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I have been to Lake Hartwell, Keowee & Jocasee and have been in all the water there and I am still typing so I feel pretty safe. Jocasee definitely has the deepest and coldest water but the surroundings are breathtaking. We prefer Keowee. No particular reason, just personal preference for boating due to the convenience for us.
I have been to Lake Hartwell, Keowee & Jocasee and have been in all the water there and I am still typing so I feel pretty safe. Jocasee definitely has the deepest and coldest water but the surroundings are breathtaking. We prefer Keowee. No particular reason, just personal preference for boating due to the convenience for us.
Please forgive me if this is a silly question but I need to ask...
Are there any alligators in those lakes or anywhere around or near Greenville?
I always considered myself quite brave and actually daring but two things I saw in Florida when visiting my aunt which I hate to admit has bothered me for some time now...One was a long snake right near the gate where you walk into her patio area....she told me that she has seen a snake or two before but was told they were harmless.
The other was I was jogging on the path that surrounds her complex and is right along side a canal and as I made a turn I couldn't believe my eyes but an alligator was out of the water and on the grass about 30' from the path....I was stunned...shocked....screamed and ran across the lawn into the parking lot and saw a man and told him what I saw....He told me he would report it and they will capture it and not to worry.....he offered to walk me to my aunts townhome but I declined his offer and ran back there myself by using the parking lot...
It has made a lasting negative impact on me since seeing that alligator.....I love the water and swimming and any activity that involves water but every so often I get a nightmare or thought about an alligator grabbbing me while I'm in the water......it even went through my mind while swimming in the ocean here on Long Island where I know they are not in the water......we just have Jaws and for some reason I fear an alligator more than a shark.
Last edited by Fashion Girl; 08-21-2011 at 07:52 PM..
Please forgive me if this is a silly question but I need to ask...
Are there any alligators in those lakes or anywhere around or near Greenville?
I always considered myself quite brave and actually daring but two things I saw in Florida when visiting my aunt which I hate to admit has bothered me for some time now...One was a long snake right near the gate where you walk into her patio area....she told me that she has seen a snake or two before but was told they were harmless.
The other was I was jogging on the path that surrounds her complex and is right along side a canal and as I made a turn I couldn't believe my eyes but an alligator was out of the water and on the grass about 30' from the path....I was stunned...shocked....screamed and ran across the lawn into the parking lot and saw a man and told him what I saw....He told me he would report it and they will capture it and not to worry.....he offered to walk me to my aunts townhome but I declined his offer and ran back there myself by using the parking lot...
It has made a lasting negative impact on me since seeing that alligator.....I love the water and swimming and any activity that involves water but every so often I get a nightmare or thought about an alligator grabbbing me while I'm in the water......it even went through my mind while swimming in the ocean here on Long Island where I know they are not in the water......we just have Jaws and for some reason I fear an alligator more than a shark.
Both alligator and water mocassin habitats end about 90 miles south around Columbia. The water in the lakes around Greenville is runoff mountain water, so for most of the year, it is too cold for alligators. At most, you'll get nibbled by a few small Brim.
My Son and I like to swim at Lake Keowee, or go early to Paris Mountain or Table Rock State park swim areas. If you like refreshing mountain streams and waterfalls, it's very fun to hike to Rainbow Falls in Jones gap state park and wade/soak in the Falls there- very cold mountain water! There's also lots of nice spots in the first mile or so of the trailhead at Table Rock state park where you can go in the streams and waterfall pools there- whether wading or going in the water.
We also standup paddleboard at Saluda Lake and have swam there, but the water there isn't nearly as beautiful as Lake Keowee. One of our favorite hike/swims is at Keowee Toxaway State park- take Natural Bridge trail to Raven Rock trail-- we will pack in with our lunch and eat on top of Raven Rock with it's fantastic view, then continue the hike down near the lakefront, where there are numerous places that you can get down to the water. We discovered a beautiful little "private beach" there, so we wear our bathing suits now and bring a towel, swim there in the cove, and sometimes swim over to the jumping off rock, there are two of them, you can jump off different heights into the deep water below. Very fun. The water is beautiful and clear at Lake Keowee, and a lovely green cast to it. I've found the water at Lake Keowee to be much warmer than the water at Saluda Lake.
What's the closest area to Greenville on Lake Keowee which has a sandy beach and public swimming access? How do you get there as well? Also, do the parks get full and close down?
Keowee-Toxaway state park is the only one I know of on the lake. It's technically not for public swimming access, but plenty of people do swim there, and some hiking sites mention that the park is, other than by boat- the way to get to the jumping off rock that people like to jump off. We hike 2 miles in past Raven Rock, and you can see the lake from the trail, there's a nice little rustic beach area, it's sandy- but not like "lay a towel out and lay in the sun" kind of long swaths of sand. It's a beautiful little cove area. We swim there, and sit on logs at the shore and watch the boats, eat lunch, etc... Sometimes we swim out to the left of the cove, to go jump off the rock.
There may be public swimming areas, I just don't know of them.
Also, there's rarely many people at Keowee-Toxaway park. Last friday, we were the only people there. Other times, we might see 2 people. Sometimes 1-2 cars in the lot. The only state park I've had trouble getting into here in the Upstate is Jones Gap, and that's because they have a very small parking lot.
There are several Greenville County community water parks in the area if you are into that. There is Otter Creek, Discovery Island, and 7th Inning Splash. The best in my opinion is Otter Creek near Paris Mountain State Park and Travelers Rest. There is also Paris Mountain State Park. Jones Gap you can bath or relax in the Saluda River (very cool), Table Rock State Park has a mountain Lake to swim in (with beach), which is much closer than Keowee-Toxaway State Park. Just a tad bit further (couple miles at most) is Devils Fork State Park which also has a very sweet Mountain Lake to swim in. Also, there is 12 Mile county park over by Clemson, and High Falls and Cove county parks that both have excellent swimming beaches off of Lake Keowee.
Oh yeah, if they still have it available, Pleasant Ridge county park in north Greenville (just east on Hwy 11) of Jones Gap and Caesars Head State Parks has a mountain lake to swim in with beach. I did here that they may have closed the swimming, so check with them first.
Good luck and have fun!
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and for some reason I fear an alligator more than a shark.
