Safest Lakes to Swim In in North Carolina
28 lakes in North Carolina qualify as safest for swimming, all hold grade A or B and report chlorophyll-a (algae) under 10 µg/L. Always check local advisories on the day you swim.
Ranked List
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wolf Creek Reservoir | Jackson | A | 19.7 ft | - | 1.7 µg/L |
| 2 | Calderwood Lake | Graham | A | 16.4 ft | - | 1.3 µg/L |
| 3 | Lake Cheoah | Graham | A | 14.6 ft | - | 2.3 µg/L |
| 4 | Chatuge Lake | Clay | A | 11.6 ft | - | 2.3 µg/L |
| 5 | Belews Lake | Stokes | A | 11.6 ft | - | 3.5 µg/L |
| 6 | Fontana Lake | Swain | A | 13.6 ft | - | 4.7 µg/L |
| 7 | Fontana Lake | Graham | A | 14.1 ft | - | 4.1 µg/L |
| 8 | Nantahala Lake | Macon | A | 12.5 ft | - | 3.1 µg/L |
| 9 | Santeetlah Lake | Graham | A | 14.3 ft | - | 3.7 µg/L |
| 10 | Apalachia Lake | Cherokee | A | 13.1 ft | - | 3.4 µg/L |
| 11 | Buckeye Lake | Watauga | B | 7.5 ft | - | 3.9 µg/L |
| 12 | Sutton Lake | New Hanover | B | 10 ft | 30 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L |
| 13 | Asu Lake | Watauga | B | 12.3 ft | - | 5.2 µg/L |
| 14 | Center of Sutton Lake | New Hanover | B | 6.7 ft | - | 4.8 µg/L |
| 15 | Hiwassee Reservoir | Cherokee | B | 10 ft | - | 7.6 µg/L |
| 16 | Bear Creek Reservoir | Jackson | B | 7.7 ft | - | 4.1 µg/L |
| 17 | Lake Waccamaw | Columbus | B | - | 30 µg/L | 3.6 µg/L |
| 18 | Falls Lake | Montgomery | B | - | 20 µg/L | 7.3 µg/L |
| 19 | Lake Lure | Rutherford | B | - | 20 µg/L | 7.3 µg/L |
| 20 | Lake James | Burke | B | - | 40 µg/L | 4.4 µg/L |
| 21 | Mountain Island Lake | Gaston | B | - | 20 µg/L | 6.5 µg/L |
| 22 | Lookout Shoals Lake | Catawba | B | - | 20 µg/L | 8.1 µg/L |
| 23 | Lake Norman | Iredell | B | - | 25 µg/L | 8.5 µg/L |
| 24 | Bessemer City Lake | Gaston | B | - | 20 µg/L | 7.1 µg/L |
| 25 | Lake Julian | Buncombe | B | - | 30 µg/L | 2.5 µg/L |
| 26 | Thorpe Reservoir | Jackson | B | 8.7 ft | - | 6.3 µg/L |
| 27 | Lake Ben Johnson | Orange | B | - | 40 µg/L | 6.5 µg/L |
| 28 | Rockingham City Lake | Richmond | B | - | 30 µg/L | 6.2 µg/L |