05/18/2026
Lake Santeetlah is about a one hour drive from Persimmon Creek RV Park in Murphy, NC. The perfect day trip!
In Western North Carolina, Lake Santeetlah is one of the most peaceful and untouched mountain lakes in the state, tucked deep in Graham County and wrapped by the Nantahala National Forest. Its 76 miles of shoreline stay mostly wild, with about 80 percent of the lakefront protected as Forest Service land. The lake was formed in 1928 after Santeetlah Dam was completed on the Cheoah River, creating a clear mountain reservoir that covers roughly 2,900 acres. Its name is often tied to the meaning “blue waters,” which fits the green-blue color that reflects the ridges around it. Some areas reach more than 200 feet deep, giving the lake a dramatic mountain feel. Cheoah Point Recreation Area offers a beach, campground, picnic spots, fishing, boating, and a year-round boat launch. The lake is also known for bass, walleye, crappie, bream, and lake trout, while bald eagles, ospreys, and black bears are often seen in the surrounding forest. Just north of the lake, U.S. 129 becomes the famous Tail of the Dragon, one of the curviest roads in the country.
