Watauga Lake Area

About Watauga Lake Area

Water recreation is abundant in this area, featuring Watauga Lake; the Doe, Elk and Watauga rivers; several streams and seven waterfalls.Highly developed recreation areas along Watauga Lake provide facilities for fishing, picnicking, swimming and boat launching. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail runs through the area's backcountry. Camp on the lakeshore at Cardens Bluff or in the backcountry along Laurel Fork Creek at Dennis Cove.Watuaga Lake Area MapWatuaga Lake Area Guide

Plan Your Visit to Watauga Lake Area

Heading to Watauga Lake Area? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)