We love going out west. Everything is so open and big there. What is really big is the mountains. The first time we went out west to spend time in nature we were blown away by the hugeness of them. What was really cool about the mountains out west were the amount of lakes in them. We had never seen so many lakes at so high an elevation. That is something that we don’t have too much of on the east coast. This is what makes Lake James State Park so special. Lake James is a crystal clear mountain lake that reminds us of those beautiful mountain lakes out west. Because of that it was one of the highest ranked lake parks on our North Carolina State Parks rankings.

Lake James State Park is located in Nebo, North Carolina. Nebo is about 15 miles north off Highway 40 just east of Marion. There are so many sweet towns all around it, like Black Mountain. It is where the Appalachian Mountains begin and the elevation starts to gain. Because of that, there are mini mountain peaks all around Lake James and it makes you feel like you are higher than you actually are. It is awesome how it is like a visual trick that your mind plays on you.

There are two main access points to Lake James State Park. The Paddy’s Creek Area is the main area with the visitor’s center and swimming. The Catawba River Area is a beautiful access point with hiking and camping.

On The Water

Like most of the other lake parks in the State Parks System, Lake James is all about the water. When we were driving in, we were mesmerized by the sparkling clear water. The sun hits off of it beautifully at the higher elevation and the mountains all around it give the light plenty of shade and shadows to jump in and out of. It is just beautiful.

When it comes to the water, there is plenty of swimming, boating, and fishing. You can only swim in one area of the whole lake, the Paddy’s Creek Area. In order to swim here, you will need to pay for admission. The cost is $5 for adults and $4 for kids 3-12. This area is not big, but it is a nice little spot with a beach, concession stand, and bathroom/locker areas. The sand is pretty coarse here too. Not the most comfortable to walk around on, but the lake bottom is really nice. There are also a couple of spots for grilling and picnics around the beach area. The swimming area is only open from May 1 to September 30.

If you don’t own a boat, you can rent canoes and kayaks at the Paddy’s Creek Area at the concession stand. The cost for either of these is $7 per hour. We love renting canoes or kayaks at our State Parks. It is a really good deal and a great way to exercise. If you own a boat, there are a couple of boat ramps that you can use – Hidden Cove and Canal Bridge. The Canal Bridge ramp is open 24-hours a day. Hidden Cove follows the park hours. Both of these ramps are along Highway 126.

For fishing, largemouth bass and catfish are what you can catch here. We had someone tell us that the catfish here are the best tasting ones they had ever had.

Hiking At Lake James

Our favorite thing to do at any State Park is to get on a trail and get lost in the woods. Lake James State Park has a ton of really great trails. All together, they have close to 20 miles of hiking trails, with 15 of them accessible to biking trails.

These are at both Paddy’s Creek and Catawba River access points. We have done trails at both of these access points. We really enjoyed the Fox Den Loop Trail at the Catawba River Area and the Mills Creek Trail at Paddy’s Creek. Most of the trails have some really great views of the water.

One thing that was really awesome was the Holly Discovery Trail. This is a Kid’s Track Trail and is one of the best in the whole State Park system. If you have kids, we highly recommend going on this trail. This trail is three-quarters of a mile and has about 15 interactive stops along the way where kids can learn about nature. It really is a great place to go and learn and be introduced to hiking. Definitely check it out!

Camping At Lake James State Park

Another really big part of Lake James State Park is the camping. There are a ton of camping areas here at this park with some really unique options. There are a little over 50 tent camping sites. About 30 of them are hike in campsites, meaning you will have to carry your gear anywhere from 100 to 300 yards into the woods. If you have a lot of gear (like most families) you have the option to grab one of the drive up sites.

What Lake James has that is different than most parks is the boat-in camping. You can only access these campsites by boat. There is no running water (they have primitive bathroom facilities) and some fire pits. You are on your own out there. It isn’t too far from the mainland, but you are disconnected. It is unique for sure.

We have been to Lake James State Park a couple of times and have loved it every time. It is great for a day or a weekend camping trip. It is a special place with a unique landscape. This park is worth a visit so go and check it out!

Want to check out some of our other North Carolina State Park guides? Check out our posts in and around Fort Fisher, Weymouth Woods and Carvers Creek, Pettigrew State Park, Eno River, or Mount Mitchell.

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