Lake Chatuge Now

Two states, one lake

Explore Lake Chatuge

The towns on both sides of the state line, where to buy gas and eat by boat, the views, and where to swim, paddle, hike and camp.

Two counties

The towns around the lake

  • Hiawassee, Georgia

    The Towns County seat; the lake wraps around three-quarters of town. An Appalachian Trail Community with the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, Anderson Music Hall and Hamilton Gardens on the shore. The Chamber’s motto: “Where Georgia meets the mountains.”

  • Young Harris, Georgia

    Home of Young Harris College (1886) and the Brasstown Valley Resort, at the foot of Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s highest peak.

  • Hayesville, North Carolina

    The Clay County seat, with the 1888 courthouse on the square, the Peacock Performing Arts Center, and the Quanassee mound and Fort Hembree history close by.

  • Brasstown, North Carolina

    About 10 miles west: the John C. Campbell Folk School, teaching mountain crafts since 1925.

By boat

Food and fuel on the water

  • Fuel: The Ridges Marina and Lake Chatuge Marine, both in Hiawassee. Gas docks
  • Boat-up food: The Oaks Lakeside Kitchen at The Ridges, with transient docking (VHF 9/68).

Winter hours are short. Call before you count on fuel or a table.

Hiawassee and the lake from the air
Hiawassee on the lake. Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0.

Up high

Where to see the whole lake

  • Bell Mountain, Hiawassee. Drive to the overlook at the top for 360° views of town and the lake.
  • Brasstown Bald. Georgia’s highest point, 4,784 ft. Park below the summit and take the shuttle or the paved trail; on clear days you can see Atlanta.
  • Chatuge Dam. The TVA dam reservation in Clay County looks straight up the lake.
Brasstown Bald above the fall ridges
Brasstown Bald. Photo: Thomson200, CC0.

Swim, paddle, hike, camp

  • Swim

    Towns County Beach in Hiawassee, and the Forest Service beach at Jackrabbit Mountain (May to October). Beach notes

  • Paddle

    Quiet coves on both sides, and the upper Hiwassee arm above Hiawassee. Below the dam, the Hiwassee River tailwater is a trout stream.

  • Hike

    Jackrabbit Mountain’s trails, the Chatuge Dam trail, Lake Chatuge Recreation Area, Brasstown Bald, and the Appalachian Trail a short drive from Hiawassee.

  • Camp

    Jackrabbit Mountain (Forest Service), Clay County Recreation Park, Gibson Cove, the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds and private campgrounds on TVA land. Every campground