Lake Blue Ridge

Attractions
Located in Blue Ridge

The Crystal Clear Waters of Lake Blue Ridge

One of Georgia's most picturesque mountain lakes is Lake Blue Ridge in Blue Ridge, GA, with its cool crystal clear turquoise waters. The 3,290-acre lake, operated by the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority), offers four public boat ramps, a full-service marina, public swimming, campground, and picnic areas. What makes Lake Blue Ridge so beautiful is that 80% of the shoreline on Lake Blue Ridge is in the Chattahoochee National Forest, managed by the USDA Forest Service. 

Blue Ridge Dam

The Blue Ridge Reservoir is located on the Toccoa River in the Chattahoochee National Forest. Eleven miles below the dam with 65 miles of shoreline, 25% of which is developed, the Toccoa River flows northwestward into Tennessee, where it becomes the Ocoee River. When water is released from the Blue Ridge Dam to generate electricity, the Toccoa River becomes a Class I-II float through the North Georgia mountains. Floating northward into Tennessee, the Toccoa River becomes the Ocoee River, best known for exhilarating Class III-IV whitewater rafting and home to the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Besides providing power and recreational opportunities, Lake Blue Ridge also helps reduce flood damage. The lake was formed when the Blue Ridge Dam was constructed on the Toccoa River 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 TVA purchased the facility in 1939 for hydroelectric power production. 

There’s a scenic overlook above the dam and a shaded picnic area near the powerhouse. The canoe and kayak launch site below the dam gives non-motorized boaters access to the Toccoa River.

Things To Do For A Fantastic Lake Blue Ridge Vacation...