What about swimming?

Here’s an interesting thing about the dam. Historically, the most popular spot for enjoying the river wasn’t in the lake behind the dam, but downstream of the dam.

The nearly-forgotten ‘Raleigh Beach’ was a popular recreation area on hot days for families from all over Wake County. That was until the area was made inaccessible to keep people away from the dangerous dam.

In fact, the dam has contributed to the deaths of at least 11 individuals, including 2 athletes in 2008 and two young children in 2012. The power of the water coming over the dam is easily under-estimated and can trap even the best swimmer.