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.
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!
![Table-Rock-Lake-sc-AdobeStock_126045670.jpg Table-Rock-Lake-sc-AdobeStock_126045670.jpg](https://blueridgecountry.com/downloads/13104/download/Table-Rock-Lake-sc-AdobeStock_126045670.jpg?cb=7acc639f3a7ce8188fd9f9021efe3cdd&w={width}&h={height})
Adobe Stock
Table Rock Lake tops the voting for South Carolina.
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. For more like it subscribe today or log in with your active BRC+ Membership. Thank you for your support!