Lake Hartwell – Western border between Georgia and South Carolina

Lake Hartwell is a 56,000 acre reservoir built and operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and hydroelectric power production. Hartwell is the 4th most popular lake in South Carolina with several state parks and numerous lake businesses along its shoreline. Lake Hartwell is located on the western border between Georgia and South Carolina.

Lake Hartwell at a glance

Where is Lake Hartwell?

Lake Hartwell straddles the state line between South Carolina and Georgia, filling the valleys where the Tugaloo and Seneca rivers meet to form the Savannah. On the Carolina side it touches Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties; on the Georgia side, Hart, Franklin and Stephens. What makes the lake so easy to reach is Interstate 85, which crosses the water on a long causeway between Anderson and Lavonia — drivers between Atlanta and Charlotte pass right over it. From Greenville or Clemson you are roughly half an hour away; Atlanta and Charlotte are both about two hours out, which is a big part of why the shoreline stays busy from spring through fall.

How deep is Lake Hartwell?

Lake Hartwell averages about 45 feet deep, and at its deepest — in the old river channel just above Hartwell Dam — it reaches roughly 185 feet. Because it is a Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoir, the surface is held near a “full pool” of 660 feet above sea level and drawn down through late summer and fall, so the number on any given day moves with rainfall and power generation. The main-channel and lower-lake basins hold the deep, cooler water that stripers and hybrids follow in summer, while the upper creek arms are shallow, stumpy and far better for largemouth and crappie.

Fishing on Lake Hartwell

Hartwell has a national reputation as a bass lake — it has hosted the Bassmaster Classic more than once — but the fishery is far deeper than its tournament headlines. The marquee species are striped bass and their hybrid cousins, the “wipers,” which roam open water chasing blueback herring and can be caught trolling, on live bait, or by running up on surface schools at first light. Largemouth and spotted bass share the rocky points and brushy pockets, smallmouth turn up on the cleaner northern water, and crappie stack on standing timber and sunken brush piles in the creek mouths. Catfish — channel, blue and flathead — round out the catch, along with bream and the occasional walleye.

Best places to fish

Long-time anglers point to a handful of creeks that fish well year after year. Beaverdam Creek, near where the Tugaloo and Seneca arms join, is a reliable bet for largemouth and spotted bass. Lightwood Log Creek, just up-lake from the dam, gives up stripers, hybrids and catfish. On the Georgia side, Gum Log and Eastanollee creeks are local favorites, while Six and Twenty Creek on the South Carolina shore is worth working when the fish push shallow. April through June is prime time for bass; the striper and hybrid bite holds up through the heat for anglers willing to fish deep or early.

Licenses and reports

Hartwell sits in two states, so you fish it under a reciprocal arrangement: a valid South Carolina or Georgia freshwater license covers the whole lake. Before a trip it is worth checking a current fishing report and a contour or fish-attractor map — both are linked further down this page.

Lake Hartwell water level

Full pool on Hartwell is 660 feet, and the Corps of Engineers publishes the reading every day. Levels naturally fall through summer and autumn as water is released downstream for hydropower and held back upstream during dry spells; in the drought years of 2007–2008 the lake dropped low enough to leave docks high and dry and close shallow ramps. If you are launching a boat, planning a dock project, or just curious how far down the lake is sitting, check the official daily lake report (linked in the resources below) rather than relying on last week’s number.

Is Lake Hartwell safe to swim?

Swimming is popular and generally low-risk, but it is done at your own risk — Hartwell has no lifeguards and no fenced public swimming beach, though the state park and several day-use areas have sandy shoreline that families use all summer. The one thing to watch for is harmful algal blooms (HABs). In warm, still weather, blue-green algae can build up in coves and along the shoreline, and South Carolina’s environmental agency (SCDES) periodically issues a recreational water watch for sections of the lake. The simple rule: if the water looks like spilled paint, pea soup or has a thick surface scum, stay out of it and keep pets from drinking or swimming there until it clears. When the water is clear and you feel comfortable, a swim off the dock is part of what Hartwell life is about.

Camping and state parks

The shoreline is dotted with public campgrounds on both sides of the line. On the South Carolina side, Lake Hartwell State Park near Fair Play has 115 paved campsites with lake views, 13 walk-in tent sites, and — unusually for the state system — two camper cabins that sleep four and stay open year-round, plus two boat ramps. Across the water in Georgia, Hart State Park outside Hartwell offers camping, cabins and a swimming beach. Beyond the state parks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers runs roughly nine campgrounds and fifteen day-use areas around the reservoir, most bookable through Recreation.gov, ranging from full-hookup RV sites to quiet primitive loops.

