Paddys Creek Area

"First time visiting this side of Lake James State Park. I will come back again and again and again. Great trails, great views especially during October, gotta bring a canoe or rent a boat next time!"

"We love coming here. The picnic area has a grill and lots of shade to cool off from the sun. The kids love fishing off the dock. The lake is beautiful and relaxing. If you want to go swimming it is $6 for adults and $3 for kids."

"A great paddle any time of the year. Some great views of leaf color in the fall. Can be busy during the summer weekends, so try to go during the week and early in the morning. Check wind conditions which can be tough if you are out in the open areas. There are lots of coves to check out and lots of wildlife if crowds hadn't sent them into hiding. This launch area has nice restrooms and several options for putting in. The large sandy beach is nice. There are also some nice scenic turn off/parking areas along the drive."

"Beautiful park just east of Asheville. Stayed at the paddle in campsites this trip. Standard NC state park campsites “best in the country”. Our group arrived at different times for the paddle over to our site from the beach area. We were given different ideas of where to unload and launch from. Make sure to study the maps for where the camp areas are before you launch because there’s no real marked paddle trails. We had a few struggle to find our spot. Great, interesting host over there on occasion and he sells firewood when there. Great place for an overnight paddle trip."

"We love Lake James and Paddys Creek! Great place to gill out, go to the beach (when open), and this is our go-to for putting in to kayak on the lake. We also really enjoy the bike trails--a lot to enjoy. The restrooms are always clean at the park and park staff are friendly and helpful."