Surrounded by four states, and with the sparkling waters of the Atlantic Ocean on its eastern side, North Carolina is home to some jaw-dropping state parks.
Presenting scintillating landscapes of dense forests, soaring mountains, raging rivers and sparkling lakes, they provide wonderful places to escape from the hustle and bustle of life in Bryson City.
If you are the kind of individual who needs to reconnect with nature on a regular basis, this list of 7 of the best state parks near Bryson City should give you some inspiration of where to go.
Prime spots for swimming, fishing, hiking, boating and camping, opportunities for which are plentiful at all of these destinations, they are perfect spots to rest and relax.
Map of State Parks Near Bryson City NC
Here is a map of the North Carolina state parks covered in this post:
List of State Parks Near Bryson City
All of these 7 state parks near Bryson City can be reached within a 4 hour drive. They also have a range of camping facilities available too for those who want to stay for a few days.
1. Roundtop Mountain State Natural Area
Distance from Bryson City: about 22 miles northwest of Bryson City (straight-line).
Roundtop Mountain State Natural Area covers 237 acres in Sevier County, Tennessee.
See our full Roundtop Mountain State Natural Area guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
2. Black Rock Mountain State Park
Distance from Bryson City: about 36 miles south of Bryson City (straight-line).
Black Rock Mountain State Park is a 1,743-acre (705 ha) Georgia, United States, state park west of Mountain City in Rabun County, in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
See our full Black Rock Mountain State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
3. Gorges State Park
Distance from Bryson City: about 36 miles southeast of Bryson City (straight-line).
Location: 976 Grassy Ridge Rd, Sapphire, NC
Gorges State Park is a 7,709-acre (31.20 km2) North Carolina state park in Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States and along with other conservation lands is part of a 100,000+ acre conservation corridor stretching some 80 miles along the NC/SC state line.
See our full Gorges State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
4. Sliding Rock Recreation Area
Distance from Bryson City: about 39 miles east of Bryson City (straight-line).
Location: Art Loeb Trail, North Carolina
Sliding Rock Recreation Area is a recreation area in Transylvania County, North Carolina. It is not a state park: the USDA Forest Service runs it in Pisgah National Forest, and a per-person day-use fee applies.
See our full Sliding Rock Recreation Area guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
5. Moccasin Creek State Park
Distance from Bryson City: about 41 miles south of Bryson City (straight-line).
Moccasin Creek State Park covers 32 acres in Georgia. Established 1966.
On the shore of Lake Burton in the Chattahoochee National Forest, 32-acre Moccasin Creek State Park has a 53-site campground, a boat dock and ramp, and an accessible fishing pier on a trout creek reserved for anglers 65 and older, children 11 and younger and holders of a Georgia disability fishing license. Source: Georgia State Parks, checked October 2026.
See our full Moccasin Creek State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
6. Devils Fork State Park
Distance from Bryson City: about 43 miles southeast of Bryson City (straight-line).
Location: 161 Holcombe Circle, Salem, SC 29676
Devils Fork State Park is in northwestern South Carolina on the eastern edge of the Sumter National Forest at the edge of 7,500-acre (3,035 ha) Lake Jocassee.
See our full Devils Fork State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
7. Oconee State Park
Distance from Bryson City: about 44 miles southeast of Bryson City (straight-line).
Location: Mountain Rest, South Carolina
Oconee Station was established in 1792 as a blockhouse on the South Carolina frontier.
See our full Oconee State Park guide for fees, hours, and what to expect.
