Unveiling Serene Splendor: South Carolina’s Lake Jocassee

Lake Jocassee nestles in a secluded haven in the vertice of the Georgia and Tennessee borders, in the far northwestern corner of South Carolina. Its shorelines touch Oconee and Pickens Counties. Two of Lake Jocassee’s northernmost arms venture into Tennessee’s Gorges State Park and its south-westernmost point edges up to Devils Fork State Park.

Lake Jocassee Location

Lake Jocassee’s only public access is through Devils Fork State Park, South Carolina. The southern edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, clear cool water, lush vibrant forests, waterfalls galore, and wildlife welcome visitors to this remote lake. Lake Jocassee is so serene and undeveloped that its region’s lodging options are slim and booked well in advance.

Devils Fork State Park’s physical address is 161 Holcombe Cir, Salem, South Carolina. There are a few ways to get to the Lake Jocassee entrance, depending on where visitors are from. Several major highways circle the Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee region in South Carolina and Georgia. Then remote state highways and roads surround Lake Jocassee.

SC 11 runs along Lake Jocassee’s southern border, US 178 on its east, and SC 130 on the west heads north into Tennessee. US 64 in Tennessee is the only highway on the northern border of Lake Jocassee. Visitors must access Lake Jocassee through Devils Fork State Park.

Take SC 11 to Jocassee Lake Road/State Road S-37-52 and go north until you come to a fork at Jocassee Lake Road and Old Chapman Bridge Road. Take the left Jocassee Lake Road fork, which makes a sharp right. Follow the right curve to the fork at Jocassee Lake Road/State Road S-37-52 and Patterson Bridge Road. Follow Jocassee Lake into Devils Fork State Park.

About Lake Jocassee

Lake Jocassee covers 7,565 surface acres with a mean depth of 154 feet and maximum depth of 351 feet, and 75-miles of shoreline stretch around its waters. The Horsepasture, Thompson, Toxaway, Whitewater Rivers flow into Lake Jocassee.

The Jocassee Dam is 385-feet tall and 1,750-feet wide. The full pond elevation on the lake is 1,100 feet and the average depth is 158-feet deep. There are four boat ramps but no marina in Devils Fork State Park.

Duke Energy, a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, owns and operates Lake Jocassee. Duke Power impounded Lake Jocassee in 1973 for the purpose of generating hydroelectric power.

Lake Jocassee holds the South Carolina state game fish records for redeye (Coosa) bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, brown trout, and rainbow trout.

Other popular angler’s choices in Lake Jocassee include largemouth, hybrid striped, and white bass, bluegill, channel, and flathead catfish, black and white crappie, yellow perch, chain pickerel, and pumpkinseed and redear sunfish.

Things to Do at Lake Jocassee

National Geographic designated Lake Jocassee as one of the “50 of the World’s Last Great Places—Destinations of a Lifetime,” a Special Publication in November – 2012 issue. Its pure beauty is bereft of mere imaginations. To see Lake Jocassee is to believe Lake Jocassee.

Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway

SC 11 (South Carolina State Highway 11) is the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (CFSH), a 119-mile state highway established as a National Scenic Byway in 1978. It extends parallel to and north of I-85, near the North Carolina border and west to I-85 at the Georgia line. Points of interest and historic sites abound.

The CFSH follows a historic Cherokee and the later fur trader’s route. Besides the majestic views along this route, there is plenty to see and do along this alternative to I-85. Traveling north, then east, it leads you from the Georgia/South Carolina border at Lake Hartwell through the Piedmont region to the charming and historic town of Gaffney, South Carolina. It takes about four hours to drive the entire route, sans stops.

Lake Jocassee Watersports

Lake Jocassee presents a recreational paradise for water and boat lovers. Lake Jocassee offers day-use recreational activities with sandy beaches, four boat ramps, scuba diving, imperial vistas, waterfalls, and the 622-acre Devils Fork State Park along Lake Jocassee’s southwestern shoreline.

Lake Jocassee is open from late spring to mid-fall, at 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and late fall to mid-spring at 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. On weekends and holidays, expect long lines when entering the park, especially from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Plan to pack a picnic lunch because Lake Jocassee is undeveloped and there are no restaurants anywhere near the lake.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) allows all types of boats and PWCs on Lake Jocassee. All boats with any size motor must be registered with the SCDNR. Canoes, jon boats, kayaks, and boats that do not have a motor do not need to be registered.

Jumping Off Rock Overlook-The Hallmark View of Lake Jocassee

Jumping Off Rock Overlook is not, as its name implies, a rock to jump off of. It is the landmark vista of Lake Jocassee. It is not an easy area to access on forest trails. Located in the Jocassee Gorges Wilderness Area in Pickens County, South Carolina, you need an off-road vehicle to drive Horse Pasture Road, or you can hike there.

