Lake Rabun

About Lake Rabun

Rabunsee is an 834-hectare serpentine lake, which was created to store and later generate electricity from hydropower. It is one of the largest freshwater lakes in the United States and the second largest in Georgia.

Recreation is an important side effect of Lake Rabun, and many Atlanta residents have taken the opportunity to build retreats there. Georgia Power leases part of the idyllic coastline for residential development, but you can also spend a few hours in the shade of a tree or on the shore.

While the development remains under control, a coalition of local residents, the Lake Rabun Recreation and Parks Association, has been formed to ensure that this remains the case. The association holds many interesting events for visitors throughout the year, including parades to raise money for many worthwhile causes, as well as a variety of activities for children.

Lake Rabun is one of five hydroelectric power plants owned by the Georgia Power Company, a subsidiary of Georgia Electric Power Corporation (GEP), which was founded in the early 20th century for the city of Macon, Georgia. The company's power now covers Atlanta as well as several other cities in Georgia and the rest of the United States.

The Terrora Powerhouse (Indian name for "terrible") was completed in 1925 and feeds Lake Rabun through a mile-long mountain tunnel. The dam is an amber dam - like a concrete dam - and the second largest of the five lakes surrounding it. It was created as a result of a hydroelectric power project by the Georgia Power Company in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Water supply to the city of Macon and surrounding communities in Atlanta became an important goal.

The two hydroelectric power plants produced 16,000 kilowatts of output per year and were considered a major technical achievement at the time. Both the dam and the power plant have been entered on the National Register under the U.S. Department of Energy's National Historic Landmarks Program.

Fishing is an important recreational activity at Lake Rabunsee for visitors and residents alike. During droughts and coastal maintenance, Georgia Power lowers water levels in winter and raises them in summer.

Nacoochee Park, located just off Rabun Street, is a recreational area for picnics and fishing on the shore. Overlooking the NacoOChee Dam and the power plant, the park is a welcome and relaxed place. Boat fishing is great, but a number of places offer excellent fishing on land, and frogfish species include perch, bluefish, redfish, trout, whitefish and many other species.

The USFS Rabun Beach Recreation Area offers a variety of activities including swimming, boating, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, fishing and picnics.

The Terrora campsite on the north side of the gorge is equipped with electricity, water tables and barbecues. Hot showers are available at comfort stations, and a warm shower is available in the comfort station.

For geocachers there are almost 30 caches to discover, as well as a large number of hiking trails. Those looking for an adventure also want windy winds, rivers and landscapes.