Lake Keowee

[Shookie]

Curious to hear local opinions on Lake Keowee.... I've started thinking about a 2nd home/retirement home even though I'm 10-15 years away from retirement. I'm in the Raleigh area now and don't want to go too far away. Definitely not north of here. My wife would love Charleston on the water but that's another level of $$$ and I'm not sure I want to be on the ocean. Lots of things about lakes I like compared to the ocean.

I'm renting a house this summer on Keowee to boat there (and Jocasse) for the 1st time. Boating sounds great down there, especially clean water. Biggest thing I dislike about my local lake (Jordan) is the muddy water.

I know Clemson University is right there and Greenville is an hour away. Lots of golf courses in the area. Any other tips, hints, details that locals can share? How is it to live there? Any downside?

Thanks!

 

[mrcleanr6]

I have really have no input. I am in the same boat as you. i have spent a few years on the internet keeping tabs on keowee/hartwell area for a vacation home that i can eventually move to full time in 5-10 years. I was planning on spending a vacation there but business has gotten so busy this past year that i cant even take one or even get away for a long weekend. Reality hit me that i would never be able to use the house so i am really going to have to wait to buy until retirement or business slows down.

 

[suke]

Let me know what you think when you go. We passively looked there to rent a house, but was further than we wanted to drive at the time with the boat. We ended up back at Gaston. Jordan is definitely muddy. Harris is better in that respect, but it's pretty tiny when you get a bunch of wake boats with full ballast running around. Hard to find smooth water to anchor in and chill/swim. It has been my dream to have a lake house, and have been keeping my eye on Gaston. Largely since my buddy has a place there and I know it so well. Prices have gotten insane over the last 2 years. Everything is a dump and needs a full reno AND still starting at 500-600k. Unless you find a trailer that happens to have good land, OR you go to the VA side of the lake.....which has the same issue as Jordan. It's quite a bit muddy.

 

[dgfreeze]

My wife has an aunt/uncle who have a house on Lake Keowee, and it's an absolutely gorgeous lake. As my memory goes, since the water is used to cool a nuclear reactor (true/false?), the water temperature is consistently several degrees above average. This is what I was told, anyway. The community they live in is gated, so it's relatively secure also. I haven't heard them say anything negative about it, they have a boat dock with a lift, as does just about everybody who's got a waterfront house. I've only gone out on the boat with them once, since we usually go down for Thanksgiving, and it's normally a little chilly by then. Hoping to make it down there with my boat one of these days, and have some fun.

 

[Shookie]

I'm actually thinking about going down there for spring break as well, just to see the area and maybe look at some property. Seems like $400K is starting price for a decent acre lot on the water. Some higher and some lower obviously but that seems like starting price...

 

[mrcleanr6]

Prices anywhere down south near all the lakes has pretty much doubled over the last 2-3 years

 

[Seadeals]

Keowee is a very nice lake. It is very clear and as mentioned, the nuclear plant is responsible for keeping lake levels very constant versus upstream (Jocassee) and downstream (Hartwell), which can vary 10-20’ seasonally depending on rainfall. The Cliffs development took off prior to the 08 crash then stagnated through the weak economy keeping many coves as secluded woods. The past two years have seen a boom in new houses that have eliminated the woodsy coves and busied the lake waters. Combined with new COVID boaters in 2020, the lake was a bit too crazy for me. I chose to only boat there on weekdays. Overall, if coming from populated areas with tons of houses, boats and people, it will probably still feel like paradise for at least a few more years. After that, I worry we humans will take over too much and it will lose some of the beauty and the “empty playground” feel.

 

[Shookie]

Keowee is a very nice lake. It is very clear and as mentioned, the nuclear plant is responsible for keeping lake levels very constant versus upstream (Jocassee) and downstream (Hartwell), which can vary 10-20’ seasonally depending on rainfall. The Cliffs development took off prior to the 08 crash then stagnated through the weak economy keeping many coves as secluded woods. The past two years have seen a boom in new houses that have eliminated the woodsy coves and busied the lake waters. Combined with new COVID boaters in 2020, the lake was a bit too crazy for me. I chose to only boat there on weekdays. Overall, if coming from populated areas with tons of houses, boats and people, it will probably still feel like paradise for at least a few more years. After that, I worry we humans will take over too much and it will lose some of the beauty and the “empty playground” feel.

Yeah that's the kicker..... people flocking to "nicer" places to live. The new Covid boaters definitely caused problems on the lake here. Tons of ramp issues/fights, people not knowing even the most basic boater etiquette, etc.... I can understand weekends being crazy, but honestly it can be that way on a lot of lakes in the summer. One advantage of living there and having a dock would be to take advantage of the weekdays when there's a lot less traffic.

