What a gorgeous park, even in the winter time. Since it's winter when I visited, I can't review all of the incredible summer time water sports but I know this park can get busy then. Winter was in incredible time to visit, easy parking, a chance to chat with the staff at the visitor center, and walk around. The lake is beautiful. I've heard that this area did get some hurricane/ storm damage but everything needed to drive around is up and running! Make a plan to visit next time you're nearby. It's about 1 hour drive from downtown Asheville. read more

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This has the look of one of those parks formed around a dam. Don't get me wrong; I'm all for hydroelectric power, but artificial lakes always feel like they're lacking a certain mystique. This park had an impressive visitor center and restrooms were open even after it closed, though neighboring water fountains were not functioning on a hot summer day. The trail I selected was rugged and had occasional waterside views, most notably on a footbridge that offered a mountain vista. Cell service was not great for me, and while I'd hoped to do a zoom meeting on the run I had to return to more urban areas. But if you actually want to get unplugged, the people on boats here appeared to be having a good time. read more

Lake James State Park - Parks Near Me - Nebo, North Carolina

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What a fun and exciting day at the lake. We paid $3 per child and $6 per adult to go swimming while the lifeguards were on duty. The view are just breathtaking, the water is clean, the beach was not overly crowded, and there were multiple places to rent water equipment such as kayaks, boats, and jet skis. We purchased fresh mangos ($10) and a medium icy($5). We also went into the small gift shop and purchased a mug ($20) and a magnet ($6) read more

Lake James State Park - Parks Near Me - Nebo, North Carolina

The Fonta Flora Trail Loop is a must AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/fonta-flora-trail-loop read more

Lake James State Park - Parks Near Me - Nebo, North Carolina

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Beautiful falls after lovely forest hike. Possible for elderly if not disabled and able to negotiate mild to moderate incline.

Finally made my way to this lake and park, one of the many along the Catawba River that flows through western NC. The area and generally anything along the river stays quite muddy, especially if you're downstream of here. I was quite surprised by Lake James though. Deep in the summer, this lake has relatively cool waters when compared to Lake Norman which is further southeast downriver. The water doesn't seem quite as murky and muddy either, though no doubt the mud is hiding in there somewhere. It benefits from its location closer to the mountains. The park is huge with lots of trails for hiking and mountain biking, camping, swimming (for a small fee, but free some days) and boats for rent. There are two access areas plus a peninsula that you can paddle out to and camp on. Alcohol is strictly NOT ALLOWED in NC State Parks by LAW. I've seen a few upset reviews complaining about being asked to get rid of it. It's illegal, plain and simple. Hiking is easy and the park seems to be most popular at the beach/swimming area. The camping also seems to be popular. So the trails are fairly empty and quiet. It's a large park with lots to do. You can easily plan a weekend out of a visit here. And it's convenient to most of western NC. Best spot on the Catawba, frankly. read more

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Best State Park by far. Tent Camping with two different campgrounds. Swimming, hiking, boating, and fishing make this place to enjoy. My only thing is that once the gate closes, there is no place to get a soft drink or snack. Other that that, this place is # 1 in my book. read more

I stayed at one if the walk in camp sites and I was blown away by the beauty of this emerald green lake. My campsite had a view of Grandfather Mtn. Campsites are anywhere from a couple yards walk to about 1/4 mile. Some are more secluded than others. Bathrooms are by the parking lot and are clean (toilet and shower). Blow dryers in the bathrooms. There is a trash can, bear box, grill, and leveled tent spot at every sight. The camp hosts are right up front to offer help if need be. Firewood bundle $7 by cash or credit card. This was a QUIET campground not many people talking or dogs barking. Hiking trails closeby. There is a dock just for the campers. read more

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Went last week of June. Super hot and none of the campsites have shade. Good pad to set your tent up on but if you have a tent that connects to the back of your van, you can't pull your car up to the pad at all. Facilities are super clean. Campsite bathrooms are well maintained and have showers which is good since We had to give our toddler a shower after playing in the grey dust that is used as the main ground cover in the camp. It gets everywhere. There are NO mosquitoes. We didn't use bug spray or candles or anything and we didn't see any mosquitoes or get any bites. The lake was fun. Cost like $20 for family of 4 to swim and it's a smaller swim area. I really wish we had rented a boat or paddle board because that's how you get the full experience. All in all, cool place but not enough nature for a hike loving family. We won't be back read more

