Lake Jocassee from the Bad Creek visitors' overlook by Mosley Hardy

Bad Creek is the site of the largest hydroelectric station operated by Duke Power, a Duke Energy company. Its major operational features include 7,500-acre Lake Jocassee (elevation 1,110 feet); a 375-acre upper reservoir (elevation 2,130 feet); an underground powerhouse containing four pump turbines; and a one-mile long, 30-foot-diameter tunnel bored through the mountain bedrock connecting the reservoirs and powerhouse. Water is "pumped" from the lower reservoir (Lake Jocassee) during times when appropriate power is available from the Duke system and "stored" in the upper reservoir until Duke needs it to produce power. In periods of high power demand, Duke then releases the water from the upper reservoir through the same tunnel system and generates electric power as it spins the turbines.

Besides providing an important source of power generation, the Bad Creek site is adjacent to many important natural resources. Duke Power keeps the site open to the public year-round to provide access to these natural resource areas.

The Bad Creek site provides a trailhead for the 80-mile long Foothills Trail. Duke provides a parking area, with public phone and portajons, and a half-mile spur trail takes the hiker to the Foothills Trail. This spur will also take the visitor to a one-mile long (non-loop) trail through the Coon Branch Natural Area. This unique place features stands of old-growth timber and showy springtime wildflower displays.

Anglers can park in the trailhead parking lot for the Foothills Trail and follow the half-mile spur trail to the Whitewater River, one of South Carolina's finest wild trout streams. Regulations here include use of artificial lures only. During the major portions of hunting seasons, hunters are allowed to pass through the area en route to Wildlife Management Area lands around Musterground Mountain.

A spur off the Foothills Trail takes the visitor to the Lower Whitewater Falls overlook platform. This is one of South Carolina's largest and most scenic water-surrounding mountains of the Jocassee Gorges area (open in daytime only).

Bad Creek visitor regulations are posted at the electronic gate that opens to allow visitors to enter the site. NOTE: Visitors may enter in daylight hours only, but visitors may exit the site anytime.

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