A friend, who was to pick him up on the Carters end of the lake stumbled across a moonshine operation. After the intruder explained what he was doing in the area, the owner of the still told his son to take the man to the pickup site and if the canoeists didn't show up at the apppointed time, kill him. Luckily, Dickey and his friend came into sight within a couple of hours, but the idea for Deliverance was born. Recreation at Carters Lake Because of its remote nature, the lake and surrounding land offer more outdoor activities than Allatoona or Lanier. A large wildlife management area gives hunters a spectacular array of medium to large animals.
Fishing is also a popular pasttime.
Four hiking trails of varying difficulty make the lake a hiking destination. The Oak Ridge Trail follows a high ridge to the lakeside, then returns along a creek. In just over a mile there are four distinct ecosystems. Tails Creek twists and turns down a fifty-foot cascade. The Hidden Pond Songbird Trail is an easy hike that allows you to visit the wetlands of a gentrified beaver pond, and the beaver pond itself, rich in waterfowl.