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Links and Other Information
Watauga Lake is secluded in the Cherokee National Forest near
Butler, TN half way between Boone, North Carolina and Mountain City, Tennessee.
Please plan in advance on what surrounding areas you plan to visit so you can accurately map the routes you
will need to take. The
Blue Ridge Parkway can easily be accessed between Boone and Blowing Rock, NC where it crosses Hwy 321/ 421.
The Linn Cove Viaduct was designed to protect
Grandfather Mountain from environmental damage from Parkway
construction and vehicles, a great day trip.
Backbone Rock trail and falls is a nice day trip the opposite direction thru
Shady Valley.
This is a mountainous
area with 80% of the lake shoreline inside Cherokee National Forest.
We have provided you with links that can be very helpful to you in planning your trip to the area
including
dining. For NASCAR fans, Bristol Motor Speedway is
only 40 miles away. Close enough for the race, but far enough
to enjoy the majestic mountain views of sparsely populated National Forest and Watauga Lake.
Watauga Lake
is one of the most beautiful in the entire TVA system in Upper Northeast
Tennessee. The word "Watauga" is a Native American term
meaning beautiful waters. The lake is located in Carter and
Johnson counties in upper East Tennessee. Thirteen species of
game fish including rainbow and brown trout, walleye, and smallmouth
and largemouth bass inhabit the waters of the lake which is 19 miles
long with 106 miles of shoreline.
Roan Creek, Elk River and Watauga
River feed the lake. The lake borders the Cherokee
National Forest at the southwestern end of Johnson County. At
1960 feet above sea level Watauga Lake is the highest lake in the
Tennessee Valley Authority system. It offers access to the
Appalachian Trail which crosses the Watauga Dam as well as many other
hiking trails.
Below Watauga Dam is
Wilbur wildlife
observation area where visitors have a chance to view
unique species of waterfowl. Other popular activities on the
lake include swimming,
jet skiing, boating,
sailing, water skiing and camping. A
portion of the Appalachian Trail runs through the area, as well as
several spectacular waterfalls, making this a beautiful place for
hiking. There are many area flea markets, farmers markets,
antique stores and small town festivals throughout the summer months
for visitors to enjoy. Other points of interest include the
Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol Caverns, Linville Caverns,
Sycamore Shoals State Historical Area,
Roan Mountain State Park, Rhododendron Gardens, and
the Hands-On Museum in Johnson City.
Neighboring towns are
Mountain City,
Elizabethton,
Valle Crucis, Butler,
Boone,
Blowing Rock, and
Banner Elk.
The
Blue Ridge Parkway and these other links are a source
of useful information on the larger area.
The
Cherokee National Forest site is
very helpful for planning your visit to the Forest. Each year
millions of people visit Tennessee's Cherokee National Forest.
It is a place of scenic beauty that provides opportunities for
anyone interested in nature and history. The Forest stretches
from Chattanooga to Bristol along the North Carolina border.
The 640,000-acre Cherokee National Forest is the largest tract of
public land in Tennessee. It lies in the heart of the Southern
Appalachian mountain range, one of the world's most diverse areas.
These mountains are home to more than 20,000 species of plants and
animals. Because of the Cherokee's majestic mountains,
tumbling streams, and diverse vegetation, recreation opportunities
are plentiful. Discover the 30 developed campgrounds, 30
picnic areas, 700 miles of trail, hundreds of miles of cold water
streams, seven whitewater rivers, thousands of acres of dispersed
opportunities, and abundant populations of wildlife that are here
for your enjoyment.
Links for Local Boat Rentals and Adventure Guides
To ensure
availability for water craft rentals make your reservation as soon as possible.
The marinas stay very busy and rentals could get booked.
Carefree Boat Club - Watauga Lake is home to one of 27
branches of the Carefree Boat Club where members enjoy the
use of a brand new fleet of boats on area lakes for a flat
monthly fee.
HawksNest
Ziplines
- Hawksnest currently has
20 ziplines including 4 mega zips, 2 over 2000 feet long and
2 over 1500 feet long. With 4 miles of zipline riding
with heights over 200 feet and speeds up to 50 mph.
Ziplines are over trees, through trees, over lakes and
creeks with panoramic views on almost every ride. Experience
the biggest and best with the spectacular views of the Blue
Ridge Mountains.
Fish Springs Marina
- Boat Rentals On Watauga Lake, East Tennessee.
There's no reason to be left on the shoreline wishing you
could experience Watauga Lake from the water. Fish
Springs Marina has a fleet of Tahoe Pontoon Boats and Sailboats available
for rental year round.
Mountain Adventure Guides
- Rafting, Caving, and Climbing.
Whether you're looking for a relaxing family float trip or
an extreme adventure weekend, you'll find it at USA Raft.
Wahoo Adventure
- Canoeing, Kayak and Tube tours & Bike Tours.
For 35 years, Wahoo's has consistently offered the highest
quality whitewater rafting, canoeing, tubing, and hiking
adventures available. Headquartered in Boone, NC; with
locations close to Asheville, NC; Banner Elk, NC; Blowing
Rock, NC; Erwin, TN; Johnson City, TN; and Elizabethton, TN.
Watauga Lake Marinas
Pioneer Landing
RV campground with boat slips.
Cove Ridge Marina
Boat slips, dry dock, supplies, campground and grill.
Mallard Cove Marina
Docks, boat slips, rentals on Watauga Lake.
Lakeshore
Captain's Table Restaurant, Boat rentals, dock, slips.
Fish Springs Marina
Marina, Boat sales, supplies and rentals.
Tilawa Marina
(formerly Pappy's) Marina, RV campground and boat slips.
