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J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir

Lincolnton, Georgia — Lincoln County.

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67,891Surface acres (whole lake)
15Public access sites
15.1 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID {A0769C58-15EC-4164-91C7-47F1648F9243}, 3 mapped parts); shared with South Carolina, acreage is the whole lake.

Location & fast facts

Where J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir is in Georgia

The red circle marks J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir.

Fast facts

About J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir

  • Counties: Lincoln, Columbia, McDuffie, Elbert
  • Nearest city: Lincolnton (about 1.1 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Reservoir (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Shared with: South Carolina. The surface acreage shown is the whole lake; about 68% of the mapped water is in Georgia.
  • Distance: about 243 mi from Jacksonville and 260 mi from Tallahassee, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Georgia: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Georgia

Official Georgia DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 15 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Walking. 15.1 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 8 campgrounds within 15 mi, 8 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Whorled hydrilla, Wandering hydrilla and Chinese mysterysnail recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Petersburg Campground (campground)Ridge Road Campground (campground)Winfield Campground (campground)Camping Municipal (campground)Elijah Clark Campground (campground)Holliday Park Campground (campground)Primitive walk-in campsite (campground)Wildwood Camping Area 1 (campground)Boat Ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)4Boat ramp (Boat launch)5Boat ramp (Boat launch)6Boat ramp (Boat launch)7Boat ramp (Boat launch)8Boat ramp (Boat launch)9Boat ramp (Boat launch)10Boat ramp (Boat launch)11Boat ramp (Boat launch)12Boat ramp (Boat launch)13Boat ramp (Boat launch)14Boat ramp (Boat launch)151 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Boat Ramp
    Boat launch
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  5. 5Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  6. 6Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  7. 7Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  8. 8Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  9. 9Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  10. 10Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  11. 11Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  12. 12Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  13. 13Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  14. 14Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  15. 15Boat ramp
    Boat launch

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID {A0769C58-15EC-4164-91C7-47F1648F9243}, plus 2 more mapped parts), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Georgia DNR WRD water access points and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

15.1 miTrail within 100 m of shore
Under 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
South shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 15.1 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir shoreline, mostly along the south shore.

Trails along the shore

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir

We found 8 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir. 8 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

2 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Georgia

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (33.8006, -82.2969). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    15 public access sites listed, 15 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat Ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.6483, -82.4700
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.7333, -82.2272
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.6807, -82.2015
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.9342, -82.3929
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.7794, -82.2219
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.8700, -82.3596
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.7963, -82.2606
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.8863, -82.3682
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.7432, -82.2177
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.7531, -82.2317
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.6753, -82.1890
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.9990, -82.5676
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.9616, -82.3904
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.6499, -82.5387
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating33.6485, -82.2796

    Georgia DNR WRD water access points and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir

    How big is J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir?

    J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir covers about 67,891 acres in Lincolnton, Georgia (Lincoln County).

    Is there a public boat launch on J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir?

    Yes. 15 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Boat ramp and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir?

    Yes. We list 8 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir?

    J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir touches Lincolnton in Lincoln County, Columbia County, McDuffie County and Elbert County, Georgia.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Georgia lakes & ponds · All waters in Lincolnton