Thurmond Lake

Augusta may lie 2.5 hours from the ocean but there's still plenty of water where you can take a respite. At 70,000 surface acres, Thurmond is the largest, man-made Corps of Engineers' lake east of the Mississippi River. It features 1,200 miles of shoreline, and the 80,000 acres of land that surround the water in Georgia and South Carolina are rich with timber. More timber is harvested from here than any other Corps property in the country, in fact -- and there's a regular prescribed burn program to keep the undergrowth lush for the abundant wildlife.

Originally known as Clarks Hill Lake, the project constructed from 1946 to 1954 will mark its 50th anniversary soon. Whether you should call the lake Thurmond or Clarks Hill really depends on whether you're on the Georgia or South Carolina side of the state line.

Elijah Clark was a frontiersman and Georgia war hero who led pioneers during the Revolutionary War. The Elijah Clark State Park at the lake features a log cabin and the graves of Clark and his wife, Hannah.

Clarks Hill should be Clark's Hill, one would assume, and in some instances, an apostrophe has been added to make it -- appropriately -- Clark's Hill. But in 1988, a bill moved through Congress with a little known provision that changed the lake's name to Thurmond -- in honor of J. Strom Thurmond, South Carolina's senior senator. That move, notes park ranger Annette Carter, was "much to the chagrin of everybody in Georgia, practically."

"There still are people who refuse to call it Thurmond."

Usually when people flock here, however, the name of the project is not at the foremost of their minds. They're here for what the lake has to offer, including accommodations at six state parks, two county parks and numerous Corps and private campgrounds. And with all of the water and woods, boating, swimming, hunting and fishing opportunities abound.

Picnic sites with shelter houses big and small proliferate around the Corps' sites at the lake, and volleyball areas, horseshoe pits and ball fields all can be reserved. Several marinas offer their own recreational amenities. For example, Tradewinds, the closest marina to Augusta, and a subsidiary, Sun Fun Watersports Inc., offer a variety of jet ski, wave runner, sailboat, pontoon and houseboat rentals. And this summer, they plan to add pedal boats to their moors.

Hikers can enjoy the Bartram Trail, 15 miles of which has been cleared and maintained by volunteers.

In addition to the Corps areas' offerings, the half-dozen state parks offer their own features for those who visit the lake.

Hickory Knob State Resort Park near McCormick, S.C., features, in addition to cabin, guest-house and camping accommodations, an 18-hole, 6,560-yard championship golf course and a skeet range.

Mistletoe State Park, Appling, Ga., offers 10 cabin sites for rent. The spots have proved popular and are steadily reserved; in fact, any Masters®-week visitors would want to inquire about them while they're here, because next year's reservations will be taken soon.

The cabins, which are heated and air-conditioned, are lakefront properties that come with two bedrooms, plus lofts with two more double beds. Linens and full kitchens with wares are provided, much like a motel. And the rates are competitive with motels, too, ranging from $60 to $90 daily, depending on the season.

Mistletoe's other amenities include: A new nature center opened this year; 94 RV sites with full hookups, picnic tables, fire sites and nearby shower and laundry facilities; primitive walk-in sites for the rugged camper; a "pioneer" area that's designed for scout and other group campouts, and, a new feature this year, a "camper cabin." Built on one of the campgrounds, the cabin's intended for those people who don't have RVs or tents but want to experience the outdoors. The screened hut offers a fan, an electrical outlet and four bunk beds. If the camper cabin proves popular, the park will add five or more six more to the point on which it sits.

Thurmond Lake's Information Center is on the South Carolina end of the dam, just off Highway 221. Containing numerous exhibits, it is open year-round, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Phone: (864) 333-1100 or 1-800-533-3478. Most campgrounds and other sites are closed during the winter but open on April 1 -- just in time for the Masters®.

Provided by: Best Read Guide