Located in the Nantahala National Forest at an elevation of 3000 feet, Nantahala Lake offers excellent mountainous scenery and peaceful waters for paddling. The lake is surrounded by private residences and vacation homes but much of the shoreline is still preserved wilderness area. The lake is popular for fishing and pontoon boats but there is not a whole lot of other boat traffic. The Big Choga access is a public launch site located on the western shoreline.