Lake James

Lake James, a 6,516-acre body of water with 150 miles of shoreline in western North Carolina, lies tucked into the Blue Ridge Mountains. The lake was built by Duke Power between 1916 and 1923 using the Catawba, Linville, and Paddy Creek dams. At 1200 feet above sea level, Lake James is the highest lake in the Catawba River chain. Despite being created by Duke Power to supply the local area with hydroelectric power, Lake James has grown into one of the top tourist attractions in the region. Low-density housing makes up the majority of lake development.

Boating will be at the top of your list of things to do when you visit Lake James. You can opt to zoom around in a powerboat, test the winds in a sailboat, take in the scenery from a pontoon boat, or take your time in a canoe because the lake has no speed or horsepower restrictions. Four boat ramps, a fishing access area, and a canoe and fishing access area are all owned by Duke Power. Two boat access points, Hidden Cove and Canal Bridge, are leased by Lake James State Park from the utility. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Duke Power work together to oversee the Bridgewater canoe and fishing area as well as the other two boat access points, Black Bear and Linville. In addition, public boat access is offered by four commercial marinas.

Location: Burke / McDowell counties