Lake Hiwassee or Lake Chatuge? What Each Lake Near Murphy, NC Offers

Which lake is better, Hiwassee or Chatuge? Both are Tennessee Valley Authority lakes on the Hiwassee River within about half an hour of downtown Murphy, NC, and each has its own character. Lake Hiwassee is a long, deep mountain lake framed almost entirely by national forest. Lake Chatuge is a lake that spans two states, with the towns of Hayesville, NC and Hiawassee, GA on its shores. The right one is the lake whose setting matches the home you picture. Here is what each offers, side by side.

Which lake is better, Hiwassee or Chatuge?

I'm Bonnie DuPree, a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Town & Country in Murphy and a Resort & Second-Home Property Specialist (RSPS), and these two lakes are my home water. When someone asks me which is better, my answer is always the same: both are wonderful, and they're wonderful in different ways. The better lake is the one that fits the view, the setting and the style of home you have in mind.

Hiwassee feels like a wilderness lake that happens to sit next to a county seat. Its hillsides are almost all Nantahala National Forest, so the views across the water are ridges and trees. My Lake Hiwassee guide goes deep on the lake and the homes around it.

Chatuge feels like a lake town on the water. Homes, marinas and two small towns share its shoreline, with the Georgia mountains rising behind the far shore. Both offer boating, fishing and paddling close to Murphy.

How do Lake Hiwassee and Lake Chatuge compare at a glance?

Here are the two lakes side by side. The figures come from TVA, the U.S. Forest Service and my own lake guides, and drive times are approximate, so confirm them for your starting point.

What does Lake Hiwassee offer?

Lake Hiwassee offers the feeling of deep woods with town right next door. According to TVA's Hiwassee page, the reservoir stretches 22 miles northwest to southeast, is more than 250 feet deep in places and is surrounded by the Nantahala and Cherokee national forests. Hiwassee Dam, completed in 1940, stands 307 feet high. The Hiwassee and Valley rivers meet at the edge of downtown Murphy and flow into the lake's upper reaches, so the water begins where town ends.

What I love most is the shoreline. My guide puts the lake at about 6,090 acres, with roughly 93% of the shoreline held by the U.S. Forest Service, and the Forest Service counts about 180 miles of shoreline in all. That means long, wooded coves where the view across the water is ridge after ridge of forest.

Getting on the water is easy. Hanging Dog Recreation Area, about five miles from Murphy, offers a boat ramp from June through October, a winter launch at Ramsey Bend about a mile and a half away, two one-mile hiking trails, the 8-mile Ramsey Bluff mountain bike system and a picnic pavilion overlooking the lake, according to the Forest Service. Bear Paw Resort, a resort community on Hiwassee Lake, is home to Mountain View Marina, which offers boat and kayak rentals, fuel and year-round slips.

Around the lake, you'll find lake-view homes tucked into wooded hillsides, lake-access homes a short walk or drive from the water, and cottages, condos and chalets at Bear Paw. Because so much of the shoreline is national forest, private lakefront homes are a special part of the market, and the forest across the water keeps its wooded look.

What does Lake Chatuge offer?

Lake Chatuge offers a mountain lake with two states and two towns on its shores. TVA's Chatuge page describes the reservoir as 13 miles long on the Hiwassee River, extending from western North Carolina into north Georgia, and the Forest Service notes more than 130 miles of shoreline. Chatuge Dam was completed in 1942, and TVA notes that sport fishing is popular both in the lake and in the Hiwassee River below the dam, where wade trout fishing is a favorite.

Hayesville, the Clay County seat, sits on the North Carolina side, and Hiawassee and Young Harris sit on the Georgia side, so dining, shopping and events are part of lake life here. My Lake Chatuge guide covers both shores.

Jackrabbit Mountain Recreation Area is a Chatuge favorite. It sits on a peninsula about nine miles from Hayesville via US-64 and NC-175, and the Forest Service lists a 2.4-mile loop trail, a 15-mile mountain bike system, a sandy swimming beach open May 1 through September 30 and about 100 wooded campsites. Marinas around the lake rent everything from pontoons to kayaks and paddleboards, as I describe in my post on a day on Lake Chatuge.

