Hiwassee Lake State Park
🏆🏆🏆🏆 Appalachian Lake — Mountain lake in the far western tip of North Carolina — part of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system
Hiwassee Lake State Park is located on Hiwassee Lake in Cherokee County — in the far southwestern corner of North Carolina, closer to Atlanta than to Raleigh. Hiwassee Lake was created by Hiwassee Dam (1940), part of the massive Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) system — the most ambitious federal infrastructure project of the New Deal era. TVA built 29 dams across the Tennessee Valley, transforming one of America’s poorest regions with flood control, electricity, and economic development. The Cherokee people called this area “hiwassee” meaning “meadow.”
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Cherokee County, NC (closer to Atlanta!) |
| Entry Fee | Free |
| Dam | TVA 1940 — New Deal! |
| Name | Cherokee — “meadow”! |
About Hiwassee Lake
Hiwassee Lake State Park in Cherokee County provides access to Hiwassee Lake — a TVA reservoir in the far southwestern mountains of North Carolina. The Hiwassee River valley was Cherokee homeland for thousands of years before the Trail of Tears removal of 1838. The word “Hiwassee” is Cherokee for “meadow.” The surrounding Nantahala National Forest is some of the wildest country in the eastern United States.
Things to Do
Fishing for walleye, bass, and trout, boating on the mountain lake, hiking, exploring Cherokee heritage, and using as a base camp for the surrounding Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests.
Insider Tips
Cherokee heartland: Hiwassee Lake sits in the ancient Cherokee homeland — the Hiwassee River valley was a center of Cherokee civilization for centuries. Pro tip: The Cherokee town of Hiwassee Old Town was one of the largest Cherokee settlements — its people were among those forced on the Trail of Tears in 1838. TVA: Hiwassee Dam (1940) was built by the Tennessee Valley Authority — FDR’s ambitious rural electrification project.
Best Time to Visit
Fall: Mountain foliage. Summer: Lake recreation. Spring: Wildflowers and fishing. Winter: Mild mountain winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the TVA?
The Tennessee Valley Authority (1933) was FDR’s New Deal program to modernize the rural South — building dams for flood control, electricity, and economic development. TVA brought electricity to millions who had none, created jobs during the Depression, and transformed the region. Critics note the environmental cost — dams flooded valleys, displaced communities, and altered river ecosystems. TVA remains the nation’s largest public utility.
Park Location
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