Lake Hartwell, one of the largest and most popular public recreation lakes in the Southeast, was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1955 and 1963. Each year, millions of people utilize the many public parks, marinas, and campgrounds conveniently located around the lake to pursue a variety of outdoor recreational experiences -making Hartwell one of the most visited lakes in the nation.

Lake Hartwell borders Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah, Tugaloo, and Seneca Rivers. The lake is created by Hartwell Dam located on the Savannah River seven miles below the point at which the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers join to form the Savannah. Extending 49 miles up the Tugaloo and 45 miles up the Seneca at normal pool elevation, Hartwell Lake comprises nearly 56,000 acres of water with a shoreline of 962 miles.

The Stephens County Lake Hartwell recreation site is within 5 miles of Low Country Retreat. The site has two public boat ramps that may be used to launch your boat. The Stephens County recreation site is marked as Park #28 on the "Map of Lake Hartwell with Recreation Parks" on the Lake Hartwell website (see below).

Visit the links below for more information from the US Army Corps of Engineers; Hartwell Dam & Lake Website

Homepage Lake Hartwell
Recreation Parks
Brochures & Maps
Map of Lake Hartwell with Recreation Parks
Status of Corps Boat Ramps on Lake Hartwell