Homes around Chatuge range from lake-view cabins and lake-access homes to dockable lakefront homes, along with lake communities on both the North Carolina and Georgia shores. Many sit a short drive from town, and my guide to buying in Hayesville on the Clay County side of Lake Chatuge focuses on the North Carolina shore.

How do docks work on Hiwassee and Chatuge?

Both lakes follow the same TVA process, which makes the dock question simple to compare. Any dock, boathouse or shoreline structure on a TVA reservoir needs approval under Section 26a of the TVA Act. Here is what I walk buyers through on either lake:

1. Confirm the current permit. For a home with a dock, I ask for the existing TVA permit early so you can see what's approved.
2. Plan your own application. Dock permits stay with the permit holder, so a new owner applies for their own Section 26a permit within 60 days of closing.
3. Ask about dock potential early. On a lot without a dock, a smart step is to confirm with TVA what the shoreline allows before you plan around it.

My post on understanding TVA dock permits on mountain lakes explains each step in more detail.

How do you choose between Lake Hiwassee and Lake Chatuge?

I like to start with the home and the setting you picture, then let those features point to a lake. As an RSPS, I help people find a lake home that fits the way they want to enjoy it. Here is how I match features to each lake:

• A view of forested ridges across the water. Lake Hiwassee, where most of the far shore is national forest.
• A home close to downtown Murphy. Lake Hiwassee, which begins at the edge of town.
• Long, wooded coves for paddling. Lake Hiwassee and its 180 miles of forested shoreline.
• A resort community with a marina. Bear Paw Resort on Hiwassee, with Mountain View Marina.
• A lake shared by two states. Lake Chatuge, with Hayesville on one shore and Hiawassee on the other.
• Town life close to the water. Lake Chatuge, where restaurants and shops sit a short drive from many lake homes.
• A swimming beach and campground nearby. Jackrabbit Mountain on Chatuge.

Price follows the same features on both lakes: frontage, dock eligibility, view and the home itself. My post on what shapes lake home prices near Murphy breaks those factors down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which lake is better, Hiwassee or Chatuge?

Both are TVA lakes with different characters. Lake Hiwassee offers long, wooded coves and a shoreline that is mostly national forest, right next to Murphy. Lake Chatuge spans North Carolina and Georgia, with homes, marinas and the towns of Hayesville and Hiawassee on its shores. The better lake is the one whose setting matches the home you want.

How far is Lake Chatuge from Murphy, NC?

Lake Chatuge is roughly 20 to 25 minutes from Murphy via US-64, and Hayesville is about 15 miles from Murphy. Lake Hiwassee begins at the edge of Murphy. Confirm drive times for your own starting point.

Is Lake Chatuge in North Carolina or Georgia?

Both. TVA describes Chatuge as 13 miles long, extending from western North Carolina into north Georgia. Its shores are in Clay County, NC and Towns County, GA.

How deep is Lake Hiwassee?

TVA says Hiwassee Reservoir is more than 250 feet deep in places. It stretches about 22 miles and is surrounded by the Nantahala and Cherokee national forests.

Do I need a TVA permit for a dock on Hiwassee or Chatuge?

Yes. Docks on both lakes need a TVA Section 26a permit. Permits do not transfer with the property, so a new owner applies for their own permit within 60 days of closing.

See both lakes with me

A forest-framed lake at the edge of town and a two-state lake with towns on its shores: both are part of the lake country I call home. When you're ready, browse current lake-area homes for sale and note the ones that catch your eye.

Then call me at (828) 361-1027, and my team and I will plan a day on Hiwassee and Chatuge so you can see which shoreline feels like home.

The DuPree Real Estate Group is pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity. Bonnie DuPree, REALTOR® · RE/MAX Town & Country · Each Office Independently Owned and Operated.