CountiesMcDowell County
North CarolinaReservoirMcDowell County
Lake James
Lake James covers about 6,820 acres of the Catawba River in North Carolina. It lies in McDowell County. It is managed by Duke Energy / NC State Parks. This guide maps 1 named swimming spot around its shoreline.
Coordinates35.7478, -81.8785
Surface area6,820 acres
RiverCatawba River
Managed byDuke Energy / NC State Parks
Swimming beaches on Lake James
1 named swimming spot and shoreline access points, from USGS GNIS, Recreation.gov and the Forest Service. None is staffed by a lifeguard unless the operating agency posts one.
Lake James on the map
Lake center, swimming spots and access points.
Weather and water temperature
Air temperature and wind from Open-Meteo. Water temperature only when the lake has a public sensor.
Weather data by Open-Meteo
What to know before you go to Lake James
Its coordinates are 35.7478, -81.8785. It lies at roughly 1,198 feet of elevation. Water leaves through the Catawba River.
Nearby water includes Lake Rhodhiss (North Carolina, 25 mi), Lake Hickory (North Carolina, 31 mi) and Watauga Lake (Tennessee, 41 mi). In all, 29 lakes in North Carolina are covered here.
There is no water temperature sensor here, so only air conditions are shown. Season dates vary by park; the operating agency publishes them each spring. If the water looks like pea soup or paint, stay out and report it to the managing agency.
Around Lake James this guide maps 1 named swimming spot. These come from Recreation.gov (RIDB). Among them are Grandfather Ranger District. Assume no lifeguard is on duty and keep children within reach.
Ask the managing agency directly if the level matters for your trip. Lake James has no public water level gauge that we can read, so there is no level chart here. An invented number would be worse than none.
Questions about Lake James
Can you swim in Lake James?
Yes. This guide maps 1 named swimming spot around the lake, including Grandfather Ranger District. None is staffed by a lifeguard unless the operating agency posts one.
How big is Lake James?
About 6,820 acres.
What other lakes are near Lake James?
The closest in this guide is Lake Rhodhiss, about 25 miles away in North Carolina.
Lakes near Lake James
Other lakes in this guide, ordered by distance.
Lake Hickory
Lake Hickory covers about 19,201 acres in North Carolina. The lake is in Catawba County. Duke Energy / City of Hickory manages it.
Reservoir
Watauga Lake
Watauga Lake is a 6,430-acre reservoir on the Watauga River in Tennessee. Its shoreline falls inside Carter County. Tennessee…
Reservoir2 beaches
South Holston Lake
South Holston Lake is a reservoir of some 7,580 acres on the South Fork Holston River, in Tennessee. Its shoreline falls inside…
Reservoir1 beach
Lake Norman
Lake Norman covers about 32,510 acres of the Catawba River via Cowans Ford Dam in North Carolina. It lies in Iredell County.…
Reservoir
Boone Lake
Boone Lake covers about 4,400 acres of the Holston River in Tennessee. You will find it in Washington County. Management is in…
Reservoir
Mountain Island Lake
Mountain Island Lake is a reservoir of some 3,281 acres on the catchment =, in North Carolina. You will find it in Gaston County.…
Reservoir
Explore around North Carolina
All lakes in North Carolina Lakes near Morganton Lakes near Lenoir
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these public sources.