If you are looking for a beautiful place to enjoy outdoor activities and you also happen to like history, plan a visit to Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area in South Carolina’s northwestern mountains. During your visit, you can camp, hike, picnic, view wildlife and even go fishing and boating at nearby Lake Keowee. There are 1,000 acres of nature to explore at Keowee-Toxaway park, and an intriguing Cherokee museum is also on location.
You can choose your favorite style of camping for your stay at Keowee-Toxaway park. There are RV as well as tent camping sites available, or you may opt for more primitive style camping along the park’s trails.
Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area offers exceptional views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Foothills. Exploring the park’s trails is the best way to view rock outcroppings, picturesque creeks and beautiful mountain vegetation. There are plenty of shaded, scenic places to take a break from hiking, relax, and enjoy a picnic lunch or snack.
Plan to do some birding while you hike or stroll around the park, and don’t forget to bring your camera on. Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area provides many opportunities to photograph incredible views and natural sights.
There are three hiking trails at Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area. The Raven Rock Hiking Trail is a moderately strenuous hiking trail that stretches just over 4 miles. You will enjoy a spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains as well as Lake Keowee along this trail, and you may spot deer and smaller wildlife on your hike. If you prefer a shorter hike, the 1 1/2 mile Natural Bridge Nature Trail is available. This looping trail features a natural bridge formation you will use to cross Poe Creek on your hike.
The Cherokee Interpretive Trail is a quarter-mile long, easy-to-walk looping trail that features four informational kiosks. This trail compliments the Cherokee museum and provides information about the history of the Cherokee Indians that once lived in the area.
At the Keowee-Toxaway State Natural Area Museum, visitors can learn about the Cherokee town that was once located on site at Lake Keowee. This ancient town is now below the waters of the lake. Displays at the Museum recount the history of the Cherokees’ interactions with the Europeans who settled in South Carolina.
If you are interested in holding a family gathering, picnic event or meeting at the Keowee-Toxaway park, you can reserve one of five sheltered picnic areas on location. There is also a former chapel here that can be used for gatherings of up to one hundred people. In addition to these rental facilities, you may choose to rent a large cabin located in a wooded area of the park for indoor accommodations.