Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is kind of like our home N.C. State Park. It is the closest one to us and we grew up swimming, boating, hiking, and playing there. It is easy to take things for granted when they are always there. We do that with people and jobs and things and even State Parks. It wasn’t until we went on our epic quest to visit all of the State Parks that we looked at Jordan Lake with fresh eyes. When we did that, we developed a deeper appreciation for all this area has to offer.
Where Is Jordan Lake
Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is located in Apex on the way to Pittsboro on Highway 64. Literally the road goes over the lake and the park office is right off the highway. If you don’t know, Apex is about a 15 minute drive southwest of Raleigh.
Jordan Lake is a man-made 14,000 acre reservoir. The lake is totally undeveloped with the exception of the various State Park facilities. In total there are 9 different access points scattered around with various activities (more on that below). As with other State Recreation Areas, Jordan Lake charges a fee for usage from Memorial Day to Labor Day. They also charge on the weekends in April, May, and September. You can purchase an annual pass for $75.
What To Do At Jordan Lake
The star of this park is definitely the lake and water activities, but there is a ton more to do there. As with all parks, head to the visitor’s center on State Park Road off of Highway 64. They have a pretty good area that explains the history of the park and how it came to be. They also do a great job highlighting one of the more unique features of the park – the Bald Eagle.
Jordan Lake has the highest concentration of Bald Eagles on the east coast. There are a ton of Bald Eagles at the park and it is always fun to see them flying. The best time to check these out is during the spring and early in the morning, but we have seen them at different times of the day and year. Even flying beside our car down the street!
There are plenty of boat ramps around the lake. We do not own a boat but we love going out on them. Because we don’t own a boat we don’t want to act like we know everything about the boating life at Jordan Lake. A lot of our friends have boats and jet skis and they love taking them out on the lake. Just know that if you have one this is the place to go. We love going kayaking or canoeing on the lake and have had a blast doing that through the years. This is also a great place to fish. There are a couple of access points that are open 24-hours and it is super fun to go fishing overnight.
Off the water Jordan Lake has some really great options to have a great day as well. Jordan Lake has some great sandy beaches where you can get some sun and get in the water. These areas have some awesome amenities like picnic shelters, bathrooms, basketball and volleyball courts, playgrounds, and grills. These are great areas to get large groups together for a party or family reunion. There is a cost to reserve some of the areas, but a lot of times you can just walk up and use them for free if they are empty.
Jordan Lake is also home to some really great hiking and camping. This park has over 1,000 campsites that will house anything from RVs to primitive camping. Along with the camping there are some really nice and relaxing trails. There is about 15 miles of trails here and they are pretty easy because it is pretty flat. This is a great way to get outdoors and get accustomed to hiking if you live near the area. It is easy to see why Jordan Lake was one of our highest ranked lake state parks.
What Else Is Around Jordan Lake
There are a bunch of great towns around Jordan Lake. One of the ones we like to visit the most is Apex. Apex used to a small town but has recently grown into a pretty busy and crowded area. It has kept a little of its small town charm and that is on display in the downtown area. What is there to do downtown?
Go Shopping
There are a ton of great antique and speciality stores that we love to visit. These are all small businesses and it is always great to show some support and love to the little man. Our favorite store downtown though is Apex Outfitter and Board Co. It is located in the historic Tobacco and Mule Exchange building. This is a beautiful store with the best staff around (Erin and Will especially have always been awesome to us). We love the outdoor gear that they have. Everything you need to go the adventure way. Every time we go in there we come out with a longer Christmas list. If you are in the area definitely check them out.
Grab A Bite
There are a ton of great spots to get something to eat or drink downtown. If you want Mexican – there is La Rancherita. If you want Italian – there is Anna’s. Craving some comfort food? There is Scratch. There are a bunch of other places and more opening soon. Our favorite place though is Salem Street Pub. For our money they have the best burgers in town (and Megan loves burgers more than any other food). The staff is always wonderful and the service is always quick. The vibe in there is just great. They have plenty to choose from and we have never had anything we didn’t like. This is the perfect spot to hit up after a day at Jordan Lake.
Of course, after eating at one of those fine establishments you have to get a dessert. One of the newest editions to downtown Apex is Fresh, an incredibly good ice cream shop. This stuff is so good. Maybe the best ice cream I have ever tried (I said it!). It is all homemade and all made from all of that healthy stuff that when it is combined isn’t necessarily good for you body but is good for your soul. Four words – Sea Salt Caramel Fudge. You’re welcome.
Go For A Walk
Downtown Apex has a bunch of really cool things set up that make for a super pleasant and relaxing time. We love stopping for a couple of minutes to play checkers on the barrels outside of the Rusty Bucket Antique Shop. There is a really fun rock garden where you can paint a rock from home and bring it to add to the collection. That is located right by the mini-library where people exchange books.
While you are strolling along you can do some window shopping in the historic buildings while sipping on a cup of coffee from Common Grounds (does every small town have a coffee shop named that?). There is a little 9/11 Memorial across from the fire station. The fire station is a historic building itself and most of the time you can stop in for a visit. They are always so nice and accommodating to kids. We have some great memories from when Silas was younger. You can even check out the train car parked by the old train depot.
There are some proposals to overhaul downtown Apex. There are definitely some things that need to happen to accommodate more people. We are hoping though that it doesn’t lose its identity through the process. Change is tough and good change is tougher. So, come and check it out before it changes.
Farmer’s Market and Festivals
Apex has a great little farmer’s market every Saturday morning when the weather is warm. This is a great place to go to get some awesome deals on locally grown and produced items. They have some great produce and amazingly beautiful flowers. There are also different craftspeople there from time to time. We think this is a hidden gem of Apex and would love to see this grow.
Apex also has some great festivals throughout the year where they shut down downtown and let the town come together to party. The biggest is PeakFest which celebrates all things Apex. This is the first Saturday in May and is just a really fun street fair. There is something for everyone here. Apex also does an awesome job with Christmas on Salem Street weekend with the parade and tree lighting. This is a really great event. Other festivals include the Latino Arts Festival, Peak City Pig Fest, Olde Fashioned Fourth of July, and Trick or Treat on Salem. There always seems to be something going on.
So, next time you are out adventuring around Jordan Lake, make sure you carve a little time out to visit Apex. It is really cool to know that you can go the adventure way in the great outdoors but also in an old small town. What are some of your favorite small towns to visit?
Looking for other State Park/Small Town trip ideas? Check out our posts on the Bay Lakes/Elizabethtown, Mount Mitchell/Little Switzerland, or Medoc Mountain/Halifax!
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