Balsam Lake, Nantahala National Forest

Balsam Lake – Home – Parks & Forests – Camping – Hiking – Links – Adventures

In addition to a lodge that can be rented by groups for a pretty good price, Balsam Lake has a day use area with a couple of handicapped-accessible trails and accessible fishing piers.

We were there with my brother Tim and his wife, Tara, at the end of July 2008. The gate to the lodge was locked, so we could only see it from across the lake. Here are the lodge’s amenities and rental details.

The Malonee Trail runs along the shore to the dam at the far side of the lake, and has accessible fishing piers. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout twice during the spring/summer season, and Wolf Creek, which feeds the lake, has its own supply of native mountain trout.

Tim and Tara at an accessible fishing pier.

There’s also a picnic shelter added since we were there, and a vault toilet.

Another trail that runs along Wolf Creek was home to a classically shaped hornet’s nest.

You won’t likely just happen upon Balsam Lake; it’s a couple of turns off of N.C. 281, to N.C. 1756, in Jackson County. Here’s an interactive map and a front view of the lodge from the Recreation.gov site.