Boating, marinas and boat ramps

With nearly a thousand miles of shoreline there is no shortage of places to put in. Full-service marinas such as Portman Marina, Big Water Marina and Hartwell Marina offer slips, fuel, rentals and on-the-water dining, while Green Pond Landing & Event Center in Anderson — the tournament site that hosted the 2018 and 2022 Bassmaster Classic — has one of the best public ramps on the lake. Dozens of free Corps ramps fill in the gaps, so wherever you are staying, a launch is rarely more than a few minutes away. Pontoons, ski boats, kayaks and paddleboards all share the water; the broad lower lake is open enough for sailing, while the creek arms stay calm for paddlers.

Things to do around Lake Hartwell

The lake makes an easy base for the whole Upstate. Clemson University sits right on the water — football Saturdays at Memorial Stadium, better known as “Death Valley,” fill the surrounding waters with tailgating boats. The historic district of Pendleton and the “Electric City” of Anderson are both a short drive away, and the lake is the gateway to the Blue Ridge foothills: the spectacular Lake Jocassee and clear-water Lake Keowee with its waterfalls and state parks are less than an hour north.

Hartwell Dam and history

Lake Hartwell was created when the Corps of Engineers built Hartwell Dam across the Savannah River, a project carried out between 1955 and 1963. The concrete-and-earth dam stands about 204 feet high and stretches more than three miles counting its earthen embankments, generating hydroelectric power and protecting the river valley below from flooding. The lake takes its name from Nancy Hart, the famed Georgia frontierswoman of the Revolutionary War — the same heroine who lends her name to Hart County.

Lake Hartwell real estate

Hartwell is one of the most active waterfront markets in the Upstate. On any given week there are well over a hundred lake homes and lots for sale, from modest cottages in the $80,000s to luxury estates topping two million dollars, with the typical waterfront house landing somewhere in the mid-to-high hundreds of thousands. Buyers tend to prize deep, dockable water near the marinas and the lower lake; popular shoreline communities cluster around Anderson, Seneca and Westminster in South Carolina and around Hartwell and Lavonia in Georgia. If you own a Hartwell property or rental you would like featured here, get in touch through our contact form.

Explore more South Carolina lakes

• Lake Keowee — Hartwell’s clear-water neighbor on the Seneca/Keowee chain
• Lake Jocassee — the deep mountain lake just upstream
• Lake Russell & Lake Thurmond / Clarks Hill — the next two Corps lakes down the Savannah
• Lake Tugalo — the small lake that feeds Hartwell’s Tugaloo arm

About the Lake Hartwell

It was built in the 1960’s by damming the Savannah River. The US Army Corps of Engineers has built numerous recreation areas and boat ramps along the shoreline. 

There are plenty of marinas, campgrounds, and state parks along the shores of this massive reservoir. Because Lake Hartwell is crossed by I-85, it is easily accessible from many areas in South Carolina. Also, visitors from Atlanta GA or Charlotte NC can visit Lake Hartwell within a couple of hours or less.

Specifications

• Project Management U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Full Pool Elevation 660 Feet Above Mean Sea Level
• Dam Height 204
• Dam Length 18,000 Feet
• Maximum Depth 176 Feet (SCDHEC)
• Mean Depth 45 Feet (SCDHEC)
• Numerous Boat Ramps

Lake Hartwell Fishing Reports

Angler Guide Lake Fishing Report 
Probass Fishing Report

Lake Hartwell Links

• Lake Video – August 13, 2010 near SC Highway 24
• August 13, 2010 near SC Highway 24
• Lake Level – US Corps of Engineers 
• US Army Corps of Engineers Page

Lake Hartwell Lakehouse Rentals

If you have one, just contact to us through the contact form. We will place your offer here.

Lake Hartwell Photo Gallery

Lake Hartwell FAQ

How big is Lake Hartwell?

Lake Hartwell covers about 56,000 acres of water with 962 miles of shoreline, making it one of the largest lakes in the Southeast.

How deep is Lake Hartwell?

It averages roughly 45 feet deep and reaches about 185 feet at its deepest point near Hartwell Dam.

What is the full pool level of Lake Hartwell?

Full pool is 660 feet above sea level. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers publishes the current lake level every day.

What fish are in Lake Hartwell?

Striped bass, hybrid (wiper) bass, largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass, crappie, channel, blue and flathead catfish, bream and the occasional walleye.

Do I need a South Carolina or Georgia license to fish Lake Hartwell?

Either one. Because the lake is shared, a valid South Carolina or Georgia freshwater fishing license is honored across the whole reservoir.

Is it safe to swim in Lake Hartwell?

Swimming is generally low-risk but unguarded, so you swim at your own risk. Avoid any water with a visible blue-green algae scum, and check for current SCDES water advisories in warm weather.

Can you camp at Lake Hartwell?

Yes. Lake Hartwell State Park (SC) and Hart State Park (GA) offer campsites and cabins, and the Corps of Engineers runs about nine more campgrounds bookable on Recreation.gov.

How far is Lake Hartwell from Greenville and Atlanta?

About 30–40 minutes from Greenville and Clemson, and roughly two hours from both Atlanta and Charlotte by way of I-85.