Watauga Lake
is located in the upper northeastern corner of the state in Carter and Johnson Counties, near the North Carolina border. “Watauga” is a Native American word that means “beautiful waters,” and Watauga Lake is indeed one of the most beautiful lakes in Tennessee. Surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest, it looks picture perfect with the mountains and trees reflecting in its’ cool, clear waters. Watauga is the highest reservoir in the Tennessee River system at more than 1,900 feet above sea level, and the fishing here is excellent! You will find 13 species of game fish in the lake, including rainbow and brown trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass and walleye. Just below Watauga Dam is an observation area where visitors can stop and view several unique species of waterfowl. Other popular activities on the lake include swimming, boating, 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. Major cities near the lake include Elizabethton, Hampton, Roan Mountain, Bristol and Johnson City. 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 and Bristol Caverns, Sycamore Shoals State Historical Area, Roan Mountain State Park, Rhododendron Gardens, and the Hands-On Museum in Johnson City.
Surrounding areas: Hampton, Tennessee (5.8 mi), Butler, Tennessee (7.6 mi), Roan Mountain, Tennessee (9.2 mi), Bluff City, Tennessee (13.0 mi), Johnson City, Tennessee (14.0 mi), Englewood, Tennessee (16.0 mi), Bristol, Tennessee (17.6 mi)
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Watauga Lake Vacation Rentals
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Watauga Lake Weather & Climate
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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.
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| Month |
High Temp |
Low Temp |
Rainfall |
Ocean Temp |
| January |
44°F |
24°F |
3.60 in. |
- |
| February |
48°F |
27°F |
3.75 in. |
- |
| March |
57°F |
33°F |
3.92 in. |
- |
| April |
66°F |
41°F |
3.29 in. |
- |
| May |
74°F |
51°F |
5.11 in. |
- |
| June |
81°F |
59°F |
4.40 in. |
- |
| July |
84°F |
63°F |
4.75 in. |
- |
| August |
83°F |
62°F |
3.45 in. |
- |
| September |
78°F |
56°F |
2.99 in. |
- |
| October |
68°F |
43°F |
2.07 in. |
- |
| November |
57°F |
34°F |
3.02 in. |
- |
| December |
47°F |
27°F |
3.49 in. |
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Watauga Lake Map & Transportation
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| Click each thumbnail image to enlarge. |
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The closest airports in the area are the Tri Cities Regional Tn Va airport (TRI) located about 19 miles northwest of Watauga Lake in Bristol Johnson Kingsport, Tennessee, the Greeneville Greene County Municipal airport (GCY) located approximately 39 miles west of Watauga Lake in Greeneville, Tennessee, the Hickory Regional airport (HKY) located roughly 57 miles southeast of Watauga Lake in Hickory, North Carolina, the Wilkes County airport (UKF) located around 57 miles east of Watauga Lake in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and finally the Asheville Regional airport (AVL) located about 65 miles southwest of Watauga Lake in Asheville, North Carolina.
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Watauga Lake Attractions
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| | | Amusement and Theme Parks |
| Ghost Town in the Sky | Maggie Valley | NC | 78.0 mi. | | | NASCAR SpeedPark | Sevierville | TN | 86.4 mi. | | | Dollywood | Pigeon Forge | TN | 88.2 mi. | | | Rockin' Raceway | Pigeon Forge | TN | 88.2 mi. | | | Cherokee Fun Park | Cherokee | NC | 88.9 mi. | | | Santa's Land | Cherokee | NC | 88.9 mi. | |
| | | Water Parks |
| Paramount's Carowinds-Water Works | Pineville | NC | 110.1 mi. | |
| | | Golf Courses |
| Elizabethton Municipal Golf Course | Elizabethton | TN | 5.0 mi. | | | Tillery Tradition Country Club | Mount Gilead | NC | 13.1 mi. | | | Pine Oaks Golf Club | Johnson City | TN | 14.0 mi. | | | Buffalo Valley Golf Course | Unicoi | TN | 15.2 mi. | | | Bear Trace at Tims Ford State Park | Winchester | TN | 17.6 mi. | | | Steel Creek Golf Course | Bristol | TN | 17.6 mi. | | | Village of Sugar Mountain Golf Course | Banner Elk | NC | 18.0 mi. | | | Tri Cities Golf Course | Blountville | TN | 18.1 mi. | | | Clear Creek Golf Club | Bristol | VA | 18.8 mi. | | | Mountain Glen Golf Course | Newland | NC | 19.6 mi. | | | Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort | Seven Devils | NC | 20.2 mi. | | | Roan Valley Golf Estates | Mountain City | TN | 20.6 mi. | | | Boone Golf Club | Boone | NC | 26.4 mi. | | | Willow Creek Golf Course | Boone | NC | 26.4 mi. | | | Cattails at Meadowview Golf Course | Kingsport | TN | 27.7 mi. | | | Crocketts Ridge Golf Club | Kingsport | TN | 27.7 mi. | | | Warriors Path State Park Golf Course | Kingsport | TN | 27.7 mi. | | | Deer Field Golf Course | Damascus | VA | 28.5 mi. | | | Grassy Creek Golf & Country Club | Spruce Pine | NC | 28.7 mi. | | | Mount Mitchell Golf Club | Burnsville | NC | 29.6 mi. | |
| | | Ski Areas |
| Ski Beech | Banner Elk | NC | 17.8 mi. | | | Sugar Mountain Ski Area | Banner Elk | NC | 17.8 mi. | | | Hawksnest Golf & Ski Resort | Seven Devils | NC | 19.6 mi. | | | Ski Wolf Laurel | Mars Hill | NC | 41.8 mi. | | | Cataloochee | Maggie Valley | NC | 78.0 mi. | | | Canaan Valley | Davis | WV | 104.1 mi. | | | Winterplace | Flat Top | WV | 104.1 mi. | | | Scaly Mountain | Scaly Mountain | NC | 112.8 mi. | |
| | | State Parks |
| Warriors Path State Park | | TN | 23.0 mi. | | | Mount Jefferson State Park | | NC | 37.3 mi. | | | Mount Mitchell State Park | | NC | 39.0 mi. | |
| | | Museums |
| Carroll Reece Museum | Johnson City | TN | 12.9 mi. | (Multidisciplinary) | | Hands On! Regional Museum | Johnson City | TN | 12.9 mi. | (Children's) | | Hickory Museum of Art | Hickory | NC | 59.8 mi. | (Art) |
| | | Zoos and Aquariums |
| Western North Carolina Nature Center | Asheville | NC | 55.5 mi. | | | Greenville Zoo | Greenville | SC | 102.8 mi. | | | Knoxville Zoological Gardens | Knoxville | TN | 103.5 mi. | |
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