Jordan Lake

Beautiful place for families to go and unwind. The water was murky and seem so dirty but the water temperature was perfect. The only thing that irked us the most is when this lesbian couple started canoodling in the water in full view of everyone., there were lots of families with little kids. Whoever you are, have the decency to do it in the privacy of your own home or get a room!

I absolutely love Jordan Lake, it’s very pretty. Unfortunately there’s only one beach entrance that we’ve found that’s worth going too. Most of the beaches are way too crowded, and there are prettier lakes I’ve been to. However, when the sky has got some clouds and the sun is just right, you’ll witness some of the prettiest view. On the beach we tend to go to its less crowded and very relaxing to listen to the little waves and the sounds of the animals and insects. The best part is that it’s not far from us, so we can easily make a last minute afternoon trip there to relax!

I decided to come to Jordan Lake on a toasty day. Beautiful beaches and great scenic views! Lots of water sport options! Good to bring the kids and also some nice quiet beaches. I went to Ebenezer Church Recreation area.

Dog Friendly but not on the beach. Great place to stroll around, take a pathway in the woods, just chill and enjoy the sun and breeze.
Take the family to one of the many beaches, go boating, hiking a trail (just make sure you do not get off the trail, spring time copperheads are around)
You will enjoy this day trip, make it a weekend adventure.

Jordan Lake is a beautiful, scenic area with a boating marina, wildlife viewing areas, campsites, and floating docks for fishing. As you drive along the back roads you can see just how far this enormous lake stretches, and with wildlife viewing cams, you can enjoy private viewing of the Eagles that nest there year round via your laptop and/​or smartphone.
It’s an extraordinary area, and along with boating, you can kayak, paddle board, and hike along the park trails. We especially like the wildlife viewing areas, where you can bring your camera, and set up for some incredible water views along the floating fishing docks and shorelines.
Jordan Lake offers quite a bit for locals, and visitors to the area as well, and if you have some time, there is also a Meetup group online that you can join to volunteer to clean up the banks several times a year to help keep the lake beautiful year round.
Helpful Links:
Jordan Lake North Carolina Parks and Recreation Website Information:
…
Help Clean Jordan Lake Meetup Group:
…
Jordan Lake Wildlife Cam:
…
…
Jordan Lake/​Crosswinds Boating Marina:

Absolutely beautiful park with camping right on the lake. Loved feeling remote only 20 miles outside Raleigh. Hiking trail from campsite to beach area well marked. Only drawbacks to camping here are the bathrooms were disappointing (overly bug infested, no hand soap, and shower doors offer NO privacy); curfew — gates are locked at night; and no alcohol. Would definitely come back to the park, most likely for a shorter period in which a shower can be postponed until I can return home.

I just moved to NC about 2 years ago. Jordan lake is very beautiful and has a lot to offer. Hiking trails, swimming, boating, fishing, you name it! I went to the pier to fish today. First off I was so disappointed with the people who were there and had been there. There are signs everywhere that say littering is illegal but when we got on the pier the pier was trashed! Cig butts, fishing line, empty cans, and trash. There was at least 6 people with 2 or more fishing poles and just watch trash blow into the lake. I got out my trash bag and filled it with all the trash. How could people treat our lakes so horribly. And everyone just watched, they didn’t help. I brought the trash home and disposed of it properly! Shame on you!!! Anyway we didn’t catch anything it’s seems to be way over crowed but we love Jordan lake and will return.

Amazing! I went there several times for fishing, taking photos and family weekend walks. The sunset view is fantastic.

My boyfriend and i decided to take a drive to the lake since raleigh had a brief spring warm up. As we pulled around and found and parking spot i was taken away by how beautiful it was. The lake itself was like a gift to the eyes. We stood near the shoreline and stared into the waves as though it were a painting from the heavens. After we got lost in our thought we decided to walk a few of its various trails. The trails were man made from constant hikers, although i was a little apprehensive about walking through there were several signs marked on trees so that you knew you were still kn the trail. There are plenty of shelters to accommodate groups (some with fireplaces) and also picnic tables scattered throughout. Great place to go fishing or just for a relaxing walk. I will return soon so that i can explore the rest of the beautiful scenery