Skiing Links
Ski Beech
The Highest Ski Area In Eastern North America
1007 Beech Mountain Parkway Beech Mountain, NC
1-800-438-2093 A 35 minute drive from our rentals
Sugar Mountain
1009 Sugar Mountain Drive
Banner Elk, NC 28604
1-800-SUGARMT A 45 minute drive from our rentals
Appalachian Ski Mountain
940 Ski Mountain Rd
Blowing Rock, NC
(828) 295-7828 Toll-Free: (800) 322-2373 A 45
minute drive from our rentals
Hawksnest Snow Tubing
2058 Skyland Drive
Seven Devils, NC 28604
(828) 963-6561, Toll-Free: (800) 822-4295 A 59 minute
drive from our rentals (33.2 miles)
Jonas Ridge
Snow Tube
NC Highway 181
South
Jonas Ridge, NC 28641
(828) 733-4155,
info@jonasridgesnowtube.com, A 69 minute drive from our
rentals (36.3 miles)
Other links
to visit for information about the surrounding area are:
Appalachian Trail
- The Appalachian Trail runs over 2100 miles from Georgia to
Maine. 39 miles of this trail is in Johnson County.
It enters Johnson County on top of Iron Mountain and runs
north to Cross Mountain, where Iron Mountain and Holston
Mountain intersect. At that point it crosses over to
Holston Mountain and follows it to the Virginia state line.
Bristol Motor Speedway
- Bristol Motor Speedway is the 4th largest sports venue in
America, and the 8th largest in the world, housing up to
165,000 people. The track is so short that speeds here
are far lower than is typical on most NASCAR oval tracks,
but very fast compared to other short tracks due to the high
banking, making for a considerable amount of "swapping
paint".
Grandfather Mountain
- Grandfather Mountain is a mountain, a non-profit
attraction, and a North Carolina state park near Linville,
North Carolina. At 5,946 feet (1,812 m), it is the
highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian
Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway passes by the south
side of the mountain and also passes over the nearby
Grandmother Gap.
Laurel Falls
- One of the more popular local hiking trails runs through
an Appalachian gorge carved out by the swift waters of
Laurel Fork. Laurel Fork empties into the Doe River in
Hampton. The Doe River has carved out multiple gorges
on its journey from Roan Mountain to the Watauga River in
Elizabethton.
Linville Caverns - Located at the
southern gateway to western NC's High Country region,
Linville Caverns is an ideal destination for visitors of all
ages. The beauty of our mountains is echoed within
Humpback Mountain and visitors are invited to explore the
splendor and wonders nature created "inside a mountain".
Property For Sale By Owner -
Why should you be interested in the Watauga Lake area for a
second home? One reason is because it is the most
scenic area of the country where mountains meet the water.
The environment is incredibly preserved with 80% of the lake
within the Cherokee National Forest and many natural
preserves and wildlife areas to protect the wilderness for
years to come.
Southern Highlands - Some of the
world's most spectacular natural beauty can be found in the
southeastern United States. The mountains of eastern
Tennessee, northern Georgia, western North Carolina, and
Virginia are particularly rich with an abundance of National
Parks and Forests, state-maintained facilities, charming
villages, and local crafts.
Shopping at Tanger Outlet in Blowing Rock, NC
- Committed to bringing you the ultimate shopping
experience. For us, that means guiding you towards the
best deals at your favorite designer and brand-name stores.
And, thanks to our partnerships with leading fashion
industry experts, we can bring you up-to-date fashion
reporting on the latest trends.
Tennessee Museum - This museum
depicts early life in the mountains featuring Indian
artifacts, Civil War artifacts and artifacts from home life.
Old town of Butler up to 1948 when gates of Watauga Dam were
closed.
Tweetsie Railroad - Families love
riding on our famous steam engines, Number 12 and Number
190. Enjoy our Wild West train adventure (beware of
bandits). Number 12 is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Also, take a whirl on the rides at
the Country Fair, and then zoom up the chair lift to Miner's
Mountain for even more.
Tourism information for Elizabethton, TN
- Elizabethton, founded in 1799 and incorporated in 1905, is
the county seat of Carter County, Tennessee. It is
also the site of the first independent American settlement
west of both the Eastern Continental Divide and the original
thirteen British colonies in America. Checkout its
local tourism.
Watauga Point Recreation Area -
National Forest recreation area along a four-mile stretch of
Watauga Lake. Group picnic area may be reserved for a
fee. Day-use and camping fee. Hampton, TN.
Watauga Lake Winery - We have a wedding, anniversary,
event center available. Our wedding pavilion is located at
our vineyard with a gorgeous 360 degree view of the
mountains. We have special events every month April -
December and they are posted on our facebook and web page.
We also offer cooking classes once a month.
Tri-Cities Airport is the closest
commercial airport about 45 minutes away in Johnson City, TN.
Other major airports include
Greensboro about an hour and a half
away and
Charlotte about 2 hours away.
The closest smaller airport is
Mountain City. The
climate
of the northeastern Tennessee mountains is temperate with moderately
cold winters and warm, humid summers. Precipitation is fairly well
distributed throughout the year; as there is no distinct wet or dry
seasons. October has the least rainfall, July the most.
Snowfall is quite variable from year to year, and some winters have
relatively little. Thunderstorms occur anytime of the year,
but are most frequent in spring and summer. Summer
temperatures are rarely extreme, but the high humidity often makes
it seem hotter than it actually is. Snow is minimal in
Tennessee except in the higher mountain regions. Severe storms
are infrequent in the state, being east of the center of tornado
activity, south of most blizzard conditions, and too far inland to
be affected by hurricanes.
We want you to have a
wonderful and save vacation. Please checkout these
Vacation Safety Tips
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