We are traveling thru from Raleigh to St. Louis on 40 West and I had packed a picnic lunch to avoid COVID and restaurants as much as possible. What a treat to have this NC State Park located just around 15 minutes off the interstate. We enjoyed a short hike with our dog and used the clean restrooms before our picnic in the wooded area. The area of the park we visited was for picnicking and swimming (not during winter of course). There were restrooms that were open on this beautiful 70 degree December Sunday afternoon. Ample parking and picnic tables available. The space was clean and well maintained. There are trash and recycling bins conveniently located near the picnic area. Socially distancing is totally possible. Visitors wore masks. Another state park off my bucket list. So many to choose from! read more

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We enjoyed a 3-mile hike at Lake James State Park (Lake James Mill'a Creek Trail). The trail head was located near the visitor center / beach area. The hike was easy (little elevation change, cleared path the entire way) and took us about an hour and half the complete. It probably could be completed faster, but we stopped several times along the way to take pictures. Additionally, it is a loop so you start and end at the parking lot. This park is dog-friendly. Most of the trail follows the lake and there are many good spots to take photos where the lake is accessible from the trail. The path is very clearly marked with blue markers the entire way, which made it very easy for us to navigate. The path was flat and well cleared, so it's not completely necessary to use hiking boots (though there was mud in some spots due to a recent rainfall). There is a great beach area with picnic shelters, outdoor showers and restrooms but it is closed for the winter season. Restrooms were clean and well kept. There is a lot of parking. This trail was great for us because we have a small terrier who is dog-reactive and the trail was not heavily trafficked at all. We only saw one other group on the trail while we were there. Highly recommended for family hike. read more

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I haven't been back to Lake James State Park since the early 2000's. I decided to make a drive and it was majestic! What a beautiful lake -- right in the backyard of Morganton, NC! The roads up are curvy and may make you sick but it's totally worth it. I was surprised there weren't much people. The water was blue green with a nice breeze. I honestly remembered Lake James to be twice as big but for the beautiful scenery -- it was larger than life. read more

Lake James State Park - Lake James - Parks Near Me - Nebo, North Carolina

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Great park! We used the beach to launch our SUPS'. Plenty of parking and restrooms too.

I LOVE this state park! Read on, my friend, and I will tell you why... *Mountain Biking: There are so many trails here. All of them are fun flowing trails - nothing too crazy. I'm a big fan of the newer Fonta Flor trail nearby. *Kayaking: The lake seems clean (I have not done much research to prove otherwise). It has a dark blue hue to it and doesn't have trash floating in it or a bad smell or anything. It was calm enough to kayak easily, but with boats going by the open-water parts got a bit dicey. It is easy to avoid the open water areas by paddling closer to the arms of the lake. *Camping: my friends and I did the paddle-in camping this past summer and had a blast. It felt like we were really ruffing it, which was fun for city-dwellers. The main building at Paddy's Creek parking area has nice facilities and snacks! There is also daytime swimming on their little beach area. Pro tip: make your camping reservations online if you plan to camp. read more

If you've never seen Lake James, it's quite a sight. The lake itself and the park are both expansive, with multiple sections developed. Tons of walking/hiking trails and even Mountain Bike Trails (15 miles worth)! Canoes and kayaks are available for rental. If you have your own motorboat, there are two boat launches. Swim Beaches are open seasonally. Backpack campsites near the shoreline are available by reservation. Fishing is permitted with a license. I think that about covers it! Mostly, it is a great family friendly place to have a picnic or BBQ, take a walk and enjoy some beautiful scenery! read more

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Campsites have great ambience and views of the lake! However, you really do have to haul all your gear in by foot from the parking area. Not the end of the world but it's worth noting. Oh! Almost forgot - you may be threatened with arrest by Park Rangers and forced to pour any and all alcohol out, regardless of how quiet and/or respectful you might be at the time. So if you're a teetotaler, 5 stars! ALCOHOL IS THE DEVIL read more

Nice state park not too far off I-40 in NC. Great lake and many good trails. Good views of the Linville Gorge. Was there during the solar eclipse in August 2107 read more

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Lake James State Park is clearly a park that gets most of its identity from its namesake lake, but it still manages to offer some decent hiking and camping (at least from the looks of things for the latter). Lake James is simply massive and offers opportunities for swimming, boating, and fishing. As my initial visit to the park was in the wintertime, I was unable to partake in any of these activities but I did spend a few hours hiking the park's trails. There are only three trails within the park, and while they may be quite short by most standards (the longest trail clocks in at 2.2 miles round trip), they are still quite enjoyable. Two of the trails (Lake Channel Overlook and Sandy Cliff Overlook) terminate in panoramic viewing points of Lake James, while the third trail (Fox Den Loop Trail) meanders through more of the park's vegetation and brush. The trails were all well-marked and well-maintained, and the Lake Channel Overlook trail even passed nearby to the campground. The campsites appeared to be quite nice as they were relatively private/separated from the other sites, spacious, and all were equipped with a firepit and picnic table. Though the campsites were all easily accessible from the main entrance, they somehow managed to have the feel of being deep in nature and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. In fact, the whole park had this feel which was quite refreshing. I have found that you don't get this sense of privacy and removal from the rest of the world in all state parks (or parks in general), and thus it is always great when you do get it! With some desirable campsites, swimming, and enjoyable trails, I know I shall be returning to Lake James in the future! read more

