Scout Lake
A small lake where only non-motorized watercraft are allowed, making the water calmer and noticeably warmer than Bend’s larger Cascade
lake
Paulina Lake & East Lake (Newberry Volcano)
Two scenic lakes sitting inside the caldera of Newberry Volcano — still technically active — ringed by forest and lava
Cultus Lake
A family-friendly Cascade Lakes Highway lake with shallow water and a sandy beach at its day-use area, plus a nearby
Elk Lake
A long sandy beach along the Cascade Lakes Highway with cool, clear water and an on-site resort serving food and
Lake Billy Chinook / Cove Palisades State Park
A 72-mile-shoreline reservoir framed by 400-foot rimrock cliffs where three rivers converge; developed day-use areas offer sandy beaches and floating
Lake Lure (public beach)
A sandy beach on a scenic mountain lake surrounded by the granite cliffs of Hickory Nut Gorge, near Chimney Rock,
Lake James State Park (beach)
The top mountain beach recommendation in several regional guides — a wide sandy beach with bathhouse, concessions, and kayak/paddleboard rentals.
Wildcat Lake (Banner Elk)
A popular Banner Elk summer swimming spot with a white sandy beach, swimming pier, and fishing dock, next to Tufts
Falls Lake State Recreation Area (beach)
The most convenient and safest swim option near Raleigh/Durham — a state-managed beach on a 12,000-acre reservoir with lifeguards and
White Lake
One of North Carolina’s most popular natural lake beach destinations, known for unusually clear, shallow, warm water — the go-to