Buddle Creek Swim Area

Lexington, North Carolina · on Buddle Branch

Verified · 2 independent sources

WATER: reservoir
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: No fee found
SEASON: Best in summer

About Buddle Creek Swim Area

Buddle Creek Swim Area is a public swim beach and boat access point on High Rock Lake, a Yadkin River reservoir near Lexington, North Carolina, sitting where Buddle Creek/Branch meets the lake off Holloway Church Road. The swimming hole pairs a boat ramp with a sandy, floating-boom-marked swim area, and its water is tested weekly each summer for E. coli by the nonprofit Yadkin Riverkeeper as part of the Swim Guide program, welcome assurance for anyone hunting places to swim on the lake.

The site sits on High Rock Lake, described by a regional outdoor guide as the northernmost of the Uwharrie Lakes and the second-largest lake in North Carolina, straddling the Davidson-Rowan county boundary; the swim area is located at the point where Buddle Creek/Branch feeds into the reservoir.

Swimming at Buddle Creek Swim Area

Swimming happens in a designated area of the reservoir, cordoned off from boat traffic by floating booms, with a sandy beach entry rather than a rocky or wooded creek bank. The surrounding lake is fished for bass, crappie, striper, bream, and catfish, consistent with warm, slow-moving reservoir water rather than a flowing stream.

How to get to this swimming hole

Located at 2880 Holloway Church Rd, Lexington, NC 27292, on High Rock Lake near the Davidson-Rowan county line.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up lake access/boat ramp with an adjoining designated swim beach; no hike is needed to reach the water.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Sandy beach entry and a swim zone marked off from boat traffic by floating booms make it approachable for kids, but no source confirms lifeguards, the reservoir has documented turbidity (murky water hides the bottom/hazards), and posted advisories warn of possible dangerous currents plus an active boat ramp on the same site, so adult supervision matters more than at a calm creek pool.

Parking

Lot

Site includes a boat ramp for trailered boats, which implies an on-site vehicle/trailer parking area, but no source documents the lot's size, surface, or whether a fee applies.

Restrooms

Yes

Portable toilets (porta-a-jons/porta-potties) on site, confirmed by both Swim Guide and a regional outdoor-recreation guide; no permanent restroom building documented.

Water clarity

Often murky

High Rock Lake's Wikipedia entry documents a history of water-quality violations specifically for turbidity (along with pH and chlorophyll-a), and describes recent turbine/aeration upgrades intended to help; consistent with a silt-laden Yadkin River reservoir rather than clear spring-fed water. No source gave a first-hand clarity description of the Buddle Creek swim beach itself.

On the water

KayaksCanoesMotorboatsJet_ski

Restrictions: Wikipedia states High Rock Lake has no lake-wide restriction on boat motor size and that personal watercraft (jet skis) are permitted; the Yadkin River State Canoe Trail also runs the length of the lake, supporting kayaks/canoes. At the Buddle Creek site itself, the designated swim zone is physically separated from the boat ramp/boat traffic by floating booms, so craft are not meant to enter the roped-off swim area.

Paddleboard use was not explicitly confirmed by any source for this lake, so it is left off the allowed list despite being a flatwater reservoir where it would plausibly be fine.

Buddle Creek Swim Area: FAQ

Is Buddle Creek Swim Area kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Buddle Creek Swim Area?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Buddle Creek Swim Area?

Site includes a boat ramp for trailered boats, which implies an on-site vehicle/trailer parking area, but no source documents the lot's size, surface, or whether a fee applies.

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Buddle Creek Swim Area?

Paddleboard use was not explicitly confirmed by any source for this lake, so it is left off the allowed list despite being a flatwater reservoir where it would plausibly be fine.

When is the best time to visit Buddle Creek Swim Area?

Summer - the official water-quality testing/swim season runs May 20 to September 3.

What are the rules at Buddle Creek Swim Area?

The designated swim zone is marked off from the boat launch area by floating booms. Water quality is monitored weekly (samples Wednesdays, results posted Thursdays) for E. coli by Yadkin Riverkeeper from May 20 through September 3 each year, using an EPA-based pass/fail threshold of 235 colonies/100 mL; posted advisories note swimmers should also watch for hazards like dangerous currents and follow official beach signage.

What water body is Buddle Creek Swim Area on?

Buddle Creek Swim Area is on Buddle Branch, a natural reservoir verified in USGS hydrography data.