Tucked into the rolling hill country at the base of mighty Linville Gorge is Lake James, a sprawling 6,812-acre reservoir with more than 150 miles of shoreline. This impressive waterway is the centerpiece of Lake James State Park, where nature offers scenic vistas of the Appalachian Mountain range and beckons those with an appetite for outdoor recreation.
Bring family and friends to one of North Carolina's most popular state parks for a variety of activities. Go swimming and sunbathing or enjoy a quiet picnic along the lakeshore. Boat, water ski or fish in the lake's cool mountain waters, or take a walk on the wild side and enjoy the beautiful forest wildflowers and abundant wildlife along park trails. Of course, you just may find that your favorite thing to do at Lake James is simply relaxing.
The Lake James State Park TRACK Trail adventures were designed for use on the Holly Discovery Trail, but they can be used anywhere at Lake James State Park. At the trailhead, you'll find a new bilingual kiosk, which provides a variety of english and bilingual activity brochures. If interested in checking off another adventure, head 150 yards south of the Holly Discovery Trail parking lot to discover the Overmountain Victory National HIstoric Trail.
Location Details
Adventures for Lake James State Park
Animal Athletes
Difficulty:
Nature's Hide & Seek
Difficulty:
Lake James Need for Trees
Difficulty:
Overmountain Victory Trail
Difficulty:
Let's Explore - ecoEXPLORE
Difficulty:
Bug Out
Difficulty:
Birds of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Difficulty:
Hide & Seek (Bilingual)
Difficulty:
Animal Athletes (Bilingual)
Difficulty:Directions
Longitude: -81.892165000000
Click here for official map and directions.
Lake James State Park is located in Burke and McDowell counties, five miles northeast of Marion on NC 126.
To get to the Paddy's Creek Area of Lake James State Park:
Traveling east on I-40: From I-40, take the Nebo/Lake James exit (exit 90) and head north. After a half mile, turn right onto Harmony Grove Road, and follow it for 2 miles to a stoplight. Proceed straight across the intersection and past Nebo Elementary School to a stop sign. Turn right onto NC 126, and follow the signs to the park entrance 4.8 miles on the right.
Traveling west on I-40: From I-40, take the Dysartsville/Lake James exit (exit 94) and head north for 0.5 mile to a stop sign. Turn left onto US 70 and follow it for 1.5 miles. Turn right onto Bridgewater Road and travel 1.2 miles. Turn left onto Benfield's Landing Road, and follow it for 2 miles to a stop sign. Turn right onto NC 126, and follow the signs to the park entrance 0.7 miles on the right.
Partners
This TRACK Trail was made possible through a partnership formed with North Carolina State Parks, Lake James State Park, and with funding provided by the BlueCross and BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation.
