Why you'd want to live in Lake James

Located in McDowell and Burke Counties of North Carolina in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake James is 45 minutes from Asheville and less than two hours from Charlotte. The lake sits 1,200 feet above sea level and was created by Duke Power 1916 to provide hydroelectric power to the region. Lake James is a 6,812-acre recreational lake with over 150 miles of shoreline, 72 that cannot be developed. It is the uppermost lake on the Catawba River System and is known for exceptionally clean, mountain-fed water. Lake James State Park is the largest waterfront State Park in NC with over 3,500 acres available to the public for swimming, fishing, camping, hiking, mountain biking, picnicking, canoeing, and kayaking.