "finger," so there's a tiny bit more solitude.

  

For strictly tent camping, there's a walk-in only section with a dirt path leading two two campgrounds, one of which abuts another lake. 

  

All campsites on both the drive-in and walk-in sections have a fire ring and picnic table. 

  

The camp HQ/store has good wifi and there's a weak phone signal is available in most of the park (site 18 has no Verizon signal, but walk a bit towards camp and you'll pick up two bars of LTE). I found the camp store prices to be reasonable and they have firewood bundles for $5.99. If you arrive after the office closes at 5pm, you can go to a site and check in the next morning.

Everything you want in a state park

Well maintained campground, with pretty views.   Campsites are often uneven with alot of tree roots running throughout.  It does require consideration before parking your trailer or RV.     

Nice Campground

I’ve been going to Oconee State Park since I was a kid and have always enjoyed it. It is very family friendly and great for kids. Several trails to hike and lots of history at the park.
The only negatives is the park is not a great park for a getaway in my opinion. It’s more focused on the family time (nothing wrong with that) and the sites are very very close together. I stayed at tent site 12 and it was great but was a very far hike in. Not a bad thing but wasn’t planning on backpacking on this particular trip. 
Overall a great park and will always go back! 

Family Friendly 

We camped here last month and it quickly became one of our favorite campsites.. you’re not so close to your neighbor so it’s still private but there’s still plenty of people around in case you need help or something happens.. the bathrooms were probably my favorite lol the showers are the nicest showers I’ve seen at a campsite

One of our favorite 

First time visitor and already planning the next trip. I stayed in cabin 12 which is an ADA cabin. Privacy, location, amenities were all top notch. The only disappointment was that a wheelchair bound person would not be able to join, or have great difficulty , at the firepit. 

Cabin 

We love this park! We've been for Halloween twice now and out little guys loves it! The staff is so kind, and the garbage pick up twice a day is great! I will say, compared to other state parks, these campsites are TIGHT! Be prepared. We've come across this with other state parks in South Carolina. The facilities are clean, and the nature is beautiful! Can't go wrong with this campground!

Halloween 

Great family vacation. Paddle boats and a beach. Dog friendly. Clean bathhouses. Garbage pick up. Close to Walhalla, if you need supplies. It's crowded. Reserve way in advance.