Outdoor Activities On Lake Glenville, NC
If you’re coming to the Cashiers, NC area to spend time in the great outdoors, then you’re definitely coming to the right place. Lake Glenville offers a wealth of opportunities for outdoor recreation, from hiking and fishing to swimming and kayaking.
The highest-elevation lake east of the Mississippi River, Lake Glenville is a 1,470-acre reservoir on the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River. It’s perched at an elevation of 3,494 feet, surrounded by the wooded peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A deep, clear lake with 26 miles of shoreline, Lake Glenville is ripe for exploration. Best of all, it’s just minutes from Cashiers and Highlands.
Canoeing and Kayaking
Lake Glenville is a truly charming and picturesque body of water, and there’s no better view than the one you’ll get from a canoe or kayak. As a relatively small lake surrounded by mountains, it’s also sheltered from harsh winds, which helps it stay calm and relatively wave-free. That’s good news for folks in small boats!
The lake’s many creeks, coves and islands are all great places to paddle. There are several good spots to launch kayaks and canoes, including the public ramp at the north end of the lake on Pine Creek Road. You can also launch right from the docks here at Luxury Lakefront Cabins. Paddling on Lake Glenville is a real four-season activity, but summer is an especially popular time to hit the water, and changing foliage makes fall even more beautiful.
Fishing Lake Glenville
Lake Glenville is often overlooked by anglers who favor other, larger, more famous fishing lakes in North Carolina like nearby Hiwassee Lake and Fontana Lake. But Lake Glenville more than holds its own as an excellent fishing water, offering populations of both smallmouth and largemouth bass as well as walleye and trout. Best of all, it’s a lake that offers year-round fishing options. Warm weather is great for bass fishing, but there’s actually better trout and walleye fishing during the colder months.
There are some great options here for fishing either from the bank or from a boat. Largemouth bass are frequently caught around boat docks and fallen trees along the shoreline, while smallmouth bass favor rocky habitat. Walleye and trout are typically caught in deep water around Lake Glenville’s steeply-sloped sides and close to the dam.
Swimming
If you want to go swimming at lake Glenville, head to The Pines Recreation Area at the north end of the lake. Offering some of the best public access on the reservoir, Pines Recreation Area includes a roped-off swimming area with a sandy beach. It’s the perfect spot to take a dip, lounge on the sand, enjoy lunch at the lakeside picnic area, launch a kayak or cast a line from the fishing pier.
Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking
Lake Glenville was created with the construction of a dam on the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River in 1941. Today, the dam is owned and managed by Duke Energy, who periodically open it up for scheduled water releases. When they do, it transforms the usually-calm river into a surging whitewater. You can bet that whitewater enthusiasts are always ready to take advantage!
The dam releases produce class IV rapids for a distance of 5.5 miles downstream from the lake. It happens several times per year, and upcoming release dates are posted on the Duke Energy website. That being said, Duke Energy “neither encourages nor discourages” recreational use of the high flows, and visitors are generally advised to stay on the bank and observe the occurrence from a safe distance. Those who do choose to run the rapids must start below High Falls.
Boating and Water Sports
Lake Glenville has no horsepower restrictions, and the lake is open to boats and water sports of all kinds. It’s a very popular boating lake, with a long, open shape that makes it well-suited to water skiing and wakeboarding. Boat rentals ranging from Jet Skis to pontoon boats are available for rental at Signal Ridge Marina, and there are also several places to launch or dock your own boat on the lake.
Waterfalls
One of Lake Glenville’s most unique features is that it is fed by four hidden waterfalls, which are accessible only by boat. Hurricane Falls, Mill Creek Falls, Hidden Falls and Norton Falls are all picturesque highlights of the 26-mile lakeshore. Visitors can paddle their kayaks or motor their boats right up to any of these waterfalls, and you can also take a guided tour via Lake Glenville Scenic Waterfall Cruises that includes a stop at each one.
Hiking at Lake Glenville
There are dozens of excellent hiking trails within minutes of Lake Glenville, offering everything from easy valley hikes to challenging mountaintop ascents. One of the closest and most popular trails is the High Falls Trail, which departs from the parking lot in the Pines Recreation Area. The trail meanders through beautiful woodlands along the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River until it reaches the base of its namesake falls at 0.7 mile. From there, you can either return the way you came or continue on to the High Falls North Trailhead on State Rd. 1158.
Looking for more adventures in the Lake Glenville area? Contact us today to learn more about one of the most beautiful places in North Carolina and book your stay in a Luxury Lakefront cabin just footsteps from the waters of Lake Glenville.