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North Carolina › Jackson County › Highlands › Sapphire Lake

Sapphire Lake

Highlands, North Carolina — Jackson County.

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55Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 105913647).

Location & fast facts

Where Sapphire Lake is in North Carolina

The red circle marks Sapphire Lake.

Fast facts

About Sapphire Lake

  • County: Jackson
  • Nearest city: Highlands (about 7.3 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 331 mi from Tallahassee and 339 mi from Jacksonville, straight-line (not driving distance)

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).

Fishing in North Carolina

Official NCWRC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Camping. 23 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

    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.

    Lake map

    Sapphire Lake shoreline

    ¼ mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the NCWRC Boating Access Areas data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 105913647), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: NCWRC Boating Access Areas. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Campgrounds near Sapphire Lake

    We found 23 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Sapphire Lake, 3 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

    14 more within 15 miles

    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.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (35.1082, -83.0129). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Sapphire Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Sapphire Lake

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      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.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Sapphire Lake

      How big is Sapphire Lake?

      Sapphire Lake covers about 55 acres in Highlands, North Carolina (Jackson County).

      Are there campgrounds near Sapphire Lake?

      Yes. We list 23 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 3 of them within 5 miles.

      What towns are on Sapphire Lake?

      Sapphire Lake touches Highlands in Jackson County, North Carolina.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Sapphire 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).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All North Carolina lakes & ponds · All waters in Highlands