A top destination for weekend warriors, Lake Lanier is also a favorite for motorcycle riders who enjoy riding through the foothills of northern Georgia. Riders also delight in looking for sightings of the infamous ghost in the blue dress – a Lake Lanier legend.
Whether you’re here for the weekend or live nearby, we’ve outlined a fun and scenic Lake Lanier, GA, motorcycle ride that we recommend adding to the top of your bucket list.
Lake Lanier’s Controversial Past
Lake Lanier is an artificial lake created in 1950. The government was interested in adding a lake to provide local areas with water and power while protecting neighboring communities from flooding.
Despite these good intentions, the move was controversial. This area outside of Atlanta was fertile, packed with wildlife, and home to families who had made northern Georgia home for generations.
Even though the military removed all of the structures that were deemed potentially hazardous to boats (like bridges, homes, and other structures), the lake still covered a graveyard. While all of the marked graves were relocated, there were several unmarked graves that weren’t detected. Rumor has it that these abandoned graves are haunted.
Still, Lake Lanier’s 38,000 acres attract more than 10 million visitors annually, making it one of the most popular manufactured lakes in existence.
5 Interesting Facts About Lake Lanier, GA
As you make your way through the area, here are some interesting things that you can potentially use to win trivia night:
- The popular Netflix show “Ozark” filmed several scenes here, so if you’re a fan, you may recognize some landmarks!
- The town under Lake Lanier is called Oscarville. It’s 42 miles north of Atlanta.
- The lake is 26 miles long and has 692 miles of shoreline. At its deepest point, the lake goes down 200 feet.
- There are more than 45 parks and 10 campgrounds along the Lake Lanier shore, so when you’re done riding, kick your feet up and stay the night.
- The lake gets its name from Sydney Lanier, a musician, poet, and author who was famous for his love of Georgia and the music and writings he created about the state.
Riding Around Lake Lanier
There are several different routes you can take to explore the beauty of Lake Lanier, and we’ve outlined two of our favorites.
1. Cumming to Stone Mountain
This one-day trip starts north of Atlanta at Us-19 and takes you 126 miles. While Lake Lanier is the top attraction, there are also plenty of other sites, including historic small towns and lush, green forests.
Riders appreciate that the roadways are lightly trafficked, and the two-lane highway is a fun escape from the hectic freeways that often dominate our weekday riding.
2. Buford Dam
The Buford Dam is the structure that forms Lake Lanier, and it provides hydroelectric power to the area. There’s a several-mile road that is exceptionally smooth with beautiful scenery. The roadway parallels the lake, and you can see miles of water with parks scattered in-between.
You can also see the power station from the road. It’s not a beautiful site, but it is awe-inspiring to think of everything such a small area accomplishes. Depending on how much rain has fallen, you’ll be able to see whether lake levels are full or depleted.
Contact Our Georgia Motorcycle Lawyers for a Free Consultation
No one plans to be involved in an accident, but if you or a loved one has experienced one the team at Law Tigers is here to help. We are a group of motorcycle attorneys who also love to ride, so we are particularly passionate about protecting the rights of riders across the USA. Please feel free to contact us at 1-888-863-7216 for a free consultation.