From the Foothills Trail/Laurel Valley Trailhead on US 178, take Horse Pasture Road for 9.3 miles. This is the way to drive to Jumping Off Rock, but you can hike it. It is a short 0.1-mile walk to the overlook from Horse Pasture Road from a small parking area.

GPS coordinates: 35.01126, -82,89559

Camping Near Jumping Off Rock Overlook

Camping is permitted on a first come, first serve basis at designated campsites along the open roads in Jocassee Gorges. The SCDNR does not require permits to camp. Designated sites are marked on kiosk maps at entrances to the campsites.

A ten-mile portion of the Horse Pasture Road is open year-round and has four designated campsites. It allows primitive camping along the Foothills Trail, Eastatoee Creek Heritage Preserve Spur, and the Palmetto Trail year-round.

Lake Jocassee Tours and Rentals

Tour operators offer jeep excursions with waterfall hikes and boat tours on Jocassee Lake. Rent a boat, canoes, kayak, paddle board, or pontoon. Rent chairs, tubes, umbrellas, and more from Eclectic Sun.

Lake Jocassee Hiking

Oconee Bell Nature Trail

This 1.5-mile loop within Devils Fork State Park is named after a rare wild flower, the Oconee bell. It is plainly marked with white blazes and meanders through a hardwood forest with benches to relax on. In the early spring, endangered Oconee bell wildflowers blossom along the creek that this trail follows.

Lower Whitewater Falls

The Lower Falls is located about a half-mile down the Whitewater River from the Upper Falls (which is in North Carolina). It is a 1.9-mile hike with a dramatic 200-foot drop viewed from an observation platform at the end of the trail.

Reedy Cove Creek to Twin Falls

This O.8-mile trail leads to the top of Twin Falls, also known as Reedy Cove Falls, flowing from Eastatoe Creek. The trail follows parts of the old Appalachian Lumber Company railroad bed, and you can find relics of the track ripped up from past floods.

Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve

The Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve features a steep mountain gorge with old growth hemlock, rock cliffs, rare ferns, and a stream filled with naturally reproducing rainbow trout. Hikers delight in exploring this 1.7-mile trail through the 374-acre preserve.

Lake Jocassee Scuba Diving

Lake Jocassee embraces the cleanest and clearest waters in the Southeast. Its deep waters provide excellent visibility for scuba diving. Visibility is usually over 15 feet and over 50 feet at some depths. Lake Jocassee boasts excellent and exciting dive spots. Scuba dive shops, tours, and equipment rentals abound.

Lake Jocassee dive spots that can be reached by boat are:

Big Wall/Small Wall – depth 35 ft.
South Wall – depth 70 ft.
Junk (sunken boat) – depth 60 ft.
Jenny’s Drift – depth 35 ft.
Stalk Canyon – depth 35 ft.
Windless Point – depth 30 ft.

Lake Jocassee FAQ

Is Lake Jocassee Safe to Swim In?

Swimming is permitted in Lake Jocassee, but it is quite deep with an average depth of 154 feet. There is no roped-off swimming area or lifeguards. You swim at your own risk. You can swim anywhere you can find or boat to. Paddling is popular, and Lake Jocassee crowds up quickly. If you are swimming near kayak launching areas, watch out for the boats.

Why Is Lake Jocassee so Clear?

Four major Appalachian rivers flow into Lake Jocassee, the Horsepasture, Thompson, Toxaway, and Whitewater Rivers, plus the Jocassee Gorges streams and rivers. The Jocassee Gorges watershed contains some of the cleanest waters in South Carolina. The geological composition of the region and its undisturbed natural state lead to the reason why Lake Jocassee is exceptionally clear and clean.

What Town Is Closest to Lake Jocassee?

Salem, South Carolina, serves as the gateway to Lake Jocassee and Devils Fork State Park, and Lake Keowee. Salem lies 5.8 miles south of the southern arm of Lake Jocassee. This is a small mountain town with an eclectic range of appetizing restaurants. Salem serves up its fair share of live music as well.

Are There Snakes in Lake Jocassee?

Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science reported in 2010 that there were 24 species of amphibians and reptiles documented at Lake Jocassee, including 5 species of anurans, 11 salamanders, 2 turtles, 3 lizards, and 3 snakes.

The SCDNR reports the six venomous snakes of South Carolina are:

Copperhead: Most Common
Coral Snake
Cottonmouth (Water Moccasin)
Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
Timber (Canebrake) Rattlesnake
Pigmy Rattlesnake

Can You Eat Fish from Lake Jocassee?

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) reports that. “Fish eat small organisms that contain methylmercury. The fish absorb the methylmercury.” The SCDHEC’s most current website on fish consumption advisories was copyrighted in 2019, but is current to this year, 2024. The South Carolina DHEC fish consumption advisory:

One meal per week: