Public Lake Access
Did you know that our beautiful lake is actually named Lake Harris? Lake Wedowee is the name it is known by locally. It has wonderful parks, trails, and boat ramps that can be enjoyed by everyone, thanks to the investment of Alabama Power.
5 Tips for Good Boat Ramp Etiquette
- Always complete all prep work first in the staging area - out of the way of the ramp where other boaters are launching.
- Launch quickly and efficiently; have others in your crew assist you to make the process easier, if possible.
- As soon as the boat is off the trailer, pull back up the ramp and park in a designated spot.
- When retrieving your boat, use a courtesy dock or tie up away from the launch area until your trailer is in place.
- Load the boat onto the trailer, secure the winch at the bow and the safety chain; then proceed to the staging area to finish unloading and securing your trailer.
Boat Ramps
There are eight public access boat ramps on the lake, with public restrooms at four of them: Lonnie White, Highway 48, Big Fox Creek, and Flat Rock.
These ramps are designed for loading and unloading boats into the lake. There is no swimming within 100 feet of the ramps. No alcohol, firearms, glass containers, pets, loud music, nor camping are allowed at the boat ramps.
Public Swimming
Flat Rock Park
7115 County Road 870 Lineville, AL 36266
33°16'55.6"N 85°38'20.9"W
1st Weekend in May-Memorial Day: Open Weekends Only
Memorial Day-Labor Day: Open Daily
Labor Day- Last weekend in September: Open Weekends Only
NO DOGS ALLOWED
Thousands of visitors flock to this unique park each year. You can always find boats on the sand bars during the weekends and the picnic pavilions full! There are grills, restrooms, and plenty of space for everyone to cool off in the lake for a swim. Life jackets are suggested for those who aren't strong swimmers. The granite shelf is shallow until it isn't! Big drop offs make for deep swimming rather quickly.
Interestingly, Flat Rock Park has not always been a flat rock. It opened in 1995 as one of five day-use parks operated by Alabama Power. Before that, the 25 acres of smooth-top granite grabbed the eye of project designers in need of material rugged enough to tame the waters of the Tallapoosa River. The planners built a quarry in 1977 to convert the outcropping into more than 1 million tons of pulverized granite used as riprap, embankment material and mix aggregate for more than 400,00 cubic yards of concrete poured over 5,000 tons of reinforced steel that would become Harris Dam. The island of quarried granite can be seen from Flat Rock park today as a testament to their work.
Nature Trails and Playgrounds
Flat Rock Preserve Trail
33°16'55.6"N 85°38'20.9"W
Hours dawn to dusk
Dogs are allowed on leashes
This trail is adjacent to Flat Rock Park. Walking and easy mountain biking are a delight as the trail weaves in and out of the shore line year round. There is a small natural gazebo that overlooks the water as well.
The adventure playground is incredibly fun and worth the visit, especially in the cooler month. It is between Flat Rock Park and the Preserve Trail.
Little Fox Creek Trails
33°18'23.1"N 85°37'35.5"W
Dogs are allowed on leashes
To enjoy the nature surrounding Lake Wedowee, the Preserves at Little Fox Creek are a must! It features five miles of nature trails complete with interpretive signage about popular fish, birds, and trees in the area as well as gazebos and pollinator plots. The preserve is part of the Piedmont Plateau Birding Trails, so the opportunity to see area wildlife is abundant along with the gorgeous views of Lake Wedowee. There are two gazebos on the trails, some cedar benches and even some fun wooden animal friends. With connectors along the trail it is not necessary to walk all five miles. The trail meanders along the shoreline and hikers have a view of Lake Wedowee pretty much the entire way. Another unique feature to the Preserves at Little Fox Creek is the first 1,000 feet of trail is actually a boardwalk, which is a fan favorite, so that a portion of it is accessible to everyone. APCO does encourage people to stay on the trail and it is not a designated swimming area on Lake Wedowee. The trail also is clearly marked with tree tags throughout which is color coded to coincide with the trail map.
Fishing
Flat Rock Park
Bank fishing is allowed and available at Flat Rock Park as well as the Preserves of Flat Rock
Harris Trailrace Fishing at the Harris Dam
33°15'22.7"N 85°36'59.7"W
If you haven't seen the Harris Dam, it is worth a visit. Fishing is allowed at the Harris Dam (located in Cragford) and also has public restrooms. When the water is churning, the fish are hopping! Additional information may be found at https://apcshorelines.com/recreation/the-preserves-harris-lake/
