Kayaking Lake Jocassee: A One-Day Trip Guide

Local Summer Favorites: Part 3

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“Have you ever been here before?”

No.

“Well, welcome to paradise.”

That was our introduction to Lake Jocassee.

We had arrived at Eclectic Sun a little before 9 on a Wednesday morning, after leaving Morganton at 6 a.m. for the drive into South Carolina. Debbie was already there and ready for us, even though we'd beaten opening time by a few minutes.

She pulled out a map of the lake, asked what we hoped to do with our eight-hour kayak rental, and started helping us plan our day.

I'd been wanting to visit Lake Jocassee for a while. I'd also been putting it off.

Jocassee seemed like somewhere we should camp. It's a long drive for a day trip, the campsites at Devils Fork State Park sit right along the water, and everything I'd seen made it look like a place that deserved several days rather than several hours.

But I couldn't seem to find time for the camping trip.

So we finally stopped waiting and went for the day.

I'm so glad we did.

First Look at Lake Jocassee

Our first sight of the lake was moving.

It's difficult to explain exactly what makes Jocassee so much more beautiful than other mountain lakes I've visited. The water is intensely blue. Mountains rise directly from its edges. Almost nothing interrupts the forest along the shoreline.

And it is quiet.

Lake Jocassee covers more than 7,500 acres, but most of its shoreline remains undeveloped. Devils Fork State Park is its only public access point, and the lake is surrounded by the protected landscape of the Jocassee Gorges.

We were there on a weekday after school had started, and when we arrived that morning, we were the only customers at Eclectic Sun.

For most of the day, it felt like we had an enormous piece of the lake to ourselves.

*Our kayaks were waiting at the edge of the water. Checking in and getting started couldn’t have been easier.*

Renting Kayaks From Eclectic Sun

We reserved single sit-on-top kayaks fromEclectic Sun, the on-site boat rental concession at Devils Fork State Park. They rent kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and pontoons directly on Lake Jocassee, so there's no need to transport equipment yourself.

We chose the eight-hour rental for $70 per person, which included our kayaks, paddles and life jackets.

The kayaks had plenty of room in the front and back for towels, extra clothes, drinks and food. One thing I'd clarify before your trip is the dry bag situation. I'd read online that one was provided and assumed that meant something large enough for towels and other gear. The bag available to us was only large enough for a phone. Eclectic Sun technically no longer provides them because previous bags weren't treated well by renters, but they gave us a small one at no charge when I asked.

If you want to keep clothes, towels or food dry, bring your own.

Debbie also gave us her cell number, which was posted on the kayaks, and told us to call if we needed anything while we were out.

More importantly, she knew the lake.

Where to Go When You Have Eight Hours

I had waterfalls in mind, of course.

Debbie explained that Wright Creek Falls, a three-tier waterfall and one of the most impressive on the lake, would require roughly four hours of straight paddling each way from our launch.

We hadn't kayaked in several years. My 13-year-old would be paddling his own boat. And neither of us knew how we'd feel after hours on the water.

Debbie suggested something much more reasonable for a first trip: paddle to Bad Creek Falls first, then take our time exploring coves on the way back.

It was excellent advice.

She showed us the route on a map and explained how to position ourselves to stay out of the way of motorized boat traffic.

Then we headed out into the beauty of the lake.

*Cloud reflections rippling on the cleanest, clearest lake in the southeast*

Two Hours to Bad Creek Falls

I'm glad we started early.

The morning light over Jocassee was softer than it would be later in the day, so over eight hours we got to watch the lake change from the muted light of morning into the brilliant blue of full sun.

The wind was noticeable but never severe. Staying fairly close to shore helped, and as we settled into the kayaks, we gradually found our rhythm.

It took us about two hours to reach Bad Creek Falls.

Finding it wasn't quite as straightforward as I'd expected.

Some of the landmarks Debbie had described were difficult to recognize from water level, and the shoreline didn't look exactly like either the map we'd been shown or Google Maps. Lake Jocassee was unusually low during our visit. Debbie told us Duke Energy controls the lake level and estimated it was about 10 feet below full pond.

The difference was visible everywhere.

Wide bands of exposed rock and earth separated the water from the wooded shoreline, revealing areas that would normally be submerged. The lower water may also have changed the appearance of some of the coves and landmarks we were trying to identify.

After about 2 hours of paddling we found Bad Creek falls tucked in the back of a quiet cove.

Cold Water, Warm Rocks and Our Own Waterfall

Bad Creek Falls wasn't enormous, but the setting made it special.

We had it completely to ourselves.

We pulled the kayaks onto exposed rocks near the falls, found a sunny place to sit and ate a snack beside the rushing water.

And then we got in.

The contrast was startling.

