Welcome

You’ve come to the right place for everything Watauga Lake. Whether you’re looking for a place to live or just a vacation getaway, you won’t find a more beautiful place. The Lake is located in Butler Tennessee, and covers parts of Carter and Johnson counties. Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Upper East Tennessee, Watauga Lake offers waterfront homes and building sites while preserving the natural beauty of a lake in the mountains. Come for a vacation and stay for a lifetime. Everything you ever wanted to know about life on and around Watauga Lake, let’s jump in!

Watauga Lake was formed when the Watauga Dam was constructed starting in 1942 and completed in 1948 and is surrounded by the Cherokee National Forest. Both the Watauga River and the Elk River feed the lake. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) uses the reservoir to generate hydroelectric power. At 1,959 feet above sea level, Lake Watauga is the highest reservoir in the series of 7 dams under the TVA system. The original city of Butler, which now sits underwater, was relocated to what is now known as Butler. If you want to know more about the history of Butler, be sure to check out the Butler Museum. Watauga Lake is just over 16 miles long and has almost 105 miles of shoreline. At summer pool levels, the lake covers 6,430 acres and is about 265 feet deep at the dam, with an average depth of 52.5 feet. During the wintertime, TVA drops the water level about 10 feet for flood storage. Visit TVA or use their phone app for current and historical water levels. Back to Top

Watauga Lake has a rather mild climate but still enjoys all four seasons. Summer temperatures range from 62° to 84° with winters ranging from 24° to 44°. The average monthly rainfall is from 3.3″ in November to 5.6″ in July. We average 25 days of snowfall per year with just under 16″ being average for January. Snow generally burns off by the afternoon. Get a month by month breakdown here.  Daylight ranges from 10 hours per day in December and January to 14.5 hours in June and July when you want to be on the lake the most.  Looking for the fall colors, check out the 🍂 Fall Foliage Prediction Map. Back to Top

Watauga Lake has a great variety of vacation rentals for your next visit.  With nightly rates starting as low as $79 Twisted Vines Cabin - Tiny Home, you are sure to find the perfect place for your vacation at Watauga Lake no matter how big or small your group.  Book your next stay at one of the Watauga Lake Vacations properties and pay no booking fees.  When booking your stay, keep in mind things like, proximity to the lake, water view vs waterfront vs water access, accessibility to the property, is 4-wheel drive required, private dock vs. community facilities vs nearby public facilities for lake access.  
PRO TIP: HiChee searches AirBNB, VRBO, and other sites simultaneously! Back to Top

Join the popular Facebook Group - Watauga Lake Living. Whether you live, work, relax, or just want to learn more about Watuaga Lake, this is the place for you to share what you do and love around the lake. Wondering what it is like to live on the lake?  Needing a recommendation for shoreline erosion? Looking for a nearby AirBNB? Wanting to buy a kayak? Searching for dock advice? Want to hear what the locals are talking about? Share photos of the family vacation or the 4th of July parade! This is your place to share, learn, laugh and enjoy everything that is the Watauga Lake community.  We get together as a community on the 4th Thursday of each month, we would love to have you join us. Back to Top

Looking to learn more about life around Watauga Lake? Visit WataugaLakeLiving.com, your complete guide to everything the area has to offer. From local events, dining, and outdoor activities to a business directory and vacation rental listings, Watauga Lake Living is designed to help residents, visitors, and future homeowners discover the best of the Watauga Lake community. Whether you're planning to move, invest, or simply explore, WataugaLakeLiving.com is a valuable resource for embracing the Watauga Lake lifestyle. Back to Top

Watauga Lake is home to many unique communities each offering a variety of amenities such as water front or water access, water view and mountain views, boat ramps, community and private docks and slips, gated, restricted or unrestricted, camping, short term rentals, home size requirements etc. Our Communities Page We will help you navigate the waters to your perfect lake home or home site based on your needs and plans for the future. Back to Top

Homes For Sale

Watauga Lake waterfront or water access homes can range in price from the 400s to over $3 million. Home sites range from large waterfront home sites, to the tucked away homes with a dock at the water and everything in between.  We also have homes that are not water front, but have lake access or lake views, as well as homes within walking distance or a short drive to a private dock, private marina or one of the community marinas. Back to Top

Land For Sale

Watauga Lake waterfront or water access lots range in price from the $30s to over $3.4 million. Lot sites range from large waterfront sites with 1000’s of feet of water frontage with 10+ acres, to off water 1/2 acre home sites with community water access via dock, ramp, or shorelines. We also have lots that are not water front, but have lake access or lake views. Back to Top

Recent Sales

Keep your finger on the pulse of what is selling around the lake and for how much.  When considering buying or selling property in the area with Donaven Braun - Realtor, checking recent sales for an area can be a great indicator of what you might expect to pay or get for your property.  Check out the Watauga Lake sales from the last month. Back to Top

The Braun Group, Watauga Lake Realtors

At The Braun Group, Watauga Lake isn’t just where we work — it’s where we live. Led by Donaven and Christie Braun, our team of real estate experts specializes in helping buyers and sellers navigate the unique opportunities around Watauga Lake and Butler, Tennessee. Whether you're searching for your dream home, lakefront property, or land to build your future retreat, The Braun Group is your trusted partner from start to finish.

We purchased our own home on Watauga Lake in 2011 and rebuilt it from the ground up. That firsthand experience gives us deep local knowledge, trusted contractor contacts, and an insider’s understanding of the process — from purchase to renovation to making the lake lifestyle a reality.

At The Braun Group, we know the homes for sale, the land for sale, and even many FSBO (For Sale By Owner) and unlisted properties throughout the Watauga Lake area. Donaven and Christie Braun Realtors bring the qualities you want in your real estate team: expert knowledge, strong follow-up, honesty, and relentless dedication to your goals. Whether you're buying or selling a primary home, vacation property, investment, or retirement home, we work tirelessly on your behalf — and you'll likely make a new friend along the way.

When it comes to Watauga Lake real estate, no one will work harder for you than The Braun Group.
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Watauga Lake is home to 7 marinas with a wide range of amenities.  If you are vacationing in our area or looking for property, this is good way to see which marinas are close to your property and what services they offer.  Google Marina Map

Watauga Lake offers many camping options from full hook-up to an island only reachable via water, you’re sure to find something perfect.  Google Camping Map

Bayview Full RV hookup, boat slips
Camp Faith Full RV hookup, tent sites, cabins, bathhouse and kitchen
Camp Watauga Full RV hookup, short and long term, boat slips
Cardens Bluff primarily tent with some RV, showers, toilets, NO Electric, great lake access
Clifford Island via water only, primitive
Little Pond Mountain Full RV hookup, laundry, bathhouse, long and short term
Little Stoney Creek primitive, easy access
Pioneer Landing Full RV hookup, long term only, boat slips
Watauga Dam Full RV hookup

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