Lake Tillery was created in the 1920’s and is the second largest lake in the region with more that 5,000 acres and 104 miles of shoreline. This is a popular recreation, watersports and fishing lake with many homes lining the shores. Parts of Morrow Mountain State Park and the Uwharrie National Forest border the lake with numerous boat launches and marinas. Some lakefront homes are listed as Air B&Bs. Fishing tournaments occur regularly with large mouth bass, stripper, crappie, white bass and catfish often being the anglers choice to catch. Water levels are generally very stable on this beautiful lake with the Uwharrie Mountains as a backdrop.

Badin Lake is mostly undeveloped on the Stanly County side with large portions bordering the Uwharrie National Forest and Morrow Mountain State Park. The lake covers 5,350 acres with 115 miles of shoreline. Several boat launches are available which makes this a popular lake for recreation, watersports and fishing. There are picnic areas, public beaches, and swimming areas. Formed in the 1910s to support hydroelectric power for aluminum production, Badin Lake is a popular location for fishing tournaments. Some of the largest blue catfish caught in North Carolina have come from Badin Lake. Portions of the lake approach 200 feet deep and water levels remain mostly stable year-round.

The Rocky River is part of the Pee Dee River Basin, and forms portions of the boundaries between Cabarrus, Stanly, Union and Anson Counties. The Rocky River’s headwaters begin in southern Iredell county and terminate at the confluence with the Pee Dee River at Southfork Ranch. Three Rivers Land Conservancy has a conservation easement on this property. The Rocky River is believed to be the longest undammed river in North Carolina. The Rocky River Blueway of the Carolina Thread Trail network is nearly 50 miles in length where paddlers can experience varying degrees of difficulty depending on the amount of precipitation. On this stretch of blueway, you will experience what the Piedmont floodplain forest habitat has to offer. Over 50 species of birds call this area home, including some imperiled species. Birders will enjoy the opportunity to see prairie warbler, prothonotary warbler, red-headed woodpecker, great blue heron, eastern meadowlark, pileated woodpecker, and kingfisher. Paddlers may also hear the calls of the Cope’s gray tree frogs, cricket frogs, spring peepers and upland chorus frogs or see over 10 species of butterflies like the Carolina satyr. The shoreline is trimmed with numerous floodplain trees, including the bitternut hickory, sourwood, cottonwood, swamp chestnut oak, and the black walnut. Little Meadow Creek, a tributary of the Rocky River in nearby Cabarrus County was the site of the first documented gold discovery in the United States.

The Pee Dee River originates in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, where its upper course, above the mouth of the Uwharrie River is known as the Yadkin River. It is extensively dammed for flood control and hydroelectric power. The lower part of the river is named Pee Dee after the Native American Pee Dee tribe. The first Europeans believed to have navigated part of the river was a party sent by Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón in 1521. They named it “River of St. John the Baptist.” It is an important source of electric power and public water supplies, as well as recreational use. While the Pee Dee is free-flowing in South Carolina, upstream in North Carolina, several dams have been constructed on it. These dams have created four beautiful lakes on the eastern edge of Stanly County - Lake Tillery, Badin Lake, Falls Lake and Tuckertown Reservoir. The river and it’s lakes are excellent for recreational fishing and boating. There are numerous boat launches for our lakes. Herons can be seen along the way, and a lucky sighting of a bald eagle is possible.

Falls Reservoir is the lake created between the Narrows Dam, holding back Badin Lake, and Falls Dam which marks the beginning of Lake Tillery. The lake is approximately 2 miles in length and fairly narrow. The lake covers 604 acres and has approximately 6 miles of shoreline. This is a little known treasure of central North Carolina. There are only two access points, one on each side of the southern end of the lake. The access near Badin is the only one that is paved and has a boat ramp suitable for powerboats. This, combined with the lack of knowledge of the lake, keep traffic down to a minimum. The scenery at Falls Reservoir is unmatched in the area and visitors may witness Bald Eagles fishing for their next meal. The shores of the lake are filled with exposed rock formations. While not recommended, a few of the formations are suitable for cliff jumping and repelling. There are even waterfalls to explore along the western shore. Visitors may paddle up to the base of Narrows Dam and picnic on the rocks below the spillway. Falls Reservoir rests atop what was once known as the “Narrows of the Yadkin” which was a rough section of the river. Most of the eastern shore is a vertical drop-off. Most of the land to the east of Falls Reservoir is in the Uwharrie National Forest. There are several campsites scattered along the shores that are obvious and established. The western shore is undeveloped private land.

Tuckertown Reservoir is a 2,500 acre lake created by the construction of the Tuckertown Hydroelectric Dam along the Yadkin River in 1962. This is a beautiful lake which is accessed from Stanly County through a boat launch and scenic overlook located on NC 49. Located north of Badin Lake and south of High Rock Lake, this reservoir covers around 2,500 acres with 75 miles of shoreline. Tuckertown Reservoir is known as a great fishing lake and is one of the main water sources for county and municipal water systems in Stanly county. It has a mostly undeveloped shoreline which actually borders four different counties. Bait and tackle shops are located on NC 49 near the boat launch.