Lake Jocassee had been far warmer than we expected. Even first thing in the morning, getting into the lake didn't require that moment of bracing yourself against cold mountain water. Official park information puts Jocassee's summer surface temperatures around 75 to 78 degrees.

The water pouring down Bad Creek Falls was much colder.

After paddling in the sun, it felt incredible.

My son snorkeled while tiny fish moved through the clear water around us. We swam, climbed around the rocks and stayed long enough that the waterfall became more than a destination to check off a list.

Then we got back into the kayaks and started wandering.

*Swimming with the fish at Bad Creek Falls*

The Best Part Was Having Nowhere Else to Be

This is why I'm glad we rented the kayaks for eight hours.

We didn't have to keep checking the time.

On the way back, we paddled into coves simply because they looked interesting. Some appeared to continue into creeks until we'd round the final bend and discover we'd reached a dead end. Debbie had told us there were creeks that could be followed toward additional waterfalls, but with the lake so low, we didn't find any that we could navigate.

We did find another small waterfall tucked into one of the coves.

We also found beaches everywhere.

Some were sandy. Others were rocky. In places the shoreline turned to soft clay beneath our feet. We could pull the kayaks ashore easily, get out, explore, swim, and then keep going.

We found quartz and mica along the beaches. Fish gathered around the shaded edges of the coves. Dragonflies and butterflies passed by. Carolina Wrens and crows called from the woods, and somewhere beyond the shoreline we could hear the unmistakable calls of Pileated Woodpeckers echoing through the forest.

And everywhere, there was that water.

Sometimes green. Sometimes crystal blue. Always remarkably clear.

South Carolina State Parks describes Jocassee's water as some of the cleanest and clearest in the Southeast, with underwater visibility commonly exceeding 15 feet and sometimes reaching more than 50 feet at depth.

I can only verify that it is some of the prettiest water I have seen anywhere.

*Even with low water levels, there was no shortage of beaches to explore*

A Random Wednesday That Felt Like a Holiday

My favorite moment of the entire day wasn't at a waterfall.

Across from the cove containing Bad Creek Falls, we found a rocky shoreline and stopped again.

There was a broad ledge beneath the water, with a firm rocky bottom rather than the soft clay we'd encountered elsewhere. I found a shallow rock about two feet underwater and sat down.

The water was warm. The sun was shining. Mountains surrounded us, rising beyond that impossibly blue lake.

And I just sat there.

It felt like my birthday.

Not literally. It was a random Wednesday in August.

But it had that same feeling of a day being set apart from ordinary life. Like something was being celebrated. Like somehow we'd stepped outside the normal schedule and landed somewhere we were extraordinarily lucky to be.

That morning Debbie had welcomed us to paradise.

Sitting on that rock, I understood exactly what she meant.

The Lake Has Another World Beneath It

The strange thing about Jocassee is that this landscape, which now feels almost untouched, is actually a reservoir.

Duke Power created Lake Jocassee in 1973 as part of a hydroelectric power project, impounding the Whitewater, Thompson, Toxaway and Horsepasture rivers. Today the lake has about 75 miles of shoreline, an average depth of more than 150 feet and depths exceeding 350 feet.

But before there was a lake, there was the Jocassee Valley.

The area has a much longer Cherokee history, and South Carolina DNR identifies the Vale of Jocassee as part of the Cherokee homeland. The name Jocassee is traditionally translated as "Place of the Lost One."

Later, families lived, farmed and vacationed in the valley.

When the reservoir was created, that landscape disappeared beneath the rising water. Remnants of the former community remain deep below the surface. Among them is Attakulla Lodge, a former summer hotel that remains standing roughly 300 feet underwater and has been explored by highly trained technical divers.

It's an extraordinary thing to think about while paddling across water that appears so wild.

The paradise above the surface has a history beneath it.

*The name Jocassee comes from a Cherokee word meaning "Place of the Lost One"*

What Eight Hours of Kayaking Actually Felt Like

I wasn’t sure that we needed a full 8 hours and considered booking a shorter time slot. If we had reserved less time, we would also have had the flexibility of a later start.

I let my son decide. He opted for 8 hours on the water and the early start.

And it was exactly right for us.

He paddled his own kayak for nearly seven hours altogether and did incredibly well. We had enough time to paddle approximately two hours to Bad Creek Falls, stop there, explore coves and beaches, swim repeatedly, and make our way back without ever feeling that we were racing a clock.

We still didn't see everything.

By the time we needed to return, there were coves we hadn't explored. But we were also ready to come in.

It was a perfect day on the water.

For a first trip, I would choose the eight-hour rental again without hesitation. But I also wouldn't let having only a few hours stop me from going.

And I’d start at 9 to enjoy the morning quiet and stillness on the water, regardless of how long we planned to stay out.

*The day together on the water was one of our all-time best family adventures, we can’t wait to get back*

A Few Things I'd Do the Same Next Time

I'd pack plenty of water and easy food again.

