B. Everett Jordan Dam & Lake

B. Everett Jordan Lake is a 14,000-acre lake created by the B. Everett Jordan Dam in Chatham, Durham, Orange and Wake Counties. The lake is surrounded by more than 40,000 acres of protected land and is a water supply for Cary and nearby communities. Although the primary use of the lake is for flood control and as a reservoir, there are numerous recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, boating, hiking, and camping on the lake and surrounding land. The need for flood control became evident after a strong tropical storm in 1945 that caused extensive flooding in the Cape Fear River basin in 1945. Congress directed the Army Corps of Engineers to study the area and the New Hope Reservoir project was authorized in 1963. In 1973, the name was changed to B. Everett Jordan in honor of the former senator from North Carolina. The lake reached normal levels in February 1982.

Contact Information:

2080 Jordan Dam Road

Moncure, NC 27559

Phone: (919) 542-4501

Email: jordan@usace.army.mil

Directions:

B. Everett Jordan Dam is located in southeastern Chatham County near Moncure. Head south from Cary on US-1 for about 20 miles to exit 79 for Pittsboro/Moncure. Turn right at the light onto Pittsboro Moncure Road and then right again on Jordan Dam Road in 0.2 miles. Drive 2.1 miles to the Visitor Assistance Center at the end of the road. The tailrace area is to the right just before the end.

Map:

Trails:

There are about 5 miles of trails around the dam. Most of the trails run through game lands, so where blaze orange during hunting season.

Creekside Trail:

Creekside Trail connects the Creek Bridge at the southwest end of the Fisherman's Trail to Highland Trail. It runs along the south side of the small tributary that flows into Haw River.

Highland Trail:

Highland Trail makes a half-mile loop from the tailrace area.

Midland Trail:

Midland Trail is a short quarter-mile trail that starts from the tailrace area and ends along Highland Trail.

Poe's Ridge Trail:

Poe's Ridge Trail makes a 4-mile loop, starting from behind the Visitor Assistance Center and following close to the lake to Poe's Ridge Boat Ramp. From here, it loops back around running parallel to Jordan Dam Road back to the Visitor Assistance Center.

B. Everett Jordan Dam:

There is a nice view of the upstream side of the dam from the overlook behind the Visitor Assistance Center.

Other Areas:

The Army Corps of Engineers leases out most of the land around the lake to other state and local agencies to manage as public recreation areas.

Jordan Game Land: The majority of the land around Jordan Lake is managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission as Jordan Game Land.

Jordan Lake State Recreation Area: A collection of nine access areas along the lake with camping, swimming, boating and hiking opportunities.

Wildlife:

Jordan Lake is a good place to see spring wildflowers. Eastern spring beauty (Claytonia virginica) are one of the first to bloom.

Rue anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)

Azure bluets (Houstonia caerulea)

Blog Entries:

14-Mar-2020: Spring Hikes at Jordan Lake

External Links:

Army Corps of Engineers website: https://www.saw.usace.army.mil/Locations/District-Lakes-and-Dams/B-Everett-Jordan/