Area with cleanest lakes and green mountains. (homes, buy)

[mrunik]

My wife and I are nearing 70 and hopefully retiring soon. We now live in the foothills near Sacramento California. We've always wanted a small lakefront or near lakefront home. A clean lake with green forests and green mountains in the background would be heaven. Our budget is around 500K or hopefully less.

So far it looks like you can't get them all if you want to stay around the middle to south eastern part of the country to avoid excessive heat, humidity or snow. Seems like the sweet spot for elevation is around 1200 - 2000 ft. The clean lakes seems to be the toughest issue.

So far, parts of eastern Tennessee, northwestern S. Carolina and northwest Arkansas are the best areas we've come up with.

Does anyone have any thought on these areas or know of others we might have missed? Thanks for any replies.

[pnwguy2]

Unless you love humidity I would stay in the west. Lake Chelan in north central Washington. Lake coeur d’ alene in northern Idaho. Flathead lake near Kalispell MT. All do offer snow but not to anything excessive usually.

[sub]

Originally Posted by mrunik

My wife and I are nearing 70 and hopefully retiring soon. We now live in the foothills near Sacramento California. We've always wanted a small lakefront or near lakefront home. A clean lake with green forests and green mountains in the background would be heaven. Our budget is around 500K or hopefully less.

So far it looks like you can't get them all if you want to stay around the middle to south eastern part of the country to avoid excessive heat, humidity or snow. Seems like the sweet spot for elevation is around 1200 - 2000 ft. The clean lakes seems to be the toughest issue.

So far, parts of eastern Tennessee, northwestern S. Carolina and northwest Arkansas are the best areas we've come up with.

Does anyone have any thought on these areas or know of others we might have missed? Thanks for any replies.

I’m from Arkansas but can’t recommend any part of it, especially for what you’re wanting. The Appalachians will have much higher elevations making the weather more tolerable. Personally, I’d find a way to stay out west or warm up to the idea of a cooler climate.

[Run To The Hills]

Washington is the state that best meets the criteria. When it comes to mountains and crystal clear lakes. Devils Punch Bowl, Lake Chelan, Enchantment Lakes. The Devils Punch Bowl is probably the most srystal clear lake in the country. Lake Chelan is also perfect. My favorite is Devils Punchbowl. WOW is this a beautiful place. It is completely surounded by the lush evergreen mountains of Washington State.

[NW Crow]

For a lake to live beside without much snow:

Claytor Lake SW of Blacksburg VA
Deep Creek Lake in extreme western Maryland
Lake Keowee or Jocasse north of Clemson SC
Table Rock Lake west of Branson Missouri

In the West, you'd generally have to accept at least modest snowfall. There are some lakes east of Eugene Oregon that might work. Lake Whatcom / Sudden Valley southeast of Bellingham WA. Some little lakes very near Olympia / Lacey WA have Mt Rainer views when clear. With snow, Shasta Lake or Lake Alamanor? Or lakes just west of Yosemite?

[Citykid3785]

Also consider the same general area, but in north georgia and western NC.

In this area, you might have luck on lakes like:

Carter's lake
Blue ridge
Nottely
Lake burton
Chatuge lake
Hiawassee lake
Nantahala
Fontana
Santeetlah lake
Lake rabun

[annie_himself]

It seems really weird to leave that part of California for mountains and lakes. Especially with that budget.

[hickoryfan]

The OP specially mentioned southern states. I don't think humidity is as bad at 3000 ft versus the piedmont and sand hill regions of the SE. You have a budget to find a good property in Arkansas or South Carolina. I would not discount the North Carolina mountains. Check out Boone. NC and small towns in the Asheville area.

[mrunik]

Thanks for the helpful replies everyone.

[Bamaman1]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

Also consider the same general area, but in north georgia and western NC.

In this area, you might have luck on lakes like:

Carter's lake Great fishing. No homes on it, however.
Blue ridge TVA lake. Water levels vary greatly in winter. Homes on the water available.
Nottely Lake Pretty lake in Summer. Less so in winter when it's drained.
Lake burton For your budget, you could only buy a 100' lot. Many homes there go $9-10 million.
Chatuge Lake Absolutely lovely with the town of Hiawasee on islands in the middle of the lake
Hiawassee Lake We were by there yesterday--off the beaten path.
Nantahala--It's more of a whitewater rafting place--little society.
Fontana Lake--450' high dam. No homes on the water.
Santeetlah lake
Lake Rabun and Seed Lakes--absolutely gorgeous small lakes south of Clayton, GA. About as pretty of a place as you will ever see. Lake Burton is above it, and Tallulah Gorge below it.

We keep a RV in the NE Georgia Mountains, and just returned from there yesterday. Our favorite area is Young Harris, GA and Hiawassee, Georgia--just south of the tallest mountain (Brasstown Bald) and one of the most beautiful places in the Eastern U.S. A # of the above lakes are close by.

We also have a home on the Tennessee River at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. So many lakes have 300' around the water that cannot be built on. And many, many great lakes have no residences on them. Our home is less than 50' from the water, and we have a double boathouse in our front yard. The TN River is the #1 cruising rive in the U.S. going thru 4 states with 650 miles of navigable water. Knoxville, Chattanooga, Huntsville/Decatur and Muscle Shoals are on the water.

Guntersville is 40 miles south of Huntsville, and the homes there are nothing short of fabulous. And it's the holy grail of bass fishing.

I also like the AR/MO state line lakes--Lake Norfolk at Mountain Home, AR and Bull Shoals Lake to the west. Greers Ferry Lake at Heber Springs, AR is another great lake and a great place to live.