Sunsets over Jordan Lake, (my two 15 sec. timelapse videos I recently made), check them out here:
Jordan Lake is the largest lake in the immediate vicinity of Raleigh-​Durham. It is only about 20 or 30 minutes away from wherever you are in the Triangle it seems. I have stopped by to catch the sunset over the water (right off highway 751 at the north-​northeast end of the lake) a few times. Pull off to the side of the road near the north side of the bridge and climb down to the lake shore near this bridge and catch a sunset. It’s nice! Since I recently moved here from the west coast, I miss seeing sunsets over the ocean, so this spot is the closest thing I can find right nearby.
My pics on Unilocal:
*
*
*
*

My family is newly transplanted to the Raleigh area after 16 years in northern California, and used to ½ hour trips to Santa Cruz. We’ve made the drive to Wrightsville, but the other weekend we were DYING for beach time, but NOT for the ~5 hrs in the car that day. So, we decided to check out Jordan Lake. After some searching (how did anyone ever figure out what to do on the spur of the moment before the internet??), we settled on Ebenezer Church Road Beach in Jordan Lake Park.
Long story short, we LOVED this place. The water was clean (though, of course, it’s LAKE water — the bottom will churn up as you walk or if you dig, but that is different than ‘dirty’), the beach was clean, there is a PLAYGROUND within view of the beach… it was an awesome day. All for $ 6.
I include photos of the area/​playground/​etc and more information here:
We’ll certainly return quite a few times. Thumbs up, way up.

Hiked the New Hope Overlook. It was a good workout with occasional changes in the grade. But other than that, I didn’t find it scenic. Most of the trail is in wooded area with the shore line touching at two places. It might be good in fall with the colorful leaves around. The trail markings are a bit confusing; could have done a better job with written signs rather than color coding. Besides my group, found others scratching their heads with the trail signs. Hence, the 3 star.

Good times. Short review because it’s been reviewed so many times previously there isn’t much left to say!
Lovely areas to hike, relax, picnic, and play. Would love to go fishing here, but lack the time. It’s a wonderful place!

Jordan Lake is always a nice little excursion to just relax, have a picnic/​BBQ, take photos or (as it turns out since I did not know of this before) do some hiking. I’ve always gone out to Jordan Lake to take some really cool sunrise/​sunset photos because I love how it looks over the water. If you are going for this too just keep in mind that the scene changes pretty quickly at first sign so make sure your gear is ready to start shooting. As for those trails though…
I’m glad I read one of the recent reviews on here about the New Hope Overlook Trail since I was hoping to find new trails in the area. It was a nice trail with a shorter 3 mile loop and a longer 6 mile loop. I’m sure there are a bunch of other trails in the area that you can find but this one was nice. During peak season you have to pay to park your car there — $ 6 for the day but you can use the pass anywhere in Jordan Lake for that day. I’ve done it both solo and with my gf and dog and had a great time both times. The first time I did not heed the warning about cobwebs and went at like 8am right when it opened. That meant I was the first one in which also meant the cobwebs were in full force. It was a bit disconcerting but I went the second time just as early and wasn’t as bothered by them so I’m sure you get used to them. If this bothers you, probably best you just go closer to 9 or 10am once a few people have gone through and cleared them for ya. The trail is otherwise pretty easy (I’ve never been on the full 6 mile one) and has a cool opening (the overlook) where you have water access and can see the entire Jordan Lake landscape. It’s a pretty cool overlook actually and my dog really enjoyed jumping around in the water since dogs aren’t allowed on the normal «beach» area at Jordan Lake. The overlook is tiny though so don’t expect much more than a 15 – 20 foot area. Nonetheless you can get some cool panorama photos, have your pet play around in the water and maybe even get in the water yourself if you want (I didn’t).
I’ve never gone camping here since I’m not a camper but there are definitely tons of camp sites and that seems to be a big attraction during the summer months. Otherwise I look forward to going back to Jordan Lake every now and then since it’s close enough. I like the Farrington Road route better than the whole 40 to the 64 or whatever it is that Google Maps usually gives you. I think the Farrington Road route is definitely longer but I like driving and it’s a cool windy road that you can take all the way there instead of the highway.

