Largest lakes & reservoirs in North Carolina by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 45 articles we have published for North Carolina lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US South Region > North Carolina > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in North Carolina, only the 45 North Carolina lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Shoreline length in miles | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Lake Tillery, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
118 mi | Also known as Tillery Reservoir Less than an hour’s drive from Charlotte, Lake Tillery is one of the best-kept secrets of the Piedmont Region of North Carolina. One of the reservoirs … |
Badin Lake, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
115 mi | Badin Lake, a reservoir built in 1917 for hydroelectric power by the Aluminum Company of America, covers 5,350 North Carolina acres with its sparkling … |
Lake Hickory, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
109 mi | Lake Hickory, situated in west central North Carolina near the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, is one of several man-made reservoirs in North Carolina’ … |
Lake Rhodhiss, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
90 mi | Also known as Rhodhiss Lake Lake Rhodhiss spans 3,060 acres in Burke and Caldwell Counties of west central North Carolina, lying between Lake James and Lake Hickory. A view of su … |
Belews Lake, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
88 mi | Belews Lake is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in beautiful north central North Carolina. The lake straddles Stokes, Forsyth and … |
Mayo Lake, NC (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
85 mi | Also known as Mayo Reservoir or Lake Mayo Mayo Lake, set in a landscape of gently rolling hills and farmlands, was formed when Carolina Light and Power Company (now Progress Energy) needed coo … |
Lake Santeetlah, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
76 mi | Also known as Santeetlah Reservoir or Santeetlah Lake High up in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina’s largely wild, westerly Graham County is Lake Santeetlah. Owned by Brookfield Renewable Energy … |
Tuckertown Reservoir (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
75 mi | Also known as Tuckertown Lake The Tuckertown Reservoir in North Carolina’s Piedmont region is a stunning example of how hydroelectric power generation can mesh with habitat preserv … |
Lake Jocassee, NC/SC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, South Carolina, The Upcountry, SC, US South Region, USA) |
75 mi | Nestled into the pristine Appalachian mountains of northwestern South Carolina and southwestern North Carolina, Lake Jocassee reaches its watery depth … |
Randleman Lake (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
65 mi | Also known as Randleman Regional Reservoir Randleman Lake is the Piedmont Region of North Carolina’s newest lake and recreational hotspot. Although originally proposed by the US Army Corps of E … |
Mountain Island Lake (North Carolina, Piedmont Region, NC, US South Region, USA) |
61 mi | Also known as Mountain Island Reservoir Mountain Island Lake is an great location not to miss for anyone looking for lakefront property in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. Lakes in the Pi … |
W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
55 mi | Also known as W. Kerr Scott Lake W. Kerr Scott Reservoir is a 1,475-acre reservoir located near Wilkesboro, North Carolina in the Mountains tourism region. Built by the U.S. Army Corp … |