Lake James State Park Overview

It’s easy to overlook Lake James State Park. The waterlogged park combines 3,500 acres of rolling terrain with a 6,510-acre man-made lake on the southeastern edge of Pisgah National Forest, literally in the shadow of Linville Gorge and the Black Mountains, arguably the most dramatic range in North Carolina. By contrast, Lake James State Park is mellow. But the emerald-green lake offers 150 miles of mostly undeveloped shoreline, hiking trails with dramatic views of the mountains to the west, and a lifetime of boating opportunities on the main channel and in secluded coves.

Boating
The park has two public boat ramps, Hidden Cove and Canal Bridge. The lake is popular with canoeists and powerboaters alike, but the size and nature of this finger lake make it easy to find solitude on one of the coves away from the main channel. The park offers canoe rentals at the Paddy Creek Area ($5 first hour, $3 each additional hour). A handful of primitive islands punctuates the main body of the lake, and the shoreline is dominated by remote channels and steep, forested banks. Large populations of largemouth and smallmouth bass thrive in the mountain water, as do walleye and bluegill, offering anglers plenty of distractions.