Jones Gap State Park in
Slater-Marietta (SC)

Jones Gap is one of my favorite places in SC. As soon as you enter the gates the air smells sweeter, the temperature is cooler, and the burble of the stream is soothing. I love that you have to walk a little ways from the parking area, through the woods and over a charming bridge, to get to the park proper. And the lodge building built by the Civilian Conservation Corps is one of the most beautiful buildings in the state park system.

Many of the trails in the park are still closed due to Helene. For a simple short 2.2 mile round trip kid friendly hike you can hike to Jones Gap Falls. Rainbow falls is a short but very strenuous hike for the more adventurous. No RV camping there just primitive tent camping that you will need to hike to. Black bears are in the area and you may be lucky enough to see one. We did on our hike but it darted away very quickly.

Hiked to Rainbow falls and Jones Gap falls. Rainbow falls was difficult, it's all up hill with a lot of steps, but the waterfall is worth it. Jones Gap falls is a moderate shorter hike with a nice water fall.

This rainbow falls in Jones gap creek park is very strenuous, but well Worth the hike. At the end of the trail is a huge beautiful waterfall. I also stopped at Caesar’s Head near there.

First time taking my dog Boba and we decided to go on our birthday today. We did Rainbow Falls and Jones Gap Falls and she loved it.

Gorgeous park that has really put in the work to recover from hurricane Helene. There are still multiple trails closed but the park staff is very communicative and where to go and which hikes will be appropriate for you. The drive is super easy from Greenville. The picture is of the Jones Gap waterfall. This hike was very easy and quick.

Amazing! I recommend coming early and booking a parking spot for $5. The park is very small and the trails are challenging and wonderful. The river is perfect for swimming, lots of deep swimming holes you can find.

Get a parking reservation if you are going on the weekend! It is worth the drive. It is a beautiful park with rivers, waterfalls, and rocky trails. The trails are very challenging. I do not recommend for very small children or people with mobility issues. Unfortunately, hurricane Helene took out a walking bridge and left a lot of tree damage. The two main trails are open. If you can handle steep inclines Rainbow Falls is worth the hike!

This park is beautiful… Rainbow falls trails is our favorite hike so far… we even saw a black bear! Visitors center has a nice gift shop ❤️

Only Jones Gap Falls and Rainbow Falls trails are open. Start the trails from the parking lot up the left side of the creek since the bridge is out up by the ranger station. Nice little gift shop. Beautiful hike-in camping.

The damage from Hurricane Helene is still raw. Many mud slides, thousands of trees down. Thanks to everyone who is working to clear the trails.

Beautiful Park with lots of trails to hike. They have a nice picnic area and a fish pool that has a variety of trout on display. We had a picnic and checked out the park store, then walked the Rainbow Falls trail. It isn't a bad trail for experienced hikers but definitely not for everybody. The waterfall at the end was worth the trip. There are also plenty of small rapids and mountain views along the trail. There are rocks at the bottom of the waterfall that some people chose to use for their picnic spread. We will return to catch some of the other trails available.

There is a 6 dollar parking fee . You can either insert cash into an envelope and drop it in the box or pay online. There are several trails to chose from in the park. They all were well marked . I did the trail to Rainbow Falls first. It's a steep rocky moderate hike . It's a really nice waterfall to view . There were plenty of rocks to sit on and enjoy the waterfall. The 2nd trail I did was Jones Gap Falls. This hike is much less strenuous then Rainbow Falls and less impressive but still a nice hike. There was a snake on the trail just before the waterfall . Definitely a park worth checking out.

If you want primitive camping without truly having to hike off a beaten path into the mountains, this is a great place to go. You can hike anywhere between a quarter mile and over a mile and a half just to get to your campsite and many of them are right on the Middle Saluda River. Campsites 8 and 9 and 13, 14, 15 are great options. The staff was very nice and the restrooms were clean. The hikes are no joke so make sure you bring good shoes and water. The trails are all very well marked and the maps are quite accurate. I will need to try the Caesars head and next, but this is definitely a place I'm going back to

Did two really nice hikes in this park, first hike (fairly difficult) was to rainbow falls. Trails are well maintained and the falls are beautiful. Second hike was out to Jones falls which was much easier but also less rewarding.

Absolutely stunning #StatePark and a scenic drive along the way. Beautiful water streams, waterfalls and over (30) miles of hiking trails.?Great place for family gatherings or picnics. The park is clean and well maintained. Jones Gap is located in northern Greenville County, near Marietta SC and connects to Caesars Head State Park. It’s a laidback, peaceful, charming place and I look forward to the next visit. #SCStateParks #ProtectPreserveEnjoy #LeaveNoTrace #HappyPlaces❤️

We had a great picnic on the edge of the river and an even better hike to Rainbow Falls. The park looked better than ever and the hike and views were spectacular. We spent longer than we planned at the falls taking in the sounds and sights with some even taking a relaxing nap. Highly recommend spending a day here. If you’re planning on a weekend visit before one, be sure to book a parking spot, it’s only $5.00.

