Lake James

Lake James SP https://www.ncparks.gov/lake-james-state-park/home https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_James_State_Park Lake James State Park is located in Burke and McDowell Counties, North Carolina. It covers 3,743 acres (15.15 km2) and borders 6,510-acre (26 km2) of Lake James. Along with boating, swimming and fishing in the beautiful, clear waters of the 6,812-acre lake, there are 25 miles of trails, 15 of which are open to mountain biking. Trails vary from the short, educational Holly Discovery Trail with child-friendly activities, to the more adventurous, historic section of the Overmountain Victory Trail. There are three campgrounds. The Catawba River Area has 20 walk-in campsites, many of which offer lake views. The Paddy’s Creek Area has 33 drive-to, family-friendly campsites. The remote boat-in campground on the Long Arm Peninsula offers a true outdoor adventure for those willing to paddle or steer their canoes, kayaks or powerboats to their own slice of heaven. Boat ramps at Hidden Cove and Canal Bridge on NC 126 are located between the park’s two day-use areas. And, canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals are available at the Paddy’s Creek Area concession stand from May through September.

Lake James TRAILS State Park Paddy’s Creek Area Hiking Trails Holly Discovery Trail ▲ red easy 0.75 mile Overmountain Victory Trail ▲ white moderate 2.0 miles Paddy’s Creek Trail ▲ orange moderate 1.0 mile ON THE WATER Homestead Trail ▲▲ blue/white easy 0.5 mile Mill’s Creek Trail ▲ blue moderate 3.6 miles Swimming is permitted in the Paddy’s Creek Area within the designated swimming area. The swimming area is open May 1 through Sept. 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily. A fee is charged for adults and children. Paddy’s Creek Area Biking Trails Upper Tindo Loop ● blue easy 1.4 miles Lower Tindo Loop ● blue easy 1.4 miles Boating: Stand-up paddleboards, canoes and kayaks may be rented for a fee from the concession stand in the Paddy’s Creek Area, which is open seasonally. Two boat ramps, Hidden Cove and Canal Bridge, offer boater access to Lake James. The Hidden Cove boat ramp is operated according to park hours and must be vacated by closing time and is closed during the winter months. The boat ramp at Canal Bridge is open 24 hours a day, throughout the year. West Wimba Loop ● orange moderate 6.0 miles East Wimba Loop ● red moderate 4.4 miles moderate 6.8 miles easy 0.3 mile ACTIVITIES PARK INFORMATION Lake James State Park 7321 N.C. 126 Nebo, NC 28761 Office: 828-584-7728 GPS: 35.0378, -81.892075 lake.james@ncparks.gov Please visit the North Carolina State Parks website or contact the park office for the most current information about seasonal hours, activities, alerts, camping fees, programs, rules and weather. AT A GLANCE Fishing: The cool flow into the depths of Lake James, creating a perfect environment for the many game fish that swim here. Cast your line in the cool mountain waters of the Linville and Catawba rivers to catch largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, white bass, crappie, bluegill, redbreast sunfish, muskellunge, carp and perch. A fishing license is required, and all anglers must adhere to the regulations of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. CAMPING Established: 1987 Landmark: Paddy’s Creek bridge, a wooden, arched bridge with great views of the sunrise You can find...bald eagles: Lake James hosts a healthy population of eagles throughout the year, including a nest site that has been active for more than a decade. Trails: 14 trails ›› 1 Kids TRACK trail – Overmountain Victory Trail ›› 32.6 miles of hiking ›› 20 miles of biking Accesses: Paddy’s Creek, Catawba River and Fonta Flora State Trail Lake James State Park offers three tent camping areas. The Catawba River Area has 20 walk-in campsites, many of which offer lake views. The Paddy’s Creek Area has 33 drive-to campsites. The remote boatin campground on the Long Arm Peninsula offers a true outdoor adventure for those willing to paddle or steer their canoes, kayaks or powerboats to their own slice of heaven. Visit the website or contact the park office for more information about amenities, facilities, and accessible campsites. PICNICKING You bring the food and we’ll supply the atmosphere. There are picnic areas available on a first-come, first-served basis at both the Catawba River and Paddy’s Creek areas of Lake James State Park. Picnic sites include tables, outdoor grills and trash and recycling receptacles. Drinking water and restrooms are located within a short walk of all picnic sites. Three large picnic shelters can accommodate up to 100 people and are available by reservation or first-come, first-serve. Fonta Flora State Trail red-orange Catawba River Area Hiking Trails Fishing Pier ■ blue Fox Den Loop ▲ orange moderate 2.25 miles Lake Channel Overlook ◆ red moderate 1.5 miles Sandy Cliff Overlook ● white easy 0.5 mile FLORA AND FAUNA • • • • • • • • • • Deer Flying squirrel Red fox Rabbit Muskrat Mink Eastern box turtle Red salamander Tree frogs Fence lizard • • • • • • • • • • Green heron Belted kingfisher Pileated wookdpecker Bald eagle Pink lady slipper Jack-in-the-pulpit Passion flower Indian pipe Mountain laurel Flame azalea 

Paddy’s Creek Area 126 Enlarged East Wimba Loop Paddy’s Creek Area NC 126 Lake James North Catawba River Area 0 2,000 4,000 Feet West Wimba Loop 09/15 Upper Tindo Loop Legend Biking Trail Hiking Trail Hospital - 911 McDowell 828-659-5000 Morganton 828-580-5000 Park Boundary Parking Roads North 0 500 1,000 Lower Tindo Loop Trails Paddy’s Creek Area Homestead Upper Tindo Loop Lower Tindo Loop West Wimba Loop East Wimba Loop 2,000 feet Homestead blaze difficulty distance Blue/White Blue Blue Orange Red easy easy easy moderate moderate 0.7 mi. 1.4 mi. 1.4 mi. 6.0 mi. 4.4 mi. 

