♪ Towards the northwest edge of South Carolina in the county of Oconee, the Blue Ridge mountains aren't the only attraction to come across.

Lake Jocassee, a 75,000 acre reservoir outside of Salem, South Carolina is the blue jewel of the Appalachian Mountains.

The cold and pristine waters attract visitors from across the country that want to take in the predominately untouched landscape.

The enchanting peaks and serene basins are unlike anything else when seen... From the Sky!

♪ The name Jocassee comes from an old legend about a beautiful Cherokee maiden.

Jocassee was a part of the Oconee tribe that lived on the Whitewater river.

It's said that Nagoochee, a young warrior from a rival tribe, crossed into the hunting grounds of Jocassee's tribe.

He fell and broke his leg, but Jocassee found him and nursed him back to health.

They would end up falling in love with each other but like something out of a Shakespearean play Jocassee's brother would later kill Nagoochee in battle.

Shocked upon discovering the death of her beloved, Jocassee walked into the river, but she did not sink.

Instead, she walked across the top to meet the spirit of Nagoochee who was waiting for her.

"Jocassee" directly translated from Cherokee means, "Place of the Lost One."

♪ Before there was a lake, the area was called the Jocassee Valley.

The lake was created in 1973 after the construction of the Jocassee Dam.

The resulting flood created 75 miles of immaculate shoreline in the Jocassee Gorges.

One of the best places to experience the beautiful scenery is "Jumping Off Rock".

At the precipice, visitors can get a panoramic view of Lake Jocassee and the surrounding mountain range.

The gorges receive an extraordinary amount of precipitation, averaging 100 inches of rain each year.

This is what's known as a temperate rainforest, one of only five rainforests in the entire country.

A confluence of four rivers supply Lake Jocassee's water.

The rivers course down the steep escarpment that forms at the base of the mountains creating an abundance of spectacular waterfalls.

The most impressive of all is Whitewater Falls.

There are actually six different waterfalls in what is known as the "Whitewater Falls Chain".

The chain consists of falls that start in North Carolina and end here at the lower falls in Lake Jocassee.

It's the highest series of falls in eastern North America.

The dazzling, 200-foot lower falls can be viewed from an observation deck south, where hikers can take a glimpse of the breathtaking cascade.

Like the Cherokee maiden walking on top of the river, there's something magical about the wild beauty of Lake Jocassee.

It's something wonderous to behold... From the Sky!

♪