Lake Keowee

Life in Lake Keowee

Lake Keowee takes its name from the Cherokee word ᎨᎣᏫ, meaning "place of the mulberries." The historic Cherokee Lower Town of Keowee once stood on the banks of the Keowee River — one of the largest of seven Cherokee settlements in colonial South Carolina. When Duke Energy began construction in 1971, two massive dams created the 18,500-acre reservoir that exists today, inundating the former town site and transforming the landscape forever.

Lake Keowee stretches 26 miles long and 3 miles wide across Oconee and Pickens counties, with 300 miles of shoreline and crystal-clear water that sits at roughly 800 feet above sea level. The lake was built to cool Duke Energy's three nuclear reactors at the Oconee Nuclear Station and to generate hydroelectric power, but it has become one of the Southeast's premier recreational destinations — renowned for pristine water quality, dramatic mountain backdrops, and world-class lakefront living.

The communities surrounding Lake Keowee range from luxury gated developments like The Reserve at Lake Keowee and The Cliffs to more accessible waterfront neighborhoods. Nearby towns include Seneca, Clemson, Salem, and Walhalla. Whether it's bass fishing, sailing, kayaking, or simply watching the sunset from a dock, Lake Keowee represents the pinnacle of Upstate South Carolina lake life.