We have been discussing the unparalleled recreation opportunities near Lake James real estate, a prime location in McDowell County and Burke County for families enjoying the outdoors in a natural environment close to their Lake James homes.
Families with Lake James waterfront properties who have younger children can introduce them to several wilderness skill sets, hiking, picnicking, mountain biking, horseback riding, rock climbing, water sports, swimming, boating, water skiing, sailing, fishing, canoeing, and camping at the state parks near the lake: Lake James State Park, South Mountains State Park, Mount Mitchell State Park, and the Pisgah National Forest. It is great to take advantage of the educational and interpretive programs, organized hikes, fishing lessons, environmental workshops, and other helpful activities to make sure your family has acquired the necessary skills to be safe living at lakefront Lake James and comfortable in the great outdoors around the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Lake James State Park
With headquarters midst picturesque Nebo real estate, Lake James State Park is located on the southern shores of Lake James in McDowell County. Soon, the park will be expanding to the northern shores. The State of North Carolina has acquired 3,000+ acres to increase recreational opportunities for the public and to preserve more of this pristine natural resource.
The cool mountain waters of the Linville and Catawba rivers flow into hilly terrain to form the deep lake and it’s unique shores. There are points and coves to challenge any fisherman. Water level fluctuation, due to hydroelectric power production, keeps aquatic vegetation at a minimum and concentrates fish populations, especially in winter. Cool, deep waters and warm surface waters provide a variety of sport fishing. Currently, two boat ramps, Hidden Cove and Canal Bridge, offer access to the lake where users of powerboats, sailboats and smaller craft have ample room to enjoy the water. Nearby, a number of other launching sites and marinas offer boats and motors for rent, fishing tackle and bait.
During the spring, the air is scented with azaleas and rhododendron, a feature that brings hikers out of their dens. An autumn hike through fallen leaves is replete with scurrying animals preparing for the winter months ahead. The park has built a half-mile trail leading to Sandy Cliff Overlook and a little longer one leading through the campground to Lake Channel Overlook. The park’s longest trail, Fox Den Loop, is perfect for a daily 2-mile tromp.
Majestic white pine and magnolias shade the picnic area. A sandy beach for swimming and sunbathing is located near the park office and convenient campsites are located a couple of hundred yards from the parking lot.
Mount Mitchell State Park
The heavily forested Mount Mitchell State Park rises more than a mile into misty, low-hanging clouds in the old Black Mountains. With 18 peaks higher than 6,300 feet, the highest point east of the Rocky Mountains is the park’s namesake: Mount Mitchell. On the way to its peak, fantastic views of rolling ridges and verdant valleys offer some of the most strenuous hiking trails in the eastern part of the United States.
Colbert's Ridge Trail ascends from 2750 feet at the trailhead near the Carolina Hemlocks campground to 5700 feet at Deep Gap in only 3.7 miles. The Mount Mitchell Trail is a 5.6-mile trek that begins at 3200 feet at Black Mountain Campground and ends at the summit of Mount Mitchell. The Buncombe Horse Range Trail is the longest in the Blacks at 15 miles following old logging roads and the corridor of an abandoned rail tramway. The Black Mountain Crest Trail begins at the parking lot on top of Mount Mitchell and for 12 miles heads north along the crest of the Black Mountain Range crossing Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Cattail Peak, and Potato Hill before descending to Deep Gap.
Hikers and visitors have been coming to Blowing Rock since 1933 to enjoy the cool mountain temperatures. Blowing Rock is an immense cliff 4,000 feet above sea level overhanging the Johns River Gorge, which is 3,000 feet below. It is also a storybook town with its museums, shopping, and festivals. (to be continued in Part 3, “Recreation Plethora”)
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