The Nottley River  in Murphy, North Carolina is unique since it a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) river. It is small and very clean. Nottley Dam is about 4 miles upstream, and development on the river is well managed. This means muddy runoff is not a problem and quickly runs clean after a rain. Despite increasing population on much of the river, most of the riverfront property is amazingly private. It is a great river with lots of opportunity to fish, relax, and even invest in real estate right on the river itself.

For the trout fisherman, the Nottley River has a special interest. It is not stocked, but supports quite a population of wild rainbow trout, which is unique to our area. The spawn is in April. Access to the river is limited and there is little to no pressure of over fishing. Significant hatches of small grey caddis (sizes 16-18) occur in March to April and caddis (all day) and baetis mayflies (sundown) hatch all summer. Use this link for details of water releases from the TVA dams.

It’s not always about the property you can buy and the types of real estate for sale in Murphy, NC. If there’s nothing to do, it’s no fun! Fortunately if you love the water, Murphy has a lot for everyone. Check out some of the base information available about boating and fishing in Murphy:

Lake Chatuge

The US Forest Service accounts for a tremendous portion of Cherokee County’s landmass. According to the Cherokee County Mapping Department, the forest service operates a whoping 93,169.87 acres of public land in our county alone.

Having so much Forest Service, which is commonly known as the Nantahala Forest, is a huge asset to Murphy. Here are only a few resources available as a direct result of the Forest Service:

• Free boat launches for your use on Lake Hiwassee (which is almost entirely surrounded by Forest Service)
• Great picnic area at Cherokee Lake
• Tellico Plains off-road riding for Jeeps, ATVs, and more
• Camping areas all over – and a fully equipped Campground in Hanging Dog in Murphy NC
• Real Estate (both homes and land) with a USFS Boundary. Wouldn’t it be nice to have part of a 93,169.87 acre back yard?  Email me now to find out what real estate is available with a Forest Service Boundary.
• Hiking
• Geocaching 
• Horseback Riding

Another advantage is so much Forest Service will limit growth within Cherokee County. With roughly 1/3 of the county being public land, much of it cannot be built on. This will keep much of the natural beauty Murphy has very much alive and intact. It doesn’t take long to figure out why Murphy is still to this day referred to as “God’s Country.”

John Poltrock, Murphy NC Realtor – Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll-Free 1-866-687-7496 Today and demand The POLTROCK TEAM!

Lake Hiwassee View from Bear Paw Resort

The Hiwassee Dam began construction on July 15, 1936. being 1376 feet long, it is quite an impressive structure. You can actually drive over the dam itself on Hiwassee Dam Access Road (off of Highway 294). Now over 70 years later, the Hiwassee Lake has become the gorgeous lake that we all now know. This article has some great “technical” information about the lake that is sometimes hard to find all in one place.

Impounded in 1940, Hiwassee was originally known as “Fowler Bend.” The name was later changed to reflect the name of the river which it is located on.

According to the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), it is 6,090 acres and located close to the center of Cherokee County, North Carolina (according to the Cherokee County Mapping Department, the actual lake 5,635.28 acres. With less than a 500 acre variation, that could be attributed to shoreline variations, etc.). From end to end, it is roughly 22 miles long and has over 163 miles of shoreline. There are many sections that are more than 200 feet deep! It’s quite a large lake with plenty of room to enjoy for boating and fishing. One of the most unique things about the lake is that only 7% of it has development! During the summer, the TVA targets to have the lake levels at 1515 to 1521 feet. On January 1, they shoot for around 1460. They try to maintain recreational levels from June 1st to August ST, with the exceptions of emergencies.

The lake is used primarily for power generation and regional flood control. Because of the flood control component, this is why the water level fluctuates. The TVA aims to have peak water level from June 1st through August 1st. It’s during the off season you see the water level drop 30-40 feet for flood control purposes. What’s amazing is it has an approximate flood water capacity of 3.6 billion gallons of water. One of the interesting things about the dam itself is that it has the ability to reverse flow and pump water back into the lake.

With only 7% of the land being developed, there is very little on the lake other than nature itself. The TVA transferred most of its original holdings to the U.S. Forest Service for it to be part of the Nantahala Forest, but kept lands in the Hiwassee Dam Reservation, the Micken branch area, and some land in Murphy. The majority of development on the lake is in Bear Paw Resort.