Awesome camp site! The sites are a short hike and lining the water. They give you decent privacy and all have a picnic table, fire pit and lantern post. Also serval water spigots around the camp site. Bathrooms and showers are a short hike from the campsite. Easily accessible fire wood for 3 dollars. read more

Lake James State Park - Parks Near Me - Nebo, North Carolina

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We took a chance on Labor Day weekend and drove up to the camp after talking to a Park Ranger. Luckily, the host said that he had a cancellation and an open spot at the Paddy's Creek campground on the north side of the park. Great spot. Very well taken care of. We were impressed at the facilities located at the campsite. I read some reviews of the trails from others, but I thought they were excellent and provided a great location for a run in the morning. The only thing that prevented this from being 5 stars was no electric hookup. We would be back. read more

Awesome place with tons to do.. hiking, fishing, biking, boat rentals, etc. Many restaurants nearby.

We selected Lake James to take our kids on their first camping trip. The accommodations and camp site was very nice and we had a great time fishing and swimming in the nearby lake. read more

Lake James State Park - The camp site was perfect for spending some quality time with family and friends. - Parks Near Me - Nebo, North Carolina

Nice park with alot of gems. I have never been to this part of NC and this lake was a gem. It feels like a small town. Its great. There is a so much to do around the lake and the mountains are 15 mins away. read more

Used to be me and my friends favorite spot to go swim and cliff jumping. Now they have the only parking lot blocked off and will ticket you for "trespassing" if you go to the spot now. We went a bunch of times and enjoyed how beautiful and warm the water was. Now we can only experience this in our memories. read more

We are a family who LOVES camping, backpacking, and all things outdoors! However, we will never camp here again (which is a bummer because it is only 45 mins from home and has a lot of potential). I grew up not far from Lake James and always loved the area, but the rangers and staff of this state park are ruining the camping experience. There is trash everywhere, especially along the hiking trails and near the beach, but the rangers are more focused on searching coolers for beer than on keeping the place well-maintained and clean. Our nine year old, who is learning and practicing "leave no trace," picked up trash for them, but we had to stop her at the condom wrappers at the overlooks. When the ranger showed up at our campsite just before 9 p.m., he was not at all interested in those experiences; he went straight to searching our cooler and pouring out our beer. It was just our small family, and we were very close to bed time. We have stayed in MANY NC state parks, and no ranger has ever searched our cooler or poured out our beer. Couple these experiences with the small campsites (which are completely fenced off from the lake) that are hard to access, we will definitely never camp here again. We did enjoy our time swimming at the Paddy's Creek beach area, but it was very small with absolutely no shade. We had fun, but we'll just head to the pool when we want to swim (especially since we can't enjoy hiking or camping here). read more

Really clean car camping area. But not much to do in terms of hiking. Great for being on the lake.

Had to make 47 trips from the car to the campsite. Rangers forcibly made us poor out beers. Zero stars.

I'm torn as to how many stars to rate the Catawba River Campground at Lake James State Park in Nebo, NC. The facility was clean and well taken care of. The site we stayed in was #16 at walk in site. The problem was that the site was immediately at the bottom of the stairs and site 15 was too close. The people at site 15 were loud and obnoxious. They took what seemed like 5 million trips of junk down to their site including a queen size double thick already inflated mattress to their site. It was a completely eye opener as to how much stuff one family could possibly take to one camp site. It was a walk in site so we carried everything in our backpacks. There was no peace and quiet to enjoy nature at all at this site due to these neighbors. Also, the frogs were all calling out at dark and it seemed like they were getting louder and louder. They did finally stop before bed though. I would recommend the campground itself, just not site 16. The views were beautiful. As for the rangers we didn't see any at all while we were actually at the campground. Too bad they didn't come by and catch the people jumping off the dock and swimming in the river despite the no swimming sign or just telling them to keep it down. As for those who mentioned they had to pour out their beer,it is a state park so, no alcohol is allowed on State Park grounds. We did see rangers at the beach/swimming area and they didn't care one bit that everyone had dogs even though it said no dogs on the beach which was fine as people were renting boats and putting their dog in them so, it worked out well. We didn't swim, but there was a charge $5.00 a person (I think) to swim, which was kind of crazy to me. read more