Lakes

Lake Blue Ridge

The crystal clear aquamarine waters of Lake Blue Ridge make it one of Georgia’s most picturesque mountain lakes. The 3290-acre lake and surrounding area boasts over 90 national forest campsites, several boat ramps, a full service marina and public swimming and picnic areas. 80 percent of the shoreline is in the Chattahoochee National Forest, managed by the USDA Forest Service.

Forest service recreation areas include the Lake Blue Ridge Campground, off Aska Road in Blue Ridge, which has 58 campsites, a picnic area, boat ramp and loop trail along the lake shore. Morganton Point Campground, in Morganton, features a public swimming area, along with 43 campsites, picnic tables and pavillion and a boat ramp. Another boat ramp is available at Lakewood Landing near Morganton. The Lake Blue Ridge Marina offers boat ramp access on a fee basis, along with pontoon rentals.

The lake is home to bass, bream, catfish and crappie, which makes the area popular with anglers. It is the only lake south of the Great Lakes where walleye are caught, and is also known for white bass fishing.

Blue Ridge reservoir is 11 miles long and has 65 miles of shoreline, 25 percent of which is developed. The lake was formed when Blue Ridge Dam was constructed in 1930 by the Toccoa Electric Power Company. At the time it was built, the dam was the largest earthen dam in the Southeast. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) purchased the facility in 1939 for hydroelectric power production.

Today, TVA owns approximately 18 miles of shoreline, including the Blue Ridge Dam reservation. For more information on lake levels and releases, please see www.tva.gov.

Fannin County Chamber of Commerce