Lake Jocassee, Devils Fork State Park

Devils Fork State Park near Salem, South Carolina, sits on the shore of Lake Jocassee, a reservoir of about 7,500 acres (30 sq km). It was created in 1973 when the state and Duke Power dammed the valley, and it has about 75 miles (120 km) of shoreline. The maximum depth is given as 90 to 99 m (about 300 to 326 feet), depending on the source. The water is known for its clarity. The 622-acre (252 hectare) Devils Fork State Park, established in 1990, is the starting point for boating, canoeing and kayaking.

Several waterfalls flow directly into the lake, including Laurel Fork Falls, Mill Creek Falls, Wright Fork Falls and Moondance Falls. According to Lonely Planet, divers can find a sunken Chinese junk, a submerged cemetery and a half-flooded abandoned water-treatment facility underwater; there is a walk-in launch ramp for them. From mid-March to early April the rare Oconee Bell blooms in the park, and more than 90 percent of the world population grows here. For overnight stays there are campgrounds, RV sites, villas and primitive sites reachable only by boat or paddle.