Devils Fork State Park

Devils Fork State Park is nestled in the middle of the breath-taking Jocassee Gorges. These gorges are a series of steep rock walls along the Blue Ridge Escarpment carrying dozens of mountain rivers down into the vast, 7,500-acre Lake Jocassee. Originally constructed in 1973, this lake remains mostly undeveloped, and many of its elusive waterfalls can only be discovered by boat. These waters are also home to some of South Carolina's best trout fishing. Jocassee is a Cherokee word meaning "Place of the Lost One" and the park offers a doorway into Lake Jocassee's ancient grandeur. The lake was created when the land's mountain rivers were redirected to flood what was once known as Jocassee Valley. Today, dozens of forgotten houses and camps rest quietly beneath the lake's clear blue surface and can be explored by scuba divers. The Eastatoees, the only species of parrot native to North America, also once called this land home. Its last known sighting was in 1903, here, in the Place of the Lost One. Among the park's hidden treasures in March and April is the rare Oconee Bell. This delicate wildflower lives only in the Southern Appalachian mountains, where the mild climate and heavy rainfalls form the sole temperate rainforest on the East Coast. Overnight guests can stay in fully-furnished villas or in one of two campgrounds located near Lake Jocassee.