Hidden In The Blue Ridge Mountains Region Is A Secluded Lake With Paddling Fun And Serene Fishing

Sometimes, you want to disrupt the daily routine and tell society to take a hike. This decision may include dropping the phone, picking up some oars, grabbing a fishing rod, and spending the day in quiet, peaceful nature. In these instances, you won't want to miss Tanasee Creek Lake, western North Carolina's hidden gem that locals have kept to themselves for decades. 

Constructed by the Nantahala Power Company in the '50s, Tanasee Creek Lake is a small, 40-acre reservoir hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains about 60 miles away from Asheville. It's one of four lakes that make up the East Fork Lakes, and the smallest of the bunch. Too small for all but little trolling motors, the lake remains still and placid, ideal for paddling and quiet fishing. Nestled deep in the Nantahala National Forest, it's ringed by tall trees and dense underbrush, with almost no manmade structures visible on its immediate shoreline. It's so remote that you're unlikely to have any cell service for your devices, letting you seamlessly commune with nature.

Located off Highway 281 in Jackson County, Tanasee Creek Lake is about a 90-minute drive from Asheville, the nearest town with a major airport. This is a sparsely populated region high in the Blue Ridge Mountains; the closest town of note, Tuckasegee, is 14 miles away; 6 miles farther down the road sits Cullowhee, home of Western Carolina University. These small towns are encompassed by rugged, natural beauty, offering scenic views and crisp mountain air for a great escape.

Similar to North Carolina's North Toe River, Tanasee Creek Lake has become a haven for paddlers, who are known to compare its tranquil water to a mirror. Kayaks and canoes glide across the lake, with their soft strokes often being the only manmade sound you'll hear. A boat ramp on the lake's east end, near a gravel parking lot, lets you slide your kayak or canoe into the water. Following the shoreline from that launch to the dam at the lake's southwest edge, and then paddling over to the small nook that connects the lake to the Tuckasegee River, there's about 3 miles of total rowing. Unspoiled nature, native wildlife, and the occasional fisher or paddler establish a picturesque setting.

If you want your lake trip to linger, you can paddle your kayak or canoe to the shore and look for a campsite. Make sure to bring your own gear, though; this is truly some primitive camping, with no amenities to speak of. However, this lack of conveniences is part of what makes Tanasee Creek Lake such an authentic escape, especially for anglers.

All four of the East Fork Lakes, including the underrated Wolf Creek Lake, are known for their fishing, but what sets Tanasee Creek Lake apart is its size. As the smallest and most remote of these lakes, it has the least "fishing pressure" — which basically means it's the least crowded and fished of the four. Between its small crowds and abundant nature, Tanasee Creek Lake is an ideal alternative to busier Western North Carolina fishing hot spots like the Tuckasegee River.

There are six state-run hatcheries in North Carolina, and that program helps keep Tanasee Creek Lake full of a variety of trout. Three kinds of trout — brook, brown, and rainbow — are regularly found here, along with large and smallmouth bass, crappie, and walleye. FishBrain users also report retrieving redbreast sunfish and yellow perch.

Fishing isn't just about what you catch, though. It's about the entire experience — the escape from life's stresses and the pressures of the modern world, and the communion with nature and an earlier, slower way of life. Between its placid waters and the glorious forest that envelopes it, Tanasee Creek Lake is the kind of return to nature that many fishers are seeking.