A South Carolina wonderland with 4,000 acres of protected land supporting hiking, camping, and fishing.
In the upstate of South Carolina in the 11,000+ acre Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area is the 4,000 acre Jones Gap State Park. This South Carolina jewel of a state park built around the gorgeous Middle Saluda River contains pristine mountain woodlands with beautiful creeks and waterfalls. It supports a number of outdoor and recreational activities including hiking, camping, and some of the best trout fishing in the State. There is also a visitors center, a learning center, a state owned fish hatchery, and picnic areas. It is a large, extremely well maintained area with many destinations to visit within the park boundaries.
Jones Gap State Park is located at 303 Jones Gap Road in Marietta South Carolina. It physically borders Caesars Head State Park but the entrance is on the other side of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. From the South you approach via highway 276 or, from the North, you approach via highway 25. Jones Gap is about 45 minutes from Greenville South Carolina or about 1 hour from Asheville North Carolina.
There is very limited parking available at Jones Gap which unfortunately can lead to delays when entering the park. This is a very popular spot, for good reason, and your best bet is to arrive early. There is also an admission fee for entering the park. As of mid-2016 when this episode was produced the fees were $5 for adults, $3.25 for seniors, $3.00 for children ages 6-15 with children 5 and under free. There is a fee station present at the parking lot or you can pay at the visitors center.
Be sure to check out the specific HD Carolina episodes about some of the wonderful things to see and do inside Jones Gap State Park.