Saturday May 2, 2026: Online Registration

N.C. Cooperative Extension-McDowell County Center’s Keep McDowell Beautiful program will be coordinating the annual Lake James clean up on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 8 a.m. to noon. A Dumpster will be placed at Black Bear Boat Ramp and Hidden Cove Boat ramp. There will be volunteers available to help unload at Black Bear Boat Ramp from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. The dumpsters will be removed at 12 p.m. Supplies will NOT be available the day of the event at Hidden Cove. To arrange for pick up of supplies ahead of the event please contact Matt Burneisen. N.C. Cooperative Extension, McDowell County Center, Keep McDowell Beautiful – Matt_Burneisen@ncsu.edu or (828) 652-8104. Supplies include trash bags, trash grabbers, & tarps for boats.

Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in the Lake James Clean Up on 3/14. We collected 2,600lbs of Trash at Black Bear Boat Ramp with 20 volunteers at our site. We partner with the Catawba Riverkeeper, Lake James Environmental Association, The Community of Lakes James, Lake James State Park, and the NC Wildlife Federation, in addition to other groups, for the lake clean-up events.