Lake Hartwell

The second Savannah River reservoir

Lake Hartwell sits on the South Carolina-Georgia state line on the Savannah River. The South Carolina DNR’s Lake Hartwell description calls it one of the most popular lakes in the Southeast and says it is the second U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reservoir built on the Savannah River. The DNR lists 56,000 acres of water, 962 miles of shoreline, an average depth of 45 feet, a maximum depth of 185 feet, 45 boat ramps and 11 fish attractors, and says the Corps owns and manages it. The same page says the lake is surrounded by more than 23,000 acres of public land, and names Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties in South Carolina.

On the water, the normal pool is 660.0 feet and the flood pool 665.0 feet, per the Corps’ observed elevation series for the lake. That five-foot band matters: most of the shoreline infrastructure is built for high water, and ramp usability shifts as the level moves, so check the live level before you plan a trip.

A black bass playground, on both sides of the line

The DNR page describes Hartwell as a fishing hotspot for three species of black bass, striped bass, hybrid bass, black crappie and bream, and the Corps’ Hartwell fishing page (read from an April 2026 archive snapshot because the live page blocks automated fetches) says the same: largemouth bass, bream, crappie, catfish, striped bass and hybrid bass. The Corps page adds that habitat work includes maintaining deep and shallow fish attractors and felling trees into the water along the shoreline, and it reminds tournament organizers that a Special Event Permit may be needed for events larger than 10 boats.

Because the lake straddles the state line, the state you fish from determines the regulations; the Corps page links to both the Georgia and South Carolina state fishing rules, and each state sets its own limits. Read the current rules for the state side you launch from before you keep fish.

Camping at the reservoir’s most-used points

The Corps runs a number of campgrounds and day-use areas around the lake, all listed on Recreation.gov. Springfield, near the dam on the Georgia side, is described in its listing as one of Hartwell’s most popular camping destinations: 60 acres of mostly Virginia pine with 79 public campsites, a boat ramp, a courtesy dock, and a designated swim area. Elrod Ferry is a 39-acre day-use and boat-launch site on a point overlooking the lake near Hartwell Dam, with 37 picnic sites and three designated swim areas, and its listing notes the area sees intense public use in peak season. Watsadler, per its listing, is a 36-acre open-year-round campground that the listing also calls one of Hartwell’s most popular camping destinations. Rates, reservations and gate hours change by season, so confirm them on each Recreation.gov listing before you drive out.

The dam end and the reservoir’s public land

Hartwell Dam holds the upper end of the lake, and the Corps operates the visitor center and project manager’s office there; the fishing page above notes its seasonal hours and that park rangers are on duty throughout the year. The Corps’ page also warns that the area below the dam can rise quickly when the generators run, with a horn sounded before generation begins that is only heard within about a mile of the dam.

The DNR description’s note about 23,000-plus acres of surrounding public land is the hook for shore-based trips: in addition to the Corps recreation areas, the lake is bordered by a set of South Carolina state parks, including Hart, Tugaloo and Sadlers Creek, which the Recreation.gov directory lists as part of the Hartwell Lake recreation system. Those parks add campgrounds and additional access points on the South Carolina shoreline, each with its own current hours and reservations.