Lake James, NC

Lake James is a beautiful area. It was the beginning of June when I visited and the day was hot, muggy with abundant sunshine...in other words it was a gorgeous North Carolina day! I arrived at Lake James State Park in North Carolina around 8:30am and proceeded to get my bearings until the visitor center opened at 9:00. The woman managing the visitor center was super friendly and answered all of my questions, also providing insight on a good place to launch my kayak and the can't miss hikes in both sections of the park.

The park is broken up into two sections, Paddy's Creek, where the visitor's center, beach area, camping, hiking and mountain biking are located...to name some what is offered. I decided to head for the other section of the park, Catawba River, where there is more hiking, camping and a good place to put-in. Well, long story short, I didn't feel comfortable with the launch site because I felt like I was bushwhacking off trail to get to it. I like to stay on trail whenever possible, to reduce erosion and unnecessary where on an area. So I headed to Hidden Cove boat ramp. One of two in the immediate area, the other being Canal Bridge Boat Ramp.

It was a weekday and Hidden Cove boat ramp was not crowded at all. It is a cove, it is hidden and it is beautiful. It is a small cove surrounded by trees and the water is exceptionally clear and an amazing shade of green. I put-in and decided to head toward the Catawba River section of the State Park. There were few boats on the water that day and there was a slight breeze...Awesome!! I will let the photos do the talking about how perfect a day it was. Click on the photos in the portfolio section for information on where they were taken.

After kayaking I drove back to the Catawba River area for a hike. I hiked the Lake Channel Overlook trail. A three mile out and back trail. A must do if you visit the park. It follows the shore of Lake James, through shaded woods, eventually gaining some elevation before you arrive at the wood decked overlook. I was able to gaze out at what I had just kayaked. It was stunning from the higher vantage point.

I spent the remainder of the day exploring Paddy's Creek at Lake James State Park. I also visited the Lake James Marina that it situated between the two section of Lake James State Park. Finally I drove through the picturesque town of Morganton. I definitely need to plan another quest in this area, branching out into nearby Lineville Gorge and the town of Linville Falls. I recommend a visit to this area, the surrounding area and everything it has to offer.