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The highest state park in Georgia is easy to reach and offers an array of activities year-round. Best of all, it's not far away. The park is popular despite not being on a major route. It has more than 115,000 visitors a year.
Distance
Georgia's Black Rock Mountain State Park is 179 miles from Charlotte - a drive of about 3 hours, 15 minutes one way.
Getting there
Take Interstate 85 South past Greenville, S.C. At Exit 19B, take U.S. 76 west through Clemson, S.C., and continue into Georgia. At Clayton, merge onto U.S. 441 heading north. The park entrance will be on your left at a directional sign. From the park gate, it's a healthy climb to the top of the mountain.
To see and do
Northeast Georgia is full of mountains; more than 100 of them exceed 3,000 feet in elevation. Black Rock Mountain, at 3,640 feet, is also home to a beautiful state park. It's named for the dark gneiss found in the mountain's cliff faces.
Nestled along the Eastern Continental Divide of the Blue Ridge, Black Rock State Park encompasses about 1,743 acres of rustic terrain that can be a nature lover's dream. On clear days, views from the park extend more than 80 miles, offering glimpses of Mount LeConte and Clingmans Dome to the north and west, and downtown Greenville to the north and east.
For the camper, there are 44 sites with water and electrical hookups; there are another 12 walk-in sites. The former has bathhouses with washer and dryer facilities, and the latter have shower and restroom facilities. The campground also has 10 cottages that can be rented. Four primitive sites and an organized group site are also available. (All facilities are subject to reservations.)
Black Rock Mountain has more than 11 miles of hiking trials, ranked from easy to strenuous. They traverse the park and its elevations, providing a full experience of habitat and scenery from lush areas along streams. Some trails pass waterfalls.
Along the trails, you'll see upland hardwood forests with oaks, sassafras, sourwood, hemlock, locust, poplar and basswood. In season, there's a wide of array of wildflowers and ferns: Solomon's seal, may apple, spiderwort and Canada violet are common.
Wildlife is also abundant, from chipmunks, squirrels and cottontail rabbits to deer and black bear.
Many species of songbirds and raptors can be found. Larger birds include eagle, ruffled grouse, wild turkey and pileated woodpecker.
A 17-acre lake is stocked with bass, bream, catfish, perch and rainbow trout. (Georgia fishing regulations apply here for everyone 16 and older, though a trout stamp is not required. Boating and swimming aren't allowed on the lake.)
Year-round interpretive programs and weekend events change with the season.
