Lakes of the Upstate

Lake jocassee sc travel guide lakes of upstate SC
Lake Jocassee, SC

The lakes of Upstate SC render various adventures and majestically landscaped property. You can be on the water with the backdrop of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains at Lake Jocassee, or enjoy water sports on Lake Hartwell.

tubing at lake hartwell sc travel guide lakes of upstate sc
Tubing at Lake Hartwell, SC

There is never a dull moment in the upstate of South Carolina if you love the combination of the great outdoors and water sports. Cruise on one of the many lakes of Upstate SC and enjoy activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, water skiing, or jump on the wave runner going full speed ahead.  There is something for everyone on these beautiful bodies of water. Check out the various lakes throughout the upstate below.

Lake Keowee  (Oconee County) Lakes of Upstate SC

Lake keowee sc travel guide
Lake Keowee, SC

This is a man-made reservoir located in the upstate of South Carolina.  Lake Keowee was created to serve the needs of Duke power (local power company).  It was also made for public recreational purposes such as boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, fishing, and swimming.  It is approximately 26 miles long, 3 miles wide, with an average depth of 54 feet. For more information about Lake Keowee, please visit this Wiki

Lake Jocassee (Seneca, SC) Lakes of Upstate SC

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Lake Jocassee, SC

Another lake of Upstate SC is Lake Jocassee. It is located in the Northwest part of the state in Seneca, SC.  It was created by the state in partnership with Duke Energy, our local power company in 1973.  Although most man-made structures were removed before the creation of the lake, discoveries were made recently by divers of the remains of an old lodge and Mount Carmel Baptist Church Cemetery, which is 300 feet underwater.  Portions of the lake were used in the 1972 film The Deliverance, starring Burt Reynolds.  The lake is located on 7,500 acres and is 300 foot deep. For more information about Lake Jocassee please visit http://lakejocassee.com/

Lake Hartwell (Anderson, SC) Lakes of Upstate SC

lake hartwell sc pictures sc travel guide
Lake Hartwell in the Evening

Lake Hartwell is another man-made lake bordering Georgia and South Carolina.  Parts of the reservoir are located in Anderson, SC. Lake Hartwell is one of the largest and most popular recreational lakes in the southeast.  The entire lake covers 56,000 acres of water with a shoreline of 962 miles.  The entire Lake Hartwell property contains 76,450 acres of land and water. If you are looking for one of the best lakes in Upstate SC, Lake Hartwell is a definite must visit! For more information about Lake Hartwell, please visit http://southcarolinaparks.com/lake-hartwell

Lake Bowen (Spartanburg, SC) Lakes of Upstate SC

Lake Bowen Spartanburg SC SC travel guide

Another lake of Upstate, SC is Lake Bowen.  It encompasses 1,534 acres and contains 33 miles of shoreline.  Lake Bowen offers many recreational activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, tubing and water skiing. Visitors can enjoy a picnic at Anchor Park, which offers picnic pavilions, waterfront access for fishing,  a playground, two boat ramps, and a ranger’s station. For more information on Lake Bowen, please visit http://spartanburgparks.org/lakes/lake-bowen

Lake keowee sc travel guide fun in the sun lakes of upstate sc
Lake Keowee, SC

This is just one way you can get away from the city life and be in God’s landscapes of true beauty within a matter of minutes. There are various Lakes you can spend the day at, or plan a weekend camping trip.  If you want something more secluded, check out some of our smaller lakes and ponds throughout the upstate.

Many of the lakes and rivers in the Upstate are part of state parks system where camping sites are available for RV or tent camping.

For more stories like this one, visit Upstate