The Oconee  State Park is a great place to take the family! Of all of the state parks we have visited, this one tops the list! There is everything to do here from hiking, boating, swimming... there is even a mini golf course if you like putt-putt. Just remember that to enter the park costs $1.50 per person.

The park has great amenities for those who like camping or RV'ing. There are 140 camp sites with electricity and water hook up, and 15 walk-in tent sites with a common water source. All camp sites have access to "Comfort Stations" which have hot showers and bathrooms. All in all, the park is well laid out and has pretty much everything to make your stay comfortable.

For those who are interested in a more comfortable stay, there are 19 fully furnished cabins for rent on a nightly or weekly basis. The prices range from $60-$75 a night, $180-$225 a weekend or $360-$450 for a week. If a cabin is what you're interested in, you might want to call well in advance. When we asked about them, they were booked solid for the next 3 months.

The Oconee State Park was built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp, and you will see evidence of that around the park. There is a small museum at the park office, as well as the water wheel from a pump house which has been relocated to the swimming lake.

The Oconee and Water Wheel trails combine to form one large, 5 mile loop. You can hike the loop in either direction, east to west or west to east. On our 1st hike we were thankful that we started at the trading post and hiked east, but the trail is not that rugged that it would make much difference.

We enjoyed this leisurely hike through rolling hills and around the park's lake. There is not much to see along the trails in the way of views or attractions, but non-the-less it is well worth the hike. Most of the hike is through rolling hills coved in large hardwoods, so if you are careful, you might get to see some wildlife. The Water Wheel trail has a very short spur trail that leads to an old pump house, built by the CCC to pump drinking water to the workers who were building the park back in the 30's. The wheel has been relocated, but the building still is standing. Part of the Water Wheel trail has been recently burned in a fire, and you can see evidence of the fight to save the rest of the forest, as they obviously cut fire breaks.

We would recommend this trail for anyone who is a beginner hiker or someone who is looking for a relatively easy hike. If you have trouble finding your way around through the woods though, you might want to bring a map. At some points, trails seam to go in all directions and it's not exactly clear which way you should go. We regretted that we had not brought our tent and camped at the park  the night before we hiked these trails. During the summer, when the swimming lake is open this would be a great way to spend the weekend!

The Oconee State Park is also home to the Foothills Trail trailhead, but that trail is another review!

To see pictures of our hike, click here.