Pickens County has put a temporary closure notice on Warpath Landing for fall and winter 2026 while it works on the facility, and the notice gives no reopening date. If Warpath is your home ramp, your launch on Lake Keowee now starts somewhere else. Starting this Sunday, November 1, the end of Daylight Saving Time shortens the afternoon too.
Duke Energy's lake level display put Lake Keowee at 96.1 on October 11, 2026, inside its posted range of 93 to 100. The lake is fine this winter. What limits you is a closed ramp, a second closure with no update, and a set of gate and store hours that all get shorter at about the same time.
Seven Ramps the County Points You To Instead
The Pickens County closure notice lists the alternatives itself, and they split by who runs them and what they charge. Launching at the Duke Energy ramps is free. The county parks charge $5 per vehicle.
| Access point | Address or road | Part of the lake | What's there | Launch fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crowe Creek | Crowe Creek Access Road, off SC Highway 133, Pickens | Upper end | Two concrete ramps, courtesy dock | Free |
| Fall Creek Landing | Near Salem | Upper end | Multiple concrete ramps, courtesy dock | Free |
| Mile Creek County Park | 757 Keowee Baptist Church Road, Six Mile | Northern end | Three-lane ramp, courtesy docks, paved parking | $5 per vehicle |
| Cane Creek | 436 Cane Creek Landing Road, Seneca | Lower end | Two ramps, courtesy dock, picnic peninsula, bank fishing | Free |
| Stamp Creek | 890 Stamp Creek Landing Road, Seneca | Lower end | Two ramps, courtesy docks | Free |
| High Falls County Park | 671 High Falls Road, Seneca | East of Seneca off Highway 183 | Two ramps, courtesy docks, fishing access | $5 per vehicle |
| South Cove County Park | 1099 South Cove Road, Seneca | Near Seneca | Three ramps, courtesy docks, accessible fishing pier | $5 per vehicle |
On the Pickens County side, three options make the most sense for anyone used to Warpath. Crowe Creek is the free one on the upper lake, and the county describes it as a convenient start for exploring the upper portion. Fall Creek near Salem is also free and has more than two ramps. Mile Creek costs $5, but it gives you the widest ramp on the list, at three lanes, plus restrooms on site.
Paddlers have their own option. Keowee-Toxaway State Park has a non-motorized launch reached by a short trail, which puts kayaks and paddleboards on the quieter water around Eastatoe Creek, and admission is free. The county points motorized boats from that area to Fall Creek Landing, about five miles from the park.
Keowee Town Has No Updated Status
Warpath isn't the only Keowee access area you may find closed. Duke Energy's lakes page says the Keowee Town Access Area would close January 5, 2026, for recreation upgrades, including a new fishing pier and more parking, and would stay closed through September 2026.
That notice was last updated December 15, 2025, and the September date has passed with no posted change. Duke's general statement says all its access areas have reopened "unless specified below," and Keowee Town is still listed below it. Until Duke posts a reopening, check the Duke Energy lakes page before you tow a boat there. Plan your route through Cane Creek or Stamp Creek on the lower lake in case the gate is still shut.
The Keowee Town project will also leave something behind. Once it reopens, there will be a new fishing pier on the lake and more parking at a site that has been closed for most of 2026.
Sunday's Time Change Shortens Your Day on the Water
Once you've picked a ramp, timing is the next thing to plan. The clocks fall back November 1, and several Keowee schedules change with them or have already changed:
- Keowee-Toxaway State Park at 108 Residence Drive in Sunset is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during Standard Time, down from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Daylight Saving Time. Admission stays free.
- Devils Fork State Park at 161 Holcombe Circle in Salem moves to its late-fall through mid-spring hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
- Keowee Marina at 150 Keowee Marina Drive has run winter hours since October 1. The store is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it's closed Mondays. These hours hold through March 31.
- The marina gas dock closes 30 minutes before the store, so the last fuel stop on a Saturday is before 4:30 p.m. and on a Sunday before 3:30 p.m.
- Keowee Marina rentals list October 1 through April 30 as the regular rental season. Full-day rentals run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays. That page doesn't mention the winter store hours, so call 864-882-2047 before you plan around a rental, especially on a Monday.
- High Falls County Park keeps day use and lake access open all year, but camping closes from mid-November through February. Oconee County says to confirm the exact dates with the park at 864-882-8234. The gate is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- South Cove County Park stays open all year, with its gate closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Put together, these hours make Monday the weak day, since the marina store and its fuel dock are both closed. On the other days, the gas dock sets your deadline well before dark at the state parks.
The Water Stays at a Normal Level
Duke's 96.1 reading on October 11 is a single dated measurement, and Duke notes that levels are managed against several community and operational needs and can vary by location. Still, a reading inside the 93 to 100 band means the ramps on the county's list can be judged on their fees and how far they are from your dock, without worrying about how far the water has dropped. You can check the current number on Duke Energy's lake levels page before heading out.
The fishing calendar is also lining up with the shorter days. The Lake Keowee entry on the SCDNR freshwater fishing trends page says cooling October water should improve morning black bass fishing on points and shallow humps, and that schooling activity could continue into November. Morning is also when the park gates and the marina are open, so a 9 a.m. launch still leaves you most of the day.
Shorter Hikes for Shorter Afternoons
With Keowee-Toxaway closing at 6, the shorter trails fit best. The Natural Bridge Nature Trail is a 1.3-mile loop. The park lists the Raven Rock Trail at 4.4 miles in one field and 4.2 miles in its description, so give yourself room on a November afternoon. The park office keeps short hours, 11 a.m. to noon and 4 to 5 p.m. daily.
At Devils Fork, the Oconee Bell Nature Trail is a 1.5-mile loop. Its rare flower blooms in early spring, so a winter walk there is a chance to learn the route before the bloom.
Duke Energy's World of Energy at 7812 Rochester Highway is an indoor option for a gray day. It's open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission and parking are free, and Duke asks visitors to call ahead to confirm the schedule.
Dinner, Then the First Day of the Year
After the ramps close, Lighthouse Lake Keowee at 1290 Doug Hollow Road posts restaurant hours most of the week. It serves lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It's open all day Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It's closed Tuesdays. Call 864-888-4446 before you go, since winter schedules can change.
The next fixed date on the calendar is New Year's Day. Devils Fork State Park holds its First Day 5K Ranger Run on January 1, 2027, from 10 a.m. to noon. Registration closes December 31, 2026, and there's no same-day registration. By then Warpath Landing may still be closed, so add Crowe Creek and Fall Creek to your map now.
If a closed ramp has you rethinking where your own boat should sit, you need a dock and launch setup that works all year. That's the kind of property we know shoreline by shoreline at Cooper Dalrymple, and our builders know what it takes to improve one. Join the list to Be the First to See It when a Lake Keowee property like that comes up.
