Lake Blue Ridge is the big water just east of downtown Blue Ridge. Most of its shore is private docks and lake houses, so a first-time visitor’s real question is where the public can get on the water. There are three good answers: the Forest Service beach and campground at Morganton Point, the free Lake Blue Ridge Recreation Area on the west shore, and the marina, which rents pontoons and paddle craft.
The lake in numbers
The Toccoa Electric Power Company built Blue Ridge Dam on the Toccoa River between 1925 and 1930, and the Tennessee Valley Authority bought it in 1939. TVA says the reservoir stretches 11 miles southeast from the 175-foot dam. The Forest Service puts its surface at 3,290 acres. Below the dam the Toccoa flows north into Tennessee, where its name changes to the Ocoee.
Where to swim
Morganton Point Recreation Area is the place. The Forest Service lists a designated swimming area with picnic tables, outdoor showers and drinking water. Day use costs $5 per person for visitors 16 and older. Park at the swim beach lot or the picnic area lot.
The Forest Service lists the area as open all year, 24 hours a day. There are no lifeguards listed, so watch children closely.
Two rules catch people out: no alcohol anywhere in the campground or day-use areas, and dogs must stay on a leash.
Directions from Blue Ridge: take US 515 north for 4 miles to GA 60 and turn right. Go half a mile to the stop sign and turn left, then drive 1.5 miles into Morganton. Turn right on Lake Drive and go 1 mile.
Renting a boat
Lake Blue Ridge Marina (335 Marina Dr., Blue Ridge; 706-632-2618) rents 23-foot Bennington pontoons. Prices posted on its site:
| Rental | Price |
|---|---|
| Half day (4 hours) | $475 plus tax, plus a $30 fuel surcharge and booking fee |
| Full day (8 hours) | $625 plus tax, plus a $60 fuel surcharge and booking fee |
| Single kayak, canoe or paddleboard (2 hours) | $55 |
| Double (2 hours) | $75 |
The marina’s rules:
- The renter must be 21 or older with a valid driver’s license and a major credit card for the damage deposit.
- No more than 8 guests per pontoon.
- No pets and no grills on board.
- Bring no towables of your own. The marina rents a 2-person tube.
- Life jackets are provided for all ages.
- Cancel at least 48 hours ahead.
- Holidays are full-day only, at different rates.
- Paddle craft are first come, first served. The last one goes out at 3 p.m., and rentals depend on the weather.
Book pontoons ahead for summer weekends and holidays. The marina’s hours change with the season. In late October 2026 its site showed the office open Tuesday through Friday and the Boat Dock Bar & Grill closed until April 2027, so call before driving over in the off-season.
Lake Blue Ridge Boat Rentals in Morganton rents pontoons, tritoons, wake boats and jet skis, and can deliver to a rental-house dock. Its site lists it as closed November through February.
Launching your own boat or kayak
The lake allows motorboats and jet skis as well as canoes and kayaks. Morganton Point has a boat launch, with a $5 boat-trailer fee. The Lake Blue Ridge Recreation Area on the west side of the lake is a no-fee Forest Service site. It has no drinking water, so bring your own.
Every boat needs a valid registration, and anglers 16 and older need a Georgia fishing license. The lake holds bass, bream, catfish, perch and crappie.
Camping at Morganton Point
Morganton Point has the only developed campground on the lake. Sites have tables and fire rings with grills, and there are accessible showers. Forest Service rates:
- Standard or walk-in tent site: $30 a night
- With electric: $35
- With electric and water: $45
- Double site: $50
Reserve on Recreation.gov or at 1-877-444-6777. You can book from 6 months ahead up to the day you arrive, but not on site. The stay limit is 14 days. Each site gets two vehicles, and a boat trailer counts as one. Visitors have to park in the day-use lot and pay the day-use fee. Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Summer lake vs. winter lake
The lake rises and falls with TVA operations. TVA says the level moves about 22 feet between summer and winter in a normal year. TVA starts lowering its mountain lakes after Labor Day to make room for winter and spring floodwater.
What that means for a visit:
- June through August is the time to swim and rent a pontoon.
- Fall brings color on the ridges and quiet water, but lower levels and shorter marina hours.
- Winter is good for a lakeside walk or a cold-weather fishing trip. Check TVA’s lake levels page before you launch.
A lake day from Ellijay
Blue Ridge is about half an hour north of Ellijay on GA 515. An easy summer day: get to Morganton Point by 10 a.m. to swim, eat lunch at a picnic table, then head into downtown Blue Ridge for the afternoon. Our Blue Ridge town guide covers downtown. The Toccoa River swinging bridge south of town is a good short walk on the way home.
If you would rather fish quiet water with an undeveloped shoreline, Carters Lake on the other side of Ellijay is the opposite of Lake Blue Ridge. Traveling with a dog? See North Georgia with dogs. Pets are not allowed on marina rental boats.
Farther north, Lake Chatuge and Lake Nottely have free and low-cost swim beaches and lakeside campgrounds.
Sources and further reading
Facts in this article were checked against these sources on October 30, 2026. Hours, fees and seasons change, so confirm before you go.
