Welcome to Hyco & Mayo Lake, where we enjoy phenomenal skiing, wakeboarding, cruising, kayaking, canoeing and fishing. Sorry sailors, these lakes have bridges and relatively small fingers with trees abound. There are very few areas that you can catch wind. Lucky for us, Hyco & Mayo offer the smoothest water around. While some families are producing future professional skiers and wake boarders, others are just building family memories away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Hyco & Mayo offer a sense of community, camaraderie and a common theme of fun-in-the-sun on the lake. On the drive to both lakes, you will find scenic country driving through the rolling hills of Northern North Carolina.
Hyco Lake means "great turkey buzzard" and was constructed in the early 1960's by Carolina Power and Light Company (now Progress Energy) as a cooling reservoir for their steam electric generating plant. The lake covers over 3,750 acres, has 120 miles of shoreline and has three main tributaries, North Hyco Creek, South Hyco Creek and Cobbs Creek. Hyco allows permanent boat docks and the owners lease the land below the 420 line from the Person Caswell Lake Authority.
Person/Caswell Lake Authority "Guidelines for Use of Residential Leased Properties at Hyco Lake" (pdf)
Mayo Lake a 2800-acre lake with 85 miles of shoreline and a 120-acre park which you can walk or hike the trails which feature plant identification plaques for self-guided tours. Mayo Lake is very private and while out on the water you see very few homes. Everything below the 450 line is controlled by the NC Wildlife and boat docks are not allowed.