Top Water Spots in the Mountains

Who better to choose the best lakes, rivers, waterfalls, fishing spots and so much more than the readers of Blue Ridge Country magazine? Nobody! Time to get outside and get wet.

Photo Above: Table Rock Lake tops the voting for South Carolina.

It’s summertime! Time to get outside and enjoy the waterside wonders of the mountain region. The winners that follow for the seven-state region are the result of reader polling undertaken earlier this year. Our thanks to all who voted. Happy summer splashes!

Best Lake

Best Lake – Virginia

1.  Smith Mountain Lake

2.  South Holston Lake

3.  Claytor Lake

Best Lake – West Virginia

1.  Bluestone Lake

2.  Spruce Knob Lake

3.  Summersville Lake

Best Lake – North Carolina

1.  Fontana Lake

2.  Lake James

3.  Nantahala Lake

Best Lake – South Carolina

1.  Table Rock Lake

2.  Lake Jocassee

3.  Lake Hartwell

Best Lake – Tennessee

1.  Watauga Lake

2.  Douglas Lake

3.  Lake Ocoee (Parksville Lake)

Best Lake – Georgia

1.  Blue Ridge Lake

2.  TIE – Lake Burton /Lake Rabun

Best Lake – Kentucky

1.  Lake Cumberland

2.  Dale Hollow Lake

3.  Buckhorn Lake

Best Waterfall

Best Waterfall – Virginia

1.  Crabtree Falls, Montebello

2.  Cascades, Pembroke

3.  Falling Spring Falls, Covington

Best Waterfall – West Virginia

1.  Blackwater Falls, Davis

2.  Cathedral Falls, Gauley Bridge

3.  High Falls, Glady

Best Waterfall – North Carolina

1.  Linville Falls, Marion

2.  Looking Glass Falls, Brevard

3.  Sliding Rock, Brevard

Best Waterfall – South Carolina

1.  Falls Creek Falls, Marietta

2.  Lower Whitewater Falls, Salem

3.  Raven Cliff Falls, Helen

Best Waterfall – Tennessee

1.  Ruby Falls, Chattanooga

2.  Abrams Falls, Cades Cove (near Townsend)

3.  Grotto Falls, Gatlinburg

Best Waterfall – Georgia

1.  Amicalola Falls, Dawsonville

2.  Toccoa Falls, Toccoa

3.  Anna Ruby Falls, Helen

Best Waterfall – Kentucky

1.  Cumberland Falls, Corbin

2.  Amos Falls, Rockholds

3.  Dog Slaughter Falls, Corbin

Best Water-Related State Park

Best Water-Related State Park – Virginia

1.  Smith Mountain Lake State Park, Huddleston

2.  Shenandoah River State Park, Bentonville

3.  New River Trail State Park, Max Meadows

Best Water-Related State Park – West Virginia

1.  Blackwater Falls State Park, Davis

2.  Pipestem Resort State Park, Pipestem

3.  TIE – Bluestone State Park, Hinton/Stonewall Resort State Park, Roanoke

Best Water-Related State Park – North Carolina

1.  Chimney Rock State Park, Chimney Rock

2.  New River State Park, Laurel Springs

3.  Lake James State Park, Nebo

Best Water-Related State Park – South Carolina

1.  Lake Hartwell State Park, Fair Play

2.  Oconee State Park, Mountain Rest

3.  Devils Fork State Park, Salem

Best Water-Related State Park – Tennessee

1.  Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park, Delano

2.  Panther Creek State Park, Morristown

3.  Big Ridge State Park, Maynardville

Best Water-Related State Park – Georgia

1.  Tallulah Gorge State Park, Tallulah Falls

2.  Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, Dawsonville

3.  Vogel State Park, Blairsville

Best Water-Related State Park – Kentucky

1.  Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, Corbin

2.  Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park, Buckhorn

3.  Paintsville Lake State Park, Staffordsville

Best Swimming Hole

Best Swimming Hole – Virginia

1.  Devil’s Bathtub, Dungannon

2.  Blue Hole, Crozet

3.  Big Falls on Cedar River, Lebanon

Best Swimming Hole – West Virginia

1.  Seneca Rocks, Seneca Rocks

2.  Holly River State Park, Hacker Valley

3.  Glade Creek, Beaver

Best Swimming Hole – North Carolina

1.  Sliding Rock, Brevard

2.  Elk River Falls, Elk Park

3.  Deep Creek, Bryson City

Best Swimming Hole – South Carolina

1.  Long Shoals Roadside Park, Pickens

2.  Reedy Cove Creek, Sunset

3.  Wildcat Branch Falls, Cleveland

Best Swimming Hole – Tennessee

1.  Fall Creek Falls, Spencer

2.  Elkmont, Gatlinburg

3.  Blue Hole, Elizabethton

Best Swimming Hole – Georgia

1.  Raven Cliff Falls, Helen

2.  Blue Hole, Chickamauga

3.  Edge of the World, Dawsonville

Best Swimming Hole – Kentucky

1.  Eagle Falls, Whitley City

Best Fishing Shop

Best Fishing Shop – Virginia

1.  Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, Harrisonburg

2.  Front Royal Outdoors, Front Royal

3.  Smith River Outfitters, Bassett

Best Fishing Shop – West Virginia

1.  River and Trail Outfitters, Harpers Ferry

2.  Cabela’s, Charleston

3.  Pro River Outfitters, Fayetteville

Best Fishing Shop – North Carolina

1.  French Broad River Outfitters, Asheville

2.  Headwaters Outfitters, Rosman

3.  Casters Fly Shop, Hickory

Best Fishing Shop – South Carolina

1.  Chattooga Whitewater Shop, Long Creek

2.  Jocassee Outfitters, Salem

3.  Chattooga River Fly Shop, Mountain Rest

Best Fishing Shop – Tennessee

1.  Smoky Mountain Angler, Gatlinburg & Knoxville

2.  Little River Outfitters, Townsend

3.  South Holston River Fly Shop, Bristol

Best Fishing Shop – Georgia

1.  Toccoa River Outfitters, McCaysville/Copperhill, TN

2.  Cohutta Fishing Company, Blue Ridge

3.  Unicoi Outfitters, Helen

Best Fishing Shop, Multiple States

1.  Bass Pro Shops (WV, SC, TN)

2.  Orvis (NC, SC, VA, TN)

Best Waterfront Hotel/Resort

1.  Peaks of Otter Lodge, Bedford, VA

2.  The Lodge on Lake Lure, Lake Lure, NC

3.  Fontana Village Resort, Fontana Dam, NC

Best Place to Stay with a Water Park

1.  Dollywood’s Splash Country, Pigeon Forge, TN

2.  Wilderness at the Smokies, Sevierville, TN

3.  Massanutten Resort, Massanutten, VA

Best Whitewater Rafting Company             

1.  Nantahala Outdoor Center/NOC, Bryson City, NC

2.  New & Gauley River Adventures, Lansing, WV

3.  French Broad Adventures, Marshall, NC

The story above first appeared in our July / August 2024 issue.