When you hear “Table Rock,” you might think of super hard hikes. Yes, some of the hardest hikes in the whole state of South Carolina are accessible from this park, but this park really has something for everyone. We’ve been to every state park in South Carolina and Table Rock is one of our favorites because it pretty much has everything—long hikes, short hikes, pretty views that don’t involve hikes, mountains, waterfalls, a lake, you name it! We even had our own family photos here because we love the scenery here so much.
Table Rock actually does have its own venue for larger weddings, the Gaines Lodge, but it’s also a great place for engagement photos and elopements!
First of all, there’s about a 5-minute drive between the park headquarters and the trailhead, so make sure you know where you’re navigating to because it’s hard to get signal in the park. The trailhead is on State Park Road and the park headquarters is on Ellison Lane. The trailhead has a small waterfall, and there’s another one just a short walk up from it.
The photo below was taken at Carrick Creek Falls, along the Carrick Creek Trail. This is a moderate 2-mile hike and took us about an hour with all the stops for photos. It goes a lot farther than what you see in the photo, but this is where it was safe for me to stand.
If you go to the park headquarters, you’ll see a beautiful view of the mountains over Lake Oolenoy, including the famous Table Rock, which is easily recognizable with its granite face. There’s enough grass in front of the park headquarters to make it look like a big field in front of Table Rock. There is a T-shaped pier on Lake Oolenoy, with one side overlooking the mountains and the other side overlooking more of the water.
In the fall, the visitor center has some beautiful tall grass down by the water. The walkway to the visitor center is lined with beauty berry bushes, which give almost neon purple and green colors.
Also, while you’re in the area, feel free to check out some other nearby state parks, like Caesars Head, Keowee-Toxaway, or Devils Fork! You can also read about our adventures through all 47 state parks in South Carolina! For more information about Table Rock State Park, read about it on the South Carolina State Parks website.
Check out some of my other photos below from around Table Rock State Park, read more about my engagement photo services, or click here to get started with planning your session!
Like What You See?
If you’re envisioning photos like these, click the button below to send me a message, or check out some of my other posts for more inspiration!
