Largest lakes & reservoirs in Mountains Region, NC by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 19 articles we have published for Mountains Region, NC lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US South Region > North Carolina > Mountains Region, NC > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in Mountains Region, NC, only the 19 Mountains Region, NC lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Shoreline length in miles |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Fontana Lake, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
238 mi | Also known as Fontana Reservoir Fontana Lake, nestled in western North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains, was built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to provide hydroelectric power to… |
| Lake Hiwassee, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
163 mi | Also known as Hiwassee Reservoir or Hiwassee Lake Lake Hiwassee is located in the mountainous region of North Carolina’s southwestern Cherokee County. Sitting in the Nantahala National Forest, it is a… |
| Lake James, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
150 mi | Nestled into the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake James is a 6,510 acre lake in western North Carolina with 150 shoreline miles. Duke Power constructed thre… |
| Lake Chatuge, GA/NC (Georgia, Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, Northeast Georgia Mountains Region, US South Region, USA) |
132 mi | Also known as Chatuge Lake, Chatuge Reservoir Beautiful Lake Chatuge (pronounced “sha-toog”) spans 7200 acres and two states, stretching 13 miles from Hayesville, North Carolina, to Hiawassee, Geo… |
| Lake Rhodhiss, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
90 mi | Also known as Rhodhiss Lake Lake Rhodhiss spans 3,060 acres in Burke and Caldwell Counties of west central North Carolina, lying between Lake James and Lake Hickory. A view of su… |
| Lake Santeetlah, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
76 mi | Also known as Santeetlah Reservoir or Santeetlah Lake High up in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina’s largely wild, westerly Graham County is Lake Santeetlah. Owned by Brookfield Renewable Energy… |
| Lake Jocassee, NC/SC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, South Carolina, The Upcountry, SC, US South Region, USA) |
75 mi | Nestled into the pristine Appalachian mountains of northwestern South Carolina and southwestern North Carolina, Lake Jocassee reaches its watery depth… |
| W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
55 mi | Also known as W. Kerr Scott Lake W. Kerr Scott Reservoir is a 1,475-acre reservoir located near Wilkesboro, North Carolina in the Mountains tourism region. Built by the U.S. Army Corp… |
| Lake Glenville, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
26 mi | Also known as Thorpe Reservoir, Glenville Lake Nestled among the forests and mountain peaks of southwestern North Carolina lies the highest lake east of the Mississippi, Lake Glenville (aka Thorpe… |
| Lake Lure, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
21 mi | Snuggled into the emerald mountains of western North Carolina, Lake Lure’s 720 acres sparkle in the sunlight. Clean water, beautiful scenery, and rura… |
| Nantahala Lake, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
20 mi | Also known as Lake Nantahala Nantahala Lake is one of the most pristine lakes in North Carolina. Located within the Nantahala National Forest at an elevation of 3,012 feet, the 1,… |
| Lake Toxaway, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
14 mi | Tucked away amidst the ancient Appalachian Mountains is the largest private lake in North Carolina – Lake Toxaway. Lake Toxaway, spanning 640 acres, w… |