We brought mostly smoothies in jars, which worked great for a day like this. We could drink whenever we wanted, stay hydrated and fueled, and didn't need to stop for a formal meal.

I'd bring two bags: at least one dry bag large enough for towels and extra clothing, plus another bag for drinks and anything else that doesn't need protection.

We started the day in water shoes because we weren't sure what we'd encounter along the shoreline, but it didn't take long before we switched to bare feet. It felt good to have our feet in the water while we paddled, and most of the places we stopped were easy to explore barefoot. We did put our water shoes back on at some of the rockier beaches, so I'd bring them again, even if we don't end up wearing them all day.

I'd bring layers for sun protection and put them on earlier. After hours on open water, we both picked up a little more sun than I'd intended. Long sleeves, pants, and hats would have solved that.

I'd also keep the schedule loose.

Wind on a large mountain lake can shift throughout the day. We had wind against us during portions of both the outward and return paddles. It was never strong enough to cause problems, but when we stopped paddling near the end of the day, we could feel ourselves losing ground.

Budget some energy and extra time for conditions you can't predict.

*Taking a break in the shade and skipping stones from the beach*

Go When Everyone Else Isn't

Our timing may have transformed the experience.

We went on a Wednesday after schools were back in session.

In the morning we saw only a few pontoons. Around midday, there were a handful of kayaks and paddleboards. For hours, the lake was remarkably quiet.

After 4 p.m., motorboat traffic began picking up around the boat launch near Eclectic Sun. It still wasn't particularly busy, but the increased engine noise made me realize just how quiet our day had been.

Devils Fork warns that weekends and holidays can bring heavy visitation and even parking-capacity issues.

If you have the flexibility to go on a weekday, do it.

*Enjoying the cool water and enchanting trickle of a small waterfall*

Next Time, Wright Creek Falls

We didn't attempt Wright Creek Falls on this trip.

When Debbie told us it could take about four hours of continuous paddling each way, that sounded like more than we should commit to on our first kayaking trip in years.

After seeing how well we handled this trip, I'm reconsidering.

Next time, I want to make the trek.

I'd also love to come back and rent a pontoon, which would open up much more of a 7,565-acre lake than we could possibly reach under our own power. Several of Jocassee's waterfalls are accessible only from the water, one of the things that makes exploring the lake by boat so appealing.

And yes, I still want to camp here!

We paddled past the waterfront campsites at the beginning and end of our trip, and spending a few nights beside Jocassee still sounds pretty close to perfect.

But I'm not waiting for that anymore.

I’ll be back the next chance I get, even if it’s just for a day.

*The mountains rising from the water, the mesmerizing shades of blue, the forested shorelines… Jocassee is magical*

Don't Wait for the Camping Trip

From Morganton, Lake Jocassee is a little over two hours away. With our stops for ice and a bathroom break, our drive took about two hours and forty minutes.

We left home at 6 a.m.

We kayaked nearly the entire day.

Then we drove home.

It was a long day.

And I’ll do it again the next chance I get.

Some places become bigger projects in your mind than they need to be. You think you need the campsite, the long weekend, the perfect weather, the complete itinerary.

Lake Jocassee felt like that to me.

It seemed too special for a day trip.

I had it backward.

A place this special is exactly where you should go when all you have is a day.

A vacation can be one day.

And sometimes paradise is waiting for you on a random Wednesday.

*Lake Jocassee is paradise just a short drive away from WNC*

Plan Your Trip

Lake Jocassee is accessed throughDevils Fork State Park in Salem, South Carolina. The park currently charges $8 for adults and $4 for children ages 6 to 15, with children 5 and under free. Tuesdays are currently free admission. Check current park information before traveling because fees and policies can change.

Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and pontoons can be rented directly on the lake through Eclectic Sun. We reserved ahead and chose an eight-hour single-kayak rental. I'd reserve again, particularly during busier parts of the season.

Bring plenty of water and food, sunscreen, a hat, long sleeves, pants, towels, a real dry bag, swimming gear, and water shoes for exploring rocky shorelines. If you're paddling any significant distance, leave enough time and energy for changing wind conditions on the return trip.

One more stop worth making: Whitewater Falls in North Carolina is only about 25 minutes from Devils Fork State Park. We stopped on our way home, and even after a full day on Lake Jocassee, it was absolutely worth the detour. Upper Whitewater Falls drops 411 feet and is often described as the highest waterfall east of the Rockies. The main overlook is only a short walk from the parking area, so it's an easy addition to an already long day.

Ready for your next adventure?

Want more help planning unforgettable summer days in Western North Carolina? Our Waterfall Adventure Guide for Families features 12 waterfalls, organized into ready-to-go adventures, with everything you need to choose your day, plan your route, and get out exploring.

Explore the Waterfall Adventure Guide →