[MonaLisaVito]

Were looking to buy a cottage on the water, which is nicer, Guntersville Lake or Smith Lake, or somewhere else? Looking for a place to go with family for boating, fishing, water skiing, swimming, etc... Looking for a place that is busy with other families. And anyone who can help me with what price i'm looking at for a small house on the lake or a lot at least 1/2 acre or more. thanks!

[jsherman9901]

Not sure what you mean by "nicer". Guntersville is more scenic IMO, with wide vistas and places where you can see several miles across the water. Smith Lake is more narrow and twisty. Smith Lake also seems a little more isolated. As far as prices, if you go to realtor.com and look under the town of Guntersville, the waterfront listings start about $425k. If you look under Cullman (Smith Lake), prices start in the mid-$300s.

[MonaLisaVito]

Originally Posted by jsherman9901

Not sure what you mean by "nicer". Guntersville is more scenic IMO, with wide vistas and places where you can see several miles across the water. Smith Lake is more narrow and twisty. Smith Lake also seems a little more isolated. As far as prices, if you go to realtor.com and look under the town of Guntersville, the waterfront listings start about $425k. If you look under Cullman (Smith Lake), prices start in the mid-$300s.

nicer - i mean scenic and which has more to do - such as swimming areas, better fishing etc.

[Keeper]

Can't speak for Smith Lake but Guntersville is on the professional bass circuit. You can find property on Guntersville lake but some are not on the lake itself but have a boathouse on a lot on the water which belongs to the property owner. The lakes while not man made have trees underwater. You can check out property in Marshall and Jackson county for lakefront property on valleymls.com. From what I have seen and I am by no means an expert you will need a boat to get to some of the nicer swimming areas. Lake Guntersville is big and there are a lot of little alcoves where people meet and go swimming. You are surrounded by the mountains . I took these this summer from a friend's boat. He has a houseboat which he lives on near Scottsboro. He lives on it on Goose Pond.
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/9d772941.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/050ba3a8.jpg
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/4803ce03.jpg

[rnc76]

Both lakes are nice man-made lakes. Guntersville has Tennessee River barge traffic, which for me kind of disturbs the serenity of a nice summer afternoon. Smith Lake doesn't really have a main channel that stands out like at Guntersville and there is no barge traffic. I think the water at Smith Lake is cleaner because there is basically no industry or cities upstream. The banks are very steep at Smith Lake. A lot of the houses are perched up on a bluff and have lots of steps leading down to the water. Guntersville is surround by hills, which is nice and has gentler slops leading into the water.

[Southlander]

Disturbed by barge traffic? I'd LOVe to be disturbed by barge traffic! The lake at Guntersville is wide enough that there are plenty of places to boat, swim and ski out of the barge traffic.
The other difference is...while both lakes are manmade, formed behind dams, Guntersville is a part of the BIG Tennessee River, while Smith is on a smaller, non-navigable stream. Good luck...I'd love to have even a dump on the river, but prices are so high now that will remain a dream.
You might also look on Wheeler Lake, which is downstream from Guntersville, between Decatur and Town Creek. The Florence area also has some riverside dwellings.

[rnc76]

I was just pointing out a significant difference between the two lakes. I realize there are plenty of places out of the main channel. But Guntersville is a major shipping avenue, whereas Smith Lake has no shipping routes, that changes the character of the lake.

I wish I could afford property on any water too, any waterfront property is out of control now.

[armywife57]

You should check out Wheeler Lake/TN River. We just bought a lot out there for future retirement. We also love boating/water skiing and when I looked at Guntersville I didn't like all the vegetation growing in there. Guntersville is a GREAT fishing lake, alright--but I don't think my kids would set foot in that water. Wheeler looked MUCH better. Smith Lake looked nice too--but it was further out from Huntsville and we needed to be closer to that area. Prices out at Wheeler seemed a little more reasonable as well. When searching for houses check out the MLS system around the Athens area. Good luck.

[dbkeel1]

The Realtors out at Smith Lake will tell you it's the 3rd cleanest lake in the U.S. or some such. No idea, really, without researching it. Guntersville is pretty scenic with good fishing as you've heard, Lake Weiss gets a lot of the Atlanta folks on weekends but I was really impressed with Tims Ford in Franklin County,TN when it comes to a lot of family activity. At least in the cove where we were visiting friends Memorial Day. Nice lake and only an hour NE of Huntsville. We'll be back.

[joelakelot]

We've been on Guntersville Lake now for over a year, and our whole family loves it! There is so much to do, and so little traffic. We're even planning a trip up the lake to Chattanooga. I've heard Smith Lake is great, but some areas get such low water at certain times of the year, my friend has to take his boat out of the water.

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