Tiny Lake Santeetlah, a town six miles north of Robbinsville and within fifteen miles of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,  has a little more than two hundred residences, many of which are second homes owned by permanent residents of Florida and Georgia. The town was organized in 1988 as Santeetlah; in 1999, it changed its name to Lake Santeetlah. The lake itself consists of seventy-six miles of mostly natural forested shoreline (The Nantahala National Forest).

Lake Santeetlah has a wide variety of fish, the most popular being smallmouth bass, largemouth bass and walleye. Until recently the lake boasted the state record for largemouth and walleye. Santeetlah also has a good population of crappie, bream and lake trout. Fishing licenses are required and can be purchased at local marinas, bait stores, and other businesses.

Visitors can rent boats at several locations on the lake, but Santeetlah Marina is the only full service marina on the lake. Word is that so far it never gets very crowded on the water. Both tourists and locals can enjoy a leisurely pontoon ride or even try skiing on the glassy surface. Because of the “fingers” of the lake, there’s almost always smooth water to be found, even on a windy day. You can also enjoy paddling a canoe into one of those secluded prongs. Whatever your choice, the combination of serene lake and majestic mountains that Lake Santeetlah offers is almost impossible to find anywhere else.