Sometimes, you want to disrupt the daily routine and tell society to take a hike. This decision may include dropping the phone, picking up some oars, grabbing a fishing rod, and spending the day in quiet, peaceful nature. In these instances, you won’t want to miss Tanasee Creek Lake, western North Carolina’s hidden gem that locals have kept to themselves for decades.
Constructed by the Nantahala Power Company in the ’50s, Tanasee Creek Lake is a small, 40-acre reservoir hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains about 60 miles away from Asheville. It’s one of four lakes that make up the East Fork Lakes, and the smallest of the bunch. Too small for all but little trolling motors, the lake remains still and placid, ideal for paddling and quiet fishing. Nestled deep in the Nantahala National Forest, it’s ringed by tall trees and dense underbrush, with almost no manmade structures visible on its immediate shoreline. It’s so remote that you’re unlikely to have any cell service for your devices, letting you seamlessly commune with nature.
Located off Highway 281 in Jackson County, Tanasee Creek Lake is about a 90-minute drive from Asheville, the nearest town with a major airport. This is a sparsely populated region high in the Blue Ridge Mountains; the closest town of note, Tuckasegee, is 14 miles away; 6 miles farther down the road sits Cullowhee, home of Western Carolina University. These small towns are encompassed by rugged, natural beauty, offering scenic views and crisp mountain air for a great escape.
Glide across this pristine lake on your paddlecraft of choice
Similar to North Carolina’s North Toe River, Tanasee Creek Lake has become a haven for paddlers, who are known to compare its tranquil water to a mirror. Kayaks and canoes glide across the lake, with their soft strokes often being the only manmade sound you’ll hear. A boat ramp on the lake’s east end, near a gravel parking lot, lets you slide your kayak or canoe into the water. Following the shoreline from that launch to the dam at the lake’s southwest edge, and then paddling over to the small nook that connects the lake to the Tuckasegee River, there’s about 3 miles of total rowing. Unspoiled nature, native wildlife, and the occasional fisher or paddler establish a picturesque setting…