The TVA owns rights in one form or another up to the 1532 elevation, which means before you can do anything on the shoreline (dock, etc.) you must approve it with them.

For recreation, you have lots of options! There are four main marinas on Lake Hiwassee – Shooks, Dukes, Mountain View, and Harbor Cove. They provide boat rentals, fishing supplies, snacks, fuel, and much more. Not only that, the Hanging Dog Campground area has the best boat ramp on the lake. The US Forest Service offers several other boat launches that are completely free to use. Nice!

To get more information, contact the Hiwassee Watershed Team located at 221 Old Ranger Road; Murphy, NC 28906. You can call them at 828-837-7395

Looking for Real Estate? Let The Poltrock Team help you! Feel free to contact us any time, Search ALL the listings for sale in Murphy NC, or use our Dream Home Finder and let us do the work for you!

Lake Hiwassee is a beautiful lake situated in the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina. Being the largest lake in Cherokee County, it offers a lot to boaters, fisherman, campers, and more. It takes up 6,280 acres and is made by dams on either end. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the government agency responsible for regulating and maintaining its integrity.

Almost entirely surrounded by U.S. Forest Service, there is very little land available on the lake itself. In order to find a lake lot or home, you almost have to buy in Bear Paw Resort in the Hiwassee Dam area of our county. Many of the lake houses have an amazing view of the water and look on to Forest Service land on the other side of the lake. Because of that, their view will likely remain natural for our lifetimes.

Many skiers love the lake because the water is like glass most of the time. The mountains and fingers on the lake keep it smooth and prevents it from being choppy like many lakes with large open channels. It starts close to downtown Murphy and extends for 22 miles. Since it is surrounded by the Forest Service, you can camp all along the shoreline. Not only that, it is not heavily trafficked since their are very few homes on the water. It truly is a place where you can take your family and be safe, comfortable, and have a good time.

*Note* – You will find a common misspelling reading Lake Hiawassee.

You can also read our newer article with more specifics on Lake Hiwassee in Murphy, North Carolina

I’ve been working with a couple today who first called me on Lake Homes and Lots then did a total switch up on me. We ended up looking at homes with a great mountain view, and they now have two choices they really like. One in Hibberts Mountain and the other in Indian Rock Springs.

Anyway, I digress before I even get started. In speaking with them, it brought me to a great point which I have been relaying to my customers for some time. There are three types of properties in Murphy that have an exceptional appreciation rate and do well historically. The three types are: 1) Lakefront 2) Mountain View 3) Water front – i.e. creek, branch, and river frontage.

Lakefront - As with many markets all over the U.S., it’s a great investment and property you can enjoy simply by being on the water. Here in our area, there’s several differently lakes to enjoy. Lake Hiwassee (you’ll see some misspellings, Hiawassee is a common one), Appalachia, Lake Chatuge, Blue Ridge, Nottley, Nantahala, and Santeelah are some of the the lakes people enjoy here in the North Carolina Mountains. I’ll go more in depth on some of these in a later blog.

Mountain View – Just like the quality of anything you can buy, mountain views vary. You could have a little glimpse of a mountain or one where someone else’s trees could grow and block your view. The best views are generally considered multiple layers of mountains where you control the views - in other words, you can cut trees or whatever is in your way because you own the property in front of you where the trees could grow up. Close up mountains are also great, depending on the ridge line and other factors.

Water Front – Think varying ranges of moving water here. A "branch" is the smallest, usually considered to be 4-6 inches at most. Over 4-6" would be considered a creek and can get several feet wide. Rivers are, well, rivers. In Murphy, we have three main rivers: Hiwassee, Nottley, and Valley. All of which are beautiful and quite clean and clear water.

These are great investments for the long term and in some cases, the short term. It’s quite common to see double digit returns on these properties (annually). If you love the water or mountain views, fear not! Your purchase today can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment, or at the least, a better return on your money than you can find in any CD.

John Poltrock, CRS – Call Toll Free 1-866-687-7496 to make your real estate investments – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties in Murphy, NC