Table Rock State Park’s numbers tell several stories at once. Elevations explain the scale of the mountains. Trail distances help you choose an outing. Dates reveal the work that transformed the area into a public park. The most interesting facts connect those measurements with what you can notice on a visit.

This guide uses park publications, the Foothills Trail Conservancy, and historic preservation records. Current facility information was checked October 10, 2026. Distances and elevations are the figures published by the cited sources, rather than promises of what a GPS will record; facility counts do not mean every space is available to book.

The landscape in numbers

1. The park covers 3,083 acres

The park’s education overview gives the specific acreage behind the frequently rounded “3,000-acre park” description. That is about 4.82 square miles, calculated by dividing acres by 640. The figure describes the whole park, not just the buildings and lakefront areas most visitors see. Source: park education overview.

2. Table Rock Mountain is listed at 3,124 feet

The official map labels Table Rock Mountain at 3,124 feet above sea level. Summit elevation and elevation gain measure different things: the first is height above sea level, while the second is the climb from a starting point. Mixing them can make a hike sound much longer vertically than it is. Source: official park map.

3. Pinnacle Mountain is higher than the park’s namesake

The same map gives Pinnacle Mountain an elevation of 3,425 feet—301 feet higher than Table Rock, using those published figures. The mountain with the most recognizable profile is not the higher of the two. A prominent rock face and a higher summit offer different reasons to notice the landscape. Source: official park map.

4. The park has more than 12 miles of hiking trails

The park’s education overview lists over twelve miles of trails. That total describes a network, not a single outing, and not twelve miles of easy walking. Choose a named route and check its distance and difficulty rather than using the overall mileage to judge what a visit will require. Source: park education overview.

Trail facts that change how you plan

5. The Table Rock hike is 3.6 miles each way

SC Trails lists the route as 3.6 miles one way, making the straightforward return trip approximately 7.2 miles. The return trip should be in the plan from the start. A summit photograph represents only part of a day that also includes the descent. Source: SC Trails description.

6. The summit route climbs about 2,000 feet

SC Trails describes a 2,000-foot ascent. The park rates Table Rock Trail very strenuous, so a modest-looking distance on a map should not be mistaken for an easy walk. Our Table Rock trail guide helps put the route in context. Source: SC Trails description.

7. Five hours is an estimate, not a deadline

The park FAQ estimates three hours up and two hours down for an average hiker. Your pace, rests, weather, and conditions can change the total. Use the estimate as a starting point for planning, with enough daylight for your own group, rather than as a time you are expected to beat. Source: park FAQs.

8. Carrick Creek is a two-mile loop rated moderate

The official description pairs a two-mile loop with a moderate rating. Its short distance relative to the summit trails does not make the full route universally easy. See our Carrick Creek guide to understand the difference between a waterfall visit and completing the loop. Source: park trail descriptions.

9. Stool Mountain adds a 5.4-mile return hike

The park lists Stool Mountain Trail at 2.7 miles each way, gaining more than 1,500 feet and rated strenuous to very strenuous. Blue-over-white blazes identify it. The story of Stool Mountain gives another reason to know the neighboring summit. Source: park trail descriptions.

10. The easier lakeside option is a 1.9-mile loop

SC Trails lists Lakeside Trail as a natural-surface, easy loop marked with purple blazes. It offers a different kind of visit from a mountain climb. “Easy” remains a relative trail rating, so assess the surface, weather, and your group’s needs before choosing it. Source: SC Trails lakeside guide.

11. The Lakeside Trail loop was completed in 2011

Its story spans two eras: the CCC began the route in the mid-1930s, and the full loop was completed in 2011. A walk can therefore pass historic features while using a route shaped by later work. Not every part of today’s visitor experience was finished in the park’s opening years. Source: SC Trails lakeside guide.

12. The Conservancy now describes the Foothills Trail as 77 miles

The Conservancy’s current overview lists 77 miles and names Table Rock as a major trailhead. The park introduction still says 76 miles. These published totals differ; use the Conservancy’s current maps and conditions for a backpacking plan rather than relying on a rounded number in a general article. Source: Foothills Trail Conservancy.

