Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
A Christian cross stands above the community.
A Christian cross stands above the community.
Location of Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
Location of Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
Coordinates: 35°31′29″N 83°00′05″W / 35.52472°N 83.00139°W / 35.52472; -83.00139[1]
CountryUnited States
StateNorth Carolina
CountyHaywood
Area
 • Total5.61 sq mi (14.52 km2)
 • Land5.29 sq mi (13.71 km2)
 • Water0.31 sq mi (0.81 km2)
Elevation2,674 ft (815 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,219
 • Density608.05/sq mi (234.77/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code
28745
Area code828
FIPS code37-36480[3]
GNIS feature ID2403193[1]

Lake Junaluska is a census-designated place (CDP) in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States, and an artificial lake in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is part of the Asheville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Lake Junaluska is named after nearby Mount Junaluska (now North Eaglenest Mountain), which was named after a Cherokee leader in the early nineteenth century. As of the 2010 census, the population of the community was 2,734.[4]

The 200-acre (81 ha) manmade lake of the same name is surrounded by private residences and the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. The lake is fed primarily from Richland Creek and discharges into the creek, maintaining an approximately constant lake level. Richland Creek is a tributary to the Pigeon River. Water sports at the lake include canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing, plus swimming in the lakeside swimming pool. To maintain a quiet environment, only electric trolling motors are permitted to operate on the lake. There is a 2.3-mile (3.7 km) paved walking trail and an extended 3.8-mile walking trail around the lake. Lake Junaluska also has an 18-hole golf course, pickleball and tennis courts, and dedicated bocce ball, corn hole and shuffleboard courts. The Blue Ridge Parkway is nearby, as is Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Lake Junaluska was formerly the site of the headquarters of the World Methodist Council.

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
  2. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  3. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Lake Junaluska CDP, North Carolina". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2017.