This place is gorgeous. The hiking trails run through deep woods so you hike in shade. It's really nice. The trail that leads to Jone's Gap will also connect to Silver Falls at Ceasars Head State Park. That's an 8 mile round-trip. Back and forth to Jone's Gap is a little over 3 miles. The only downside is very limited parking. 37 parking spots. Monday through Thursday is not an issue but weekends need a reservation.

Hiked the Rainbow Falls trail...not an easy hike, but a beautiful view of Rainbow Falls at the end. From the parking lot to the Falls and back was about 5.6 miles, according to my watch. Stopped at the gift shop and the restrooms which were very nice and clean, btw. I saw many picnic tables that I did not take advantage of (too cold) and also a trout hatchery/pond with a few trout in it. Will def be coming back when it is warmer.

We did the Hospital Rock Trail and then the Jones Gap Trail. Hit all three waterfalls. It was just under 10 miles and took us all day. That's what we shoot for. I would recommend one trail or the other if you aren't into the all day hike. Both trails are fun with steep parts or rock scrambling. It has some manicuring. There are stone steps, bridges, and conveniently placed rocks to help across creeks. We picked a really foggy day so we can't report any views except the falls. At some points it was so thick that we couldn't see the top of the fall. It seemed like it was falling from a cloud. I'm guessing this isn't the normal view but it was cool none the less. We had a great time and recommend.

Such a wonderful park. Very scenic. Rainbow Falls trail was a good trek. Took about 3.5 hours round trip with stops often to soak in the surrounds. We’ll be back to enjoy it during the different seasons. Reservations for parking appears to be a must for early morning weekend day visits. Its additional to park entrance fee. So worth the visit!

Fantastic place! The park is a part of the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. Beautiful nature, exciting and challenging hiking experience. There are about 30 trails of different levels of difficulty, all with natural surface, often rocky, but with well-built bridges across the creek. Parking is limited, so check their website if you need to make a reservation. Admission fee. Headquarters, restrooms at the east side of the park. Primitive camping sites along the creek allow for a short break, if vacant. Huge trees and giant boulders make it look like an enchanted forest! Waterfalls should be spectacular, but we did not make it to any of them on our visit.

Beautiful park once you enter. And the first .6 miles of the trail is along the river, so great. We did rainbow falls trail and it was definitely a work out, but the falls was worth it. Although I will say we did it with a 1 year old on a shoulder carrier and having done it now, I would probably just stick with doing the Jones gap falls trail next time with our kiddo cause its an easier shorter trail. Super glad we stopped by this park though. Also pictured is a family of snakes right next to the sign in front of the trout pond.

Incredible! Jones Gap State Park is a must! I suggest making reservations for camping. Especially weekends. The river and falls are just dreamy! I love that they have big and clean restrooms and a very cute store. We highly recommend this state park but please take the winding roads slow that lead to the park, slow. Some people were going way too fast. That could lead to catastrophe. Also plan to walk quite a bit at the park. Bring food and water. Be careful and enjoy nature’s beauty!

Remote SC state park. Beautiful setting with restrooms and camping store full of goodies for everyone. Multiple hike are available along the river to ridge hiking. One of the best is rainbow falls 4.3 miles moderate to strenuous over short distances. The falls is spectacular does not disappoint.

My favorite place to camp so far. Summer is hot, but there is fantastic tree cover. We had very few mosquitoes, though larger insects are abundant. The hikes are best suited for quite capable hikers, as there are many flights of stairs and the climbs are steep. Over-all this park is gorgeous and clean. Staff are pleasant and informative. Just be sure to bring plenty of water with you, you know the drill. Phenomenal photography potential.

This is my absolute favorite state park in south Carolina! Tons of awesome hiking trails " that aren't crowded! " an more waterfalls than you can shake a stick at! The main trail has really nice camp site along the river, easy to get to."I'd recommend some of the further out sites if you are into backpacking!" You can hike all the way to Caesars head park if that's your thing!...the most popular trail is rainbow falls. Impressive falls, easy trail. Some of the more technical trails are my favorite though. Rim of the gap is probably the hardest in the park, but totally worth the effort! The trail goes across several water falls close to cliffs overlooking the park valley. "Be prepared! Not a novice trail!" Overall, park has something for everyone! Picnic areas, restrooms, ranger station has snacks an info, camping & hiking. An it's a PACK IT OUT park, so please do not litter in this BEAUTIFUL park! have fun! ?