keowee-toxaway state natural area

This was my first time hiking into an area to camp. The hike wasn't too long and strenuous (don't get me wrong it was tough, but not "I have to throw up" tough"). I packed in about 60lbs worth of stuff including enough dog food for 4 days. Hiking at what I thought to be a solid pace, I made it to the campsites in almost an hour on the dot ( I took a couple of wrong turns along the way). You cant beat the views from the peninsula either. the lows got into the high 20's but during the day it very comfortable. Also there's a little rock you can jump off of into the lake ( we did it and yes this time of year the water is frigid!). You can see it from the waters edge on the "beach" side of the peninsula. above all everyone that hikes there was really friendly and the rangers were extremely nice and helpful also. I would highly recommend this campsite to anyone who wants a short hike to a beautiful place.

Well marked, wide trail. Not too strenuous, but still provides a workout for the legs. Enjoyed with my 17 year old daughter. Beautiful area with many small waterfalls.

Good varied terrain, well marked hiking trails. Beautiful forest and stream , and Lake Keowee views year round.

Please bring 13 of your closest friends when camping here! There are 14 tent sites and they are right on top of each other. There are at least two that require walking through another campsite to access. One group in our party could not have a fire in his fire ring because it was too close to his tent. The campsites are carved into and cling to the sides of the mountain, so space is very limited. For one night of our trip, our group of three families were the only ones in the park and it was heavenly. When others arrived on Friday evening and the campsites filled up, it was like one big group site -- people everywhere!There is also no trash receptacle in this park, due to a dispute with local trash collectors (or some such). I expect to pack in/ pack out on the trail, but not car camping. Every time we left the campground, we were scavenging for a place to offload our trash, which is in no way fair to the surrounding businesses, but 4 nights times 4 families is going to generate some trash.Also be aware that there are only about 6 parking spaces at the water access point, so plan to carpool or carry all your beach gear along the trail to the water.The bath house was clean, well-maintained and of sufficient size, even though one of the toilets on the womens' side was out of order.This is a beautiful park, but if you're looking for peace and solitude (or just a little distance from your neighbors), visit during the week.

I have been paddle boarding, hiking, boating and swimming at keowee taxaway state park and always am impressed with the state of the park. Take advantage of the trails and go up to a few of the lookouts over the lake

This was the perfect little state park for a weekend visit. We didn't feel overwhelmed without an opportunity to see everything. The camp sites are well maintained and all are an easy enough walk to the bathroom (which there is no AC, so in the middle of the summer, showers aren't that refreshing). The price of the site was extremely reasonable and although it was considered slightly more primitive we had a water faucet very close to our site. From the campground there is a quick downhill hike to the lake where you can hang out on a little sandy beach and swim, perfect for dogs and kids. The kayak launch is great, but parking fills up fast in the lot, so get there early. We kayaked for about 5 hours on the lake, pulled off on an island to picnic and swim. I would consider not kayaking during peak season and on the weekend because there was A LOT of boat traffic and high wakes to contend with. The next day we hiked both trails- natural bridge and raven rock. Natural bridge is a quick loop with some climbs and the natural bridge is a super neat geological feature. On the other side of that trail is a cute small waterfall. The Raven Rock is a little more strenuous with some longer climbs, but the view over the lake is amazing and so worth it! There is an access point to some smaller beaches off that trail to swim on the lake. We could never get the timing right on the visitor center though as its only really open a few hours during the day. Amenities were close by in case you needed ice, food or beer. All in all a great weekend getaway.

Keowee-Toxaway State Park is a young persons camp overall. The hiking trails are moderate to strenuous to see their waterfalls. They do have one large cabin that overlooks the lake, located down by the boat launch.

If you have an hour, hike the Natural Bridge Trail. It is a loop trail. If open, check out the exhibit area and gift shop.

We camped here for two nights. The bath house was clean and effective, though it could have been a tad warmer. There are plenty of trails and activities to keep your day full of excitement. None of the RV sites officially have sewer, however site 9 did appear to have a sewer connection. Worth investigating if you're going to be RV camping for more than a couple days.

We camped here in our RV for a long weekend. State Park has a 4.5 mile loop trail with waterfalls and also follows along Lake Keowee. Also has 1/2 mile trail from campground to lake. New, really nice, ramp for canoes/kayaks to access the lake. Campground is small (18 sites total-10 RV and 8 tent) with nice bathhouse. This park does require you to pack out all of your trash. Kinda silly as everybody just seems to leave trash everywhere. :( There is a dump station for RVs. RV sites #2 and #3 were the most private/flat in my opinion. Park also has nice cabin/house with private dock right on the lake that can be rented. Great park for a long weekend.

If you have a few hours and want to see a beautiful hiking area with nicely groomed trails, nice waterfalls and streams with walking bridges and swimming areas, you need to check this place out!We have been here now three times and have taken different trails each time. You can choose depending on how much time you have and how far you want to hike... It's all great. Peaceful and awesome views with waterfalls make it a favorite place for me to go have a time of solitude.

Nice place to lunch, walk and spend a quiet day. Like all the parks in the upstate, this one is pretty quiet.

It's on Lake Keowee, there's really not much more needed to say. Keowee is a true gem of lake with pristine water for swimming, boating, diving.

Amazing hike. Great for an afternoon with a rest and snack on raven rock. We did the entire loop in 2 hours. Took the dogs with no problems. Only saw several others out for a hike. Diverse landscape as you hike.

We brought the kids out here for a little hike and a bit of geocaching. We found a couple of caches, one that was particularly exciting, and then hiked on to the natural bridge. Truth be told, I wouldn't have noticed it had it not been for the kids, who loved playing around it, under it, in the stream.We hung out there and had a little lunch before heading on around the loop (we were going counter-clockwise) and it was a pretty easy hike until the last quarter mile or so, which was pretty steep. Don't do this with someone who is mobility-challenged.