Lak eC han 2785 NC 126, Nebo, NC 28761 GPS: 35.728710,-81.901123 lake.james@ncparks.gov (828) 584-7728 nel Ove rloo k LAKE JAMES Accessible 10 Host Campsite 1 2 11 Firewood rlo Park Boundary 3 ok 12 Tr a il HC 5 4 Bathhouse Campsites 6 9 Amphitheater 20 7 8 ne 17 20 19 Point of Interest Roads Boat Dock Trails La ke 16 an 15 Ch 14 Parking lO ve 13 18 HC Trash Bin Water Spigot North Lake C hannel 0 75 150 300 450 Feet Overlo ok Tra il 10/13 

Paddy’s Creek Drive-To Campground P09 P24 P25 P10 P23 P26 P11 P22 P06 P04 P05 P02 P20 P13 P19 P28 P07 P03 P12 P21 P27 P08 P29 P18 P30 P17 P31 P16 P32 P15 P33 P14 LEGEND P01 Bathhouse P01 Campsite Hiking Trail Roads 

Long Arm Paddle-In Campground L02 L04 L01 Long Arm Camping Area 1 L03 L10 L05 L06 L11 L12 L13 L15 L07 L01 Campsite Restrooms Roads Water L09 Long Arm Camping Area 2 L14 L16 L17 L21 L18 L20 L19 LEGEND L08 L22 Long Arm Camping Area 3 L30 L29 L23 L24 L25 L28 L27 L26 

Pettigrew State Park South Mountains State Park – 2018 Park of the Year Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation manages more than 234,000 acres of iconic landscape across our state in our parks, recreation areas and natural areas with a mission dedicated to conservation, recreation and education. The state parks system welcomed more than 19 million visitors in 2017. Discover More with a Ranger Across North Carolina, state park rangers are proud of our parks and eager to welcome you and your family. Come to our parks to marvel at our state’s most beautiful natural resources, enjoy your favorite outdoor activities and learn about the rich science, culture and history that make our parks great. Fun facts about North Carolina State Parks ■■ There are 41 places to visit, including 34 parks, four recreation areas and three staffed state natural areas. ■■ The Division manages four state rivers, seven state lakes and six state trails. ■■ There are about 581 miles of trail to explore in our parks. ■■ The first state park created was Mount Mitchell State Park on March 3, 1915. Fort Macon State Park was the second. ■■ The Division celebrated 100 years of being Naturally Wonderful in 2016. ■■ Parks that welcome over 1 million visitors annually include: Jockey’s Ridge, Fort Macon and William B. Umstead state parks and Falls Lake, Jordan Lake and Kerr Lake state recreation areas. ■■ The Division employs over 1,000 people across the state. ■■ Some www.ncparks.gov M N P Q Roy Cooper Governor unique activities you can do in our parks include: wind surfing and hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, cross country skiing and snow shoeing at Elk Knob State Park, driving on the four-wheel-drive beach at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and rock climbing at Chimney Rock, Crowders Mountain, Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain and Stone Mountain state parks. Susi H. Hamilton Secretary 75,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $10,707.92 or $0.14 each. 03/18 Did you know that many plants atop Mount Mitchell are rare in North Carolina but common in Quebec? That the giant sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge are constantly moving? Do you know how to safely hold a crayfish? From fishing lessons to astronomy programs and tree identification hikes to guided paddles, parks offer programs for all ages. Visit our website for a list of upcoming programs at each park. Junior Rangers The Junior Ranger program offers educational and skill-based activities to encourage children to explore the outdoors. Children can complete activity guides, geared for ages 6-12, and attend ranger programs to earn a junior ranger patch unique to each park. Ask about the program at a park office or download the guide at: www.ncparks.gov/junior-rangers. Environmental Education Learning Experiences Parks have their own curriculum guides that are correlated to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Competency goals in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts are available. Each program includes pre-visit, on-site and post-visit student activities that have measurable objectives, background information, vocabulary, references and step-bystep activity instructions. Passport Program How many state parks can you visit? Use your passport as a guide and collect stamps, earn prizes and make “Naturally Wonderful” memories! Pick up your passport at a state park near you. North Carolina State Parks 100-Mile Challenge Can you hike, bike or paddle 100 miles in a year? Join the N.C. State Parks’ 100-Mile Challenge and log your miles online to earn digital badges and redeem prizes as you reach various milestones! This is a great way to get outside, get moving and keep track of your activity. Visit www.nc100miles.org to sign up. ■■ Several parks have educational trails, called TRACK trails, that include activities for children to complete along the way. William B. Umstead State Park Jockey’s Ridge State Park Friends Of State Parks Join the Friends of State Parks to help support, promote and advocate for the parks system as a whole, or join the friends group of your favorite park. The group helps provide funding for Junior Ranger and Youth in Parks – Environmental Education programs, as well as grants for state parks projects. You can also make a donation to help keep our parks around for future generations. Learn more at www.ncfsp.org or www.ncparks.gov/support-your-parks. Merchandise Want to show your N.C. State Parks pride? Visit the online webstore and purchase products such as coffee mugs, prints, t-shirts, pins, patches and Christmas ornaments. This exclusive merchandise makes a great gift for special state parks fans, including yourself. www.ncparkstore.com N.C. State Parks License Plate Show your support for state parks every time you drive your vehicle! Purchase an N.C. State Parks license plate through the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicl