Camping

Pitch your tent or park your recreational vehicle at one of more than 1,000 family friendly campsites.

Crosswinds Campground offers 182 campsites for both recreational vehicles and tent camping; 134 sites have water and electric hookups. Each site includes a picnic table, grill and lantern holder. Showers, restrooms, trash containers and a dump station are conveniently located.

Parker's Creek offers 250 sites for RV and tent camping; 120 sites have water and electric hookups. Each site contains a picnic table, grill and lantern holder. Showers, restrooms, trash containers and a dump station are conveniently located.

Poplar Point offers 579 sites for RV and tent camping; 363 sites have water and electric hookups. Each site includes a picnic table, grill and lantern holder. Showers, restrooms, trash containers and a dump station are conveniently located.

Campsites are available on a first-come basis for a fee. Reservations can be made for a stay of seven days or longer if made at least two weeks in advance. The maximum stay in any campsite is fourteen days in any 30-day period.

Hike-in camping: For those who prefer a more primitive campsite, New Hope Overlook offers 24 campsites nestled in the woods. These sites range from 100 yards to a half mile from the parking lot. Each site has a picnic table, grill and lantern holder. Toilets and drinking water are provided nearby.

Group tent camping: Two areas offer sections for camping clubs and other groups. Parkers Creek has six campsites available for group tent camping. Vista Point also offers five group tent campsites. Drinking water and showers are located nearby.

Group RV camping: Vista Point offers 50 campsites for group RV camping. All sites contain water and electric hookups. Although these sites are open year-round, water to the sites is turned off in the winter. Showers, restrooms, trash containers and a dump station are conveniently located.

Jordan Lake

The New Hope River Valley, now home to the corporate world of Research Triangle Park, has been the site of a broad range of cultures for more than 10,000 years. Archaeologists have explored the remains of 450 prehistoric and historic sites in the area and have uncovered many Native American artifacts. The land was settled by Scottish Highlanders in the 1740s, and it saw action in both the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

Following a disastrous hurricane, which struck the Cape Fear River Basin in 1945, Congress directed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to undertake a comprehensive study of water resource needs in the area. The project, then known as New Hope Lake, was authorized in 1963 and construction began in 1967. In 1973, the name of the project was changed to B. Everett Jordan Dam and Lake in honor of the former senator from North Carolina.

Jordan Lake's 46,768 acres are not only a popular source of recreation. They also provide the water supply for surrounding cities, flood and water quality control, and fish and wildlife conservation.

Every fall, Jordan Lake holds a festival to celebrate the unique cultural and natural resources of the region. It gives participants an opportunity to see and experience activities related to agricultural, communal, industrial and Native American history.

Ecological information

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area is one of the largest summertime homes of the bald eagle, the symbol of the United States for more than 200 years. The population of eagles in the Jordan Lake area has increased dramatically since the flooding of the reservoir in 1983.

Vast, undisturbed areas provide the perfect home for the bald eagle; there's plenty of fish to eat and a mature forest for roosting. Although protection efforts have increased the numbers of this mighty bird, it still remains a rare species. Interpretive programs about the bald eagle are conducted throughout the year at Jordan Lake, usually during warm-weather months. Join one of our programs or bird watch on your own.

The eagles congregate at the north end of the lake and can be seen best from either the NC 751 bridge crossing Northeast Creek or the Wildlife Resources Commission's Wildlife Observation Deck. The observation deck is located five miles south of I-40 on NC 751, 6.5 miles north of US 64.

Fishing

Fishing is a popular sport on the lake. Underwater stumps, logs and rocks help create the perfect environment for bass, crappie, catfish and pan fish. A state fishing license is required, and rules of the NC Wildlife Resources Commission must be obeyed.

Swimming

Sandy beaches are offered at Ebenezer Church, Seaforth and Parkers Creek. Swimming is permitted in designated areas only. The Parkers Creek beach is located on the lake's subimpoundment; boats launched on the main lake do not have access. Crosswinds Campground, Poplar Point and Vista Point offer sandy swim beaches for use by campers only. Closely supervise children at all times and outfit them with personal flotation devices when they are in or near water.

Hiking

Crosswinds Campground offers a one-mile trail for campers only. The trail is easy and on fairly level ground. At Ebenezer Church, two trails that are each less than a mile long offer a better look into a reservoir environment. A .25-mile trail in Parkers Creek, another trail in Poplar Point and Seaforth's 1.4-mile trail also exhibit the lake environment. The longest trail in the recreation area is a three-mile loop at Vista Point.

Picnicking

Ebenezer Church, Parkers Creek, Seaforth and Vista Point offer picturesque spots for picnicking. Grills and trash containers are provided, and drinking water is located nearby. Each area has a picnic shelter. The shelters can be reserved for a fee. Otherwise, they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Boating

Each recreation area has boat-launching ramps providing easy entry to the water. Boat ramps open 24 hours per day are located at Ebenezer Church and Robeson Creek recreation areas.

All other boat ramps are open during park hours, and visitors must exit the park before the park's closing time. Boating facilities open during park hours include six boat ramps and three docks at New Hope Overlook. Seaforth offers six boat ramps, and Vista Point offers four boat ramps. Crosswinds Campground offers two boat ramps for campers only, and Poplar Point offers four boat ramps for campers only.

Be cautious of underwater hazards such as stumps, logs and rocks. The Uniform Waterway Marker System has been installed for your safety and convenience. Obey all buoys and markers.

Test your sailing skills on Jordan Lake. The most popular area for sailing is Vista Point while windsurfers enjoy Ebenezer Church. Wind speed information can be obtained by dialing (919) 387-5969.

The nearby, privately owned Crosswinds Marina rents fishing and pontoon boats. For more information about the marina and its services, call (919) 362-5391.