US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 133012966); shared with Georgia, acreage is the whole lake.
The red circle marks Chatuge Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (North Carolina: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official NCWRC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 133012966), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NCWRC Boating Access Areas and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
OpenStreetMap shows about 14.1 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Chatuge Lake shoreline, mostly along the north shore.
No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Boat ramp, 100 ft from a shoreline trail (NC Wildlife Resources Commission boating access data).
The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.
Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.
We found 28 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Chatuge Lake, 6 of them within 5 miles. 4 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
RVs welcome · Dogs allowed
All campgrounds & RV parks in North Carolina
Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.
Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (34.9779, -83.8002). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Chatuge Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/New_York), and accurate to within a few minutes.
3 public access sites listed, 3 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat ramp | — | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 35.0104, -83.7995 |
| Jackrabbit Boating Access Area | Hayesville | NC Wildlife Resources Commission | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 35.0107, -83.7689 |
| Ledfords Chapel Boating Access Area | Hayesville | NC Wildlife Resources Commission | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 35.0272, -83.7671 |
NCWRC Boating Access Areas and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Chatuge Lake covers about 6,364 acres in Hayesville, North Carolina (Clay County).
Yes. 3 public trailer launches are listed: Jackrabbit Boating Access Area, Ledfords Chapel Boating Access Area and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 28 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 6 of them within 5 miles.
Chatuge Lake touches Hayesville in Clay County, North Carolina.
Know Chatuge Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All North Carolina lakes & ponds · All waters in Hayesville