Two lakes, different visitor uses

13. Lake Oolenoy covers a published 67 acres

The activity guide identifies Lake Oolenoy as the park’s larger of two recreational lakes. Distinguish the lakes by name before planning a boat outing or meeting someone. A lake’s acreage reflects its published surface area, not a guarantee of conditions on any given day. Source: park activity guide.

14. Pinnacle Lake covers a published 36 acres

The smaller lake is closely associated with the park’s historic recreation area. The two published acreages add to 103 acres, but they describe separate bodies of water. That combined total is arithmetic, not a third lake or a measurement of the full watershed. Source: park activity guide.

15. Regular park boat rentals are for Pinnacle Lake

The current activity guide places rental canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, and pedal boats on Pinnacle Lake. Do not transfer those rental instructions to Lake Oolenoy because it is larger. Confirm availability and conditions before planning a paddling day that depends on a rental. Source: park activity guide.

16. Gas motors are prohibited on Lake Oolenoy

The park permits paddle-powered boats and electric trolling motors there and directs private launches to the boat ramp. The restriction matters when choosing which equipment to bring. A peaceful lake outing still requires checking the rules for the water you plan to use. Source: park activity guide.

The CCC years left more than cabins

17. Table Rock belongs to a legacy of 16 CCC-built state parks

South Carolina State Parks identifies Table Rock as one of sixteen parks developed through the Civilian Conservation Corps. The connection links a foothills holiday destination with the New Deal’s public works and employment story. The structures are useful places to look for that history, alongside the scenery. Source: State Parks CCC history.

18. Two CCC camps shared the development work

The camp nomination identifies SP-5 and SP-6. SP-5 handled broader development, while SP-6 concentrated on the dam and spillway. They also closed at different times: SP-6 in June 1937 and SP-5 in late October 1941. Treating them as one camp with one ending date misses that division of work. Source: CCC camp nomination.

19. The park officially opened on April 4, 1938

The historic district nomination records the opening date and an estimated five hundred visitors that day. It also explains that some facilities were still under construction. Opening to the public was a milestone in an ongoing project, not proof that everything visitors know today was already complete. Source: historic district nomination.

20. Pinnacle Lake was formed by impounding Carrick Creek

The nomination identifies the creek and describes the dam’s stepped granite construction, designed to create a waterfall effect. It is a useful reminder that a scenic feature can also be engineered infrastructure. This documented account applies to Pinnacle Lake; it does not establish that both park lakes were CCC projects. Source: historic district nomination.

21. The lodge’s story includes 1938 and 2005

State Parks describes the lodge as constructed in 1938 and restored in 2005. Its location above Pinnacle Lake connects the architecture to the view. Our guide to Table Rock experiences beyond hiking offers more ways to enjoy the park’s wider setting. Source: State Parks CCC history.

Staying here connects recreation and preservation

22. Nine cabins are identified as CCC-built

The state tourism history identifies nine of Table Rock’s cabins as CCC-built. That gives overnight lodging a historical dimension. It does not mean every rental cabin dates to the 1930s or that every fitting is original; a historic building can remain in use through restoration and later improvements. Source: South Carolina tourism history.

23. The park lists fourteen rental cabins overall

The lodging guide lists fourteen cabins, with one-, two-, and three-bedroom options. Cabin capacity varies, so select a particular unit rather than assuming one standard size. The published inventory is not the same thing as live availability for your chosen dates. Source: official cabin guide.

24. The 94 standard campsites are split between two areas

The camping guide describes a 69-site area near the entrance and a 25-site area near White Oaks. Together they account for the published 94 standard sites with water and electricity. Primitive sites are a separate category, and camping along the park hiking-trail system is prohibited. Source: official camping guide.

25. The historic district entered the National Register on June 15, 1989

The state property record gives an exact listing date for the Table Rock State Park Historic District. The district designation recognizes a collection of historic resources, not merely the mountain. It is separate from the CCC camp-site listing, which should not be assigned the district’s date without its own record. Source: state historic-property record.

A good Table Rock visit need not include every feature on this list. One trail, a lake view, or time spent noticing the historic craftsmanship can be enough. The numbers clarify those choices; the place itself gives them meaning.