Any thoughts on the northern part of the lake compared to the south? Pros/cons? I'm sure you get some better mountain views up at the northern tip. Is it busy everywhere?

 

[nesnah2]

I'm stalking this thread big time. I work at a nuke plant in Michigan that is getting shut down next year, and the Oconee station is in my top 3 plants to land at. We are actually going to be in the area in April for spring break to check it out. Keep the info coming!

 

[Seadeals]

@Shookie I personally favor the north end. It is less developed with more of a mountain feel versus the south end which is more open water but still with some nice islands and coves. Houses on the north end are mostly The Cliffs so multimillion dollar flavor versus older more modest development on the south end. Obviously if I were ever to buy a place on the water it would need to be on the south end!

 

[Shookie]

@Shookie I personally favor the north end. It is less developed with more of a mountain feel versus the south end which is more open water but still with some nice islands and coves. Houses on the north end are mostly The Cliffs so multimillion dollar flavor versus older more modest development on the south end. Obviously if I were ever to buy a place on the water it would need to be on the south end!

Yeah makes sense. A friend of my wife said the same exact thing.... certainly pros and cons of both.

 

[Brandon_SC]

Agree with @Seadeals Lake Keowee is extremely busy... and dangerous at times due to its shape, layout and corners. Last season was the worst... it was like being on the ocean in the main channel... A nightmare for towing tubers. The traffic on the lake has changed a lot in 4 boating seasons, from my experience on this lake. I now choose to boat elsewhere first, except for weekdays.

 

[Shookie]

Damn, sucks to hear that’s your experience.

 

[LakeRidgeBoating]

Spent a week there last October and had a great time. Beautiful country. Wasn't busy when I was there but it was late in the season. Jocassee (sp?) is incredible though. Not many houses on it...but that place was really, really cool.

 

[Shookie]

I had a 7BR lakefront house booked for a week at the end of June this summer. 2 other couples coming along and 1 of them has a boat as well. Planned to be out everyday and see what we thought. Found out today the owner is selling the house and he canceled the reservation. Basically nothing else there but lucked out and found a house on Hartwell.

So, looks like I'll be boating on Hartwell most of that week.... The house is actually out to the wet in Georgia and it'a about an hour drive up to Jocasse. Definitely going up there for a day.

 

[Wisefam22]

Kept at steady level year round and it's an awesome lake.

 

[Wisefam22]

I had a 7BR lakefront house booked for a week at the end of June this summer. 2 other couples coming along and 1 of them has a boat as well. Planned to be out everyday and see what we thought. Found out today the owner is selling the house and he canceled the reservation. Basically nothing else there but lucked out and found a house on Hartwell.

So, looks like I'll be boating on Hartwell most of that week.... The house is actually out to the wet in Georgia and it'a about an hour drive up to Jocasse. Definitely going up there for a day.

Jocassee has 1 access point. Get there early they cut off boats at 150 on the lake. Its beautiful lake

 

[Wisefam22]

The water around nuc plant will be about 72 degree is dead of winter and people go there for diving open water cert.

As you go north in the lake there is "jumping rock" with 2 different levels to jump off. The water is deep 30+ feet popular place for families with teens. Its tucked behind a small island so not much boat traffic.

There is one choke point between north and south lake that can get hairy on busy weekends.

Hartwell is large and as you get away from i85 you get less traffic.

Keowee is super nice and about 20min closer to greenville plus the controlled water level.

Jocassee is my favorite, and if you love to fish it has some great trout fishing (trolling is prefered method for them).

The waters around Charleston are amazing as well and so much to do. Either you will be happy with.

 

[Shookie]

Jocassee has 1 access point. Get there early they cut off boats at 150 on the lake. Its beautiful lake

Yeah I've read that before. Most likely will hit it at the end of our trip. We are doing Saturday to Saturday so my current thought is to do Hartwell Sunday thru Wednesday. Trailer my boat on Wednesday night and then do Jocasse and Keowee Thursday and Friday. Will be less traffic those days.

 

[Jameson Clark]

Just to chime in as well since Keowee is my primary lake. I do boat Hartwell and Jocassee plenty as well though.

Keowee, despite recent growth, is still a fantastic lake with beautiful views! In spring/early summer, the water up at the north part of the lake is substantially cooler than the south. The water coming into Keowee from Jocassee at the north end is some very cold water!

Hartwell is very big and is fed by multiple rivers. Hard to run out of new places to explore on that lake!