Lake Jocassee – Lake Jocassee, South Carolina

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South Carolina  |  SC Picture Project  |  Oconee County Photos  |  Lake Jocassee

Serene Lake Jocassee (pronounced “joe-KASS-ee”) was created from the Whitewater, Thompson, and Toxaway rivers by Duke Power Company in 1967. It is located in Oconee and Pickens counties. Along with Lake Keowee, it provides electricity and recreation for much of the Upstate.

At 7,500 acres, Lake Jocassee is perfect for boating, skiing, fishing, and swimming. There is very little development on its 75 miles of shoreline, and most of the surrounding land is also untouched by man.

The lake is known for the beautiful waterfalls that flow into it, but keep in mind that like many of our South Carolina waterfalls, they are best viewed after a good rain!

As for how Lake Jocassee got its name, SCIWAY contributor Madison Pierce of nearby Salem shares this: “The Jocassee Valley was once home to the Cherokee Indians. The lake was named for an Indian princess who was said to have walked across its waters to reunite with the ghost of her lost love. The name Jocassee has an appropriate meaning: The Place of the Lost One.”

Kevin Matkoski of Columbia writes, “After I moved to SC, I was looking for a place to go camping (via my kayak). Lake Jocassee came highly recommended because of its waterfalls dropping into the lake, and I thought it would be perfect. Needless to say, this was my first introduction to drought in the Southeast. I didn’t find the infamous waterfalls scenes I had imagined, but even in drought conditions the lake’s beauty dominated the landscape.”

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