05.22.10
Vacationing in Asheville Cabins Puts You Close to Several Lakes
As you search for Asheville cabins to provide lodging for your vacation in western North Carolina, consider their proximity to the area’s lakes.
Lake Julian, accessible from the park entrance at 75 Long Shoals Road near Skyland just a few minutes south of downtown Asheville, provides many options for families heading out from their Asheville cabins for activities. Visitors can fish, picnic, sail and play outdoor games at the lake, and the park is open seven days per week year-round. Fish include bass, catfish, bluegill, crappie, and an imported fish known as tilapia. The lake is a thermal lake, meaning its waters are used as a cooling agent for the nearby Progress Energy plant, so fishing is best here between October and March. The park offers boat and canoe rentals, launches for private boats, canoes and sailboats, and a campground. More information is available at 828-684-0376.
Less than 30 miles from the city and within an easy drive of Asheville cabins is the town of Lake Lure, North Carolina (828-625-9983). Lake Lure itself covers an estimated 720 acres and around 20 miles of shoreline. It features a marina, beach and picnic area, lots of boating and fishing opportunities, and it is surrounded by the restaurants, shops and other attractions in the town of Lake Lure and nearby Chimney Rock.
Near Bryson City, visitors will find Fontana Lake. This lake is 29 miles long, covers 11,700 acres and has more than 240 miles of shoreline. For guests of Asheville cabins who are big on fishing, this deep and cold like is an ideal habitat for many different types of fish ranging from large muskie and walleye to smallmouth bass. The lake is also very scenic with minimal shoreline development. The National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service own a combined total of more than 90 percent of the land surrounding the lake. Visitors who have other interests besides fishing can enjoy boating and water skiing opportunities at Fontana Lake. What’s more, views from the lake take in parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park including its highest peak, Clingman’s Dome. More information is available from the Bryson City-Swain County Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center at 210 Main Street in Bryson City (888-867-9246).
About 50 miles east of where Asheville cabins are located, Lake James State Park (828-652-5047) in Nebo is anchored by a lake that covers 6,510 acres and has 150 miles of shoreline. The park provides many opportunities for water-based activities including boating, water skiing and fishing, as well as park trails where visitors can take in mountain views, view wildflowers and observe wildlife.
And for those who don’t want to venture too far from their Asheville cabins for lakeside activities, the trail and bird sanctuary on Beaver Lake alongside Merrimon Avenue in north Asheville is an ideal spot for a walk or a jog. Or head a few miles further up Merrimon Avenue into the town of Weaverville (828-645-7116) for a stroll around Lake Louise.
