Devils Fork State Park: Oconee Bell Nature Trail (Blog Hike #841)

Trail: Oconee Bell Nature Trail

Hike Location: Devils Fork State Park
Geographic Location: north of Salem, SC (34.95222, -82.94617)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: April 2021
Overview: A rolling lollipop loop through ravines full of Oconee bell wildflowers.
Park Information: https://southcarolinaparks.com/devils-fork
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=866509
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of SR 130 and SR 11 near Salem, drive SR 11 east 1.6 miles to Lake Jocassee Road and turn left on Lake Jocassee Rd.  Drive winding Jocassee Lake Rd. north 3.8 miles to the park office on the right.  Pay the park entrance fee and park in the large blacktop lot near the park office.

The hike: Protecting 7565 acres most of which are under Lake Jocassee, Devils Fork State Park is best known as providing the only public access for Lake Jocassee, the smaller, deeper, and more isolated of the two large Duke Energy reservoirs in upstate South Carolina.  (Aside: nearby Lake Keowee is the other such reservoir.)  Lake Jocassee is a treasure during the summer because the mountain springs that feed the lake keep the water cool and clear all summer long.  The park features 3 boat ramps, picnic shelters, a playground, and a 59-site developed campground all with excellent lake access.

            For people willing to forsake the lake and head into the surrounding ravines, another more subtle treasure can be found: the endangered Oconee bell wildflower.  The Oconee bell grows only in a few moist streamside areas in the southern Appalachians, and most of its habitat in South Carolina got submerged by the construction of Lake Jocassee.  Nevertheless, hiking Devils Fork State Park's Oconee Bell Nature Trail takes you through the heart of the Oconee bell's remaining habitat.  Although the flowers were not in bloom when I came here on a seasonally warm sunny morning in early April, I saw several clusters of Oconee bell, and I still had a nice hike on a pleasant mountain nature trail.

Trailhead: Oconee Bell Nature Trail

            The trail starts at an information board at the southeast corner of the parking lot.  Some white rectangular paint blazes mark the trail, but the path was easy to follow on my visit.  After descending a short set of steps, the trail curves left and quickly splits to form its loop.  For no real reason, I chose to continue straight and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

Hiking into the ravine

            Next you switchback down into the first ravine and pass the first cluster of Oconee bell.  A low plant with serrated leaves, the Oconee bell produces white bell-shaped flowers in early spring.  Numerous interpretive signs identify the Oconee bell and other plants in this forest, which is dominated by oak, hickory, and pine trees.

Cluster of Oconee bell

            After crossing the creek at the bottom of the ravine, you climb up the other side of the ravine to intersect what appears to be an old road.  The trail turns right to begin following the old road, which descends into a deeper ravine.  At 0.5 miles, you cross a short boardwalk that takes you beside a small pond.  An interpretive sign tells you that this pond was built by a farmer in the 1950's and that the pond is being filled in with sediment washed down by the stream.

Old farm pond

            Past the old farm pond, the trail continues downstream and passes some small cascades that are heavily cloaked in rhododendron.  At 0.7 miles, you reach a bench at the lowest elevation of the hike, which is just over 100 vertical feet below the trailhead.  The trail curves right here and begins climbing in fits and starts up a side ravine.  The creek in this side ravine offers some more small waterfalls for your viewing pleasure.

Small waterfall in side ravine

            Near 1 mile into the hike, you cross another short boardwalk near the largest cluster of Oconee bell.  An interpretive sign tells you about the rare flower.  A final climb brings you out of the ravine to close the loop, and a left turn returns you to the parking lot to complete the hike.  While you are here, make sure you take in the views across Lake Jocassee, which is located across the park road from the park office and this trailhead.