Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee

Watauga Lake

Description

Watauga is a beautiful 6,430 acre Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir. Its 106-miles of shoreline is adjoined by The Cherokee National Forest and the Appalachian Trail runs along its northwestern edge. An abundance of public land makes Watauga a great spot for bank fishing and camping. You’ll expect to reel in Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, and Trout. 

Optimized Fish:
Quality Bass
Quality Bass
Walleye
Walleye
Crappie
Crappie
Lake Trout
Lake Trout
Enhancements
  • Continued management for quality bass, lake trout, and crappie fishing.
  • Annual habitat management and improvements.
Activities:
Windsurfing, Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Recreation , Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Boating, Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Wildlife, Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Paddleboarding, Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Fishing, Watauga Lake near Elizabethton, Tennessee
Location
  • Carter
  • Johnson
Map highlighting Watauga Lake region; shows county borders and blue lake silhouette near Johnson/Carter area.
Rules & Regulations

For rules and regulations, please visit TWRA.com.

Hours of operation may vary.

The Real Seal

In a world where millions of AI-generated photos are created every day, travelers can’t always tell what’s real anymore. But we’ve made a commitment to never use AI-generated pictures to represent our destinations. Every place we show is real. And to prove it, we created a certified mark for our photography that verifies its authenticity.

Every original photo submitted is analyzed to confirm it’s real, not AI-generated. Once verified, each picture receives content credentials and secure metadata showing who captured it, when it was taken and what camera was used.

Some basic retouching can still be part of a certified photo, but only when it helps to better reflect what was already there.

The Tennessee Real Seal sets a new standard for travel content that people can trust. So even when the landscape looks too beautiful to be true, you know it didn’t come from a prompt. It’s a real place in Tennessee, waiting for you to explore.

FIND WHAT'S REAL