Jordan Lake is a excellent park to explore. There’s alot of different access points, but a lesser known one is the New Hope Overlook and it’s amazing. It’s pretty much the southern most access point and you get to by heading south at Wilsonville /​HWY 64.
Drive all the way in and you’ll find a small lot near the restrooms. If you want a great walk /​hike in the woods with wonderful views of the lake in spots, this is for you. You enter the trail to the left of the parking lot. You’ll have two options… a hike of about 2.5 miles and an extension to that were you go hike that will give you a full 5 mile trek. Be sure to stop at the places that rub along the edge of the lake and don’t be afraid to leave the trail to explore the shore. It’s gorgeous.
Tip for people not use to hiking this area… if you don’t like the occasional cobweb, carry a stick or arrive after you’re sure someone else has probably been on the trail.

Great Hiking in the Triangle Area!
Me and the hubs are always looking for some outdoor hiking that doesn’t require too much of a commute. Lake Jordan is it! It took us about 30 minutes from downtown Durham to get to the Jordan Lake visitor center.
We hiked the New Hope Overlook Blue Trail. There is a red trail and a blue trail in the New Hope Overlook area, The red trail is more strenuous and longer. The blue trail was about 3 miles with a decent amount of up and down hill. There are a couple of great views of the lake and a remote, fairly secluded outlet where you can sit by the shore.
We had amazing weather (beginning of September) and really enjoyed the hike. It is shaded for the majority of the trail. It’s really nice to look into into the trees on a clear day and see the lake in the distance.
I’d like to go back again sometime with a boat rental. I don’t know about swiming in the lake… might be a little dirty. But Lake Jordan is great for hiking and I think it would be enjoyable on a boat as well.

I’m not sure if the many coastal Unilocalers who attended my CMYE here have yet gotten over their forced introduction to: dunh dunnh dunnnnh: … lake water.
I’ll admit the day we went it was looking a little murkier than usual. And generally, I’m not a fan of immersing my full body in something you can’t see clear to the bottom. (Except if it were crab bisque. I would swim in crab bisque.) But if you stay shallow, and soak in moderation, it seems pretty non-​threatening.
Best to go in the months that skirt July-​August, since the lake is always packed with families (and kids) at that time — making the water potentially more hazardous. I love that they’ve added a sandy embankment to this lake, so you can have a taste of a beach excursion without the commute commitment.
Lots of picnic tables scattered throughout shaded areas. There’s also a shelter for rent (be warned: it books up fast!) and a volleyball court. Parking will run you –5, so spend the day.

Being a child of Smith Mountain Lake, I have some high lake standards. The water quality for swimming is way below anything I’d ever step into. Great for fish, not for my sense of safety. The picnic area we found was clean, shaded and close to the water. It was pleasant. The entire area is a little more crowded than I would prefer, but it’s a family area. My lake life is usually a lot more peaceful so it’s a change of pace for me to go into something like this. But Seaforth has everything you need for an afternoon picnic for a large or small group. Bathrooms, a decent view of the lake, shade and grills. bring your bug spray and sunscreen!
I’m sure I will have a lot more to write about this lake in the future, especially if I catch a 10lb+ bass out of here.

Good facilities and plenty of spaced apart picnic tables interspersed between shade trees. The increased entrance fees bite a bit, but I guess every state is suffering through this economic downturn… so I’ll suck it up for the state. I’m a bit biased — I don’t like lakes (much less man made ones) unless they’re located in alpine wilderness areas with nice mountainous views… hot, muggy and sweltering on a summer day doesn’t translate well for me as it was the day we visited. I’d rather have cool temps, high elevation and less crowded areas to hike through.
BUT…for large groups, families and an easy day trip from the Triangle, this place will do just fine. Good facilities like grills, a reservable sheltered picnic area, sand volleyball pit, lake swimming, showers, and plenty of parking make this lake accessible for everyone.
If i had a kayak or canoe, this might be a more entertaining spot by itself. Otherwise, bring friends and family to sit, relax and chill by the «beach».

I’ve only been to Jordan Lake once, and the visit was brief. But in that time I saw great picnic facilities with grills, restrooms, a beach where you can go swimming in the water, a playground and volleyball courts. I’d love to explore more around there (or make a few friends who own boats or jet skis!) — it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon. Amy C’s right… bring frisbees — it’s nice to toss those around while splashing in the water on a hot day!