Lake Junaluska, North Carolina
Lake Junaluska is a community of 3,175 people in Haywood County, North Carolina.
Why visit Lake Junaluska
Townapedia lists 19 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 24 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 13 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Smoky Mountain Cinema, Lambuth Inn and Alden and Thomasene Howell House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 24°F.
Weather in Lake Junaluska
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Lake Junaluska
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.
From the Wikipedia article Lake Junaluska, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do13
1 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks19
Lambuth Inn
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Hotel in Lake Junaluska, United States of America
55 Lambuth Drive, Lake Junaluska
Alden and Thomasene Howell House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Boone-Withers House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Charles and Annie Quinlan House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.2 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Clyde H. Ray Sr. House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Waynesville, North Carolina, listed on the NRHP in Haywood County
Dr. J. Howell Way House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Former Citizens Bank and Trust Company Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Bank building in Waynesville, United States of America
Francis Grist Mill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Grist mill in Haywood County, North Carolina
Frank Smathers House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic house in North Carolina, United States
Frog Level Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic district in Waynesville, North Carolina
Haywood County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Courthouse in North Carolina, United States
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Masonic Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Building in North Carolina, United States
7 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Waynesville Kiwanis Community Playgroup
Playground · 2.2 mi
Playground
69 West Marshall Street, Waynesville
Restaurants and cafes24
Dickey's Barbecue Pit
Restaurant · Barbecue · 1.3 mi
1778 Dellwood Road, Waynesville
Ammons' Drive Inn & Dairy Bar
Diner · American · 1.0 mi
1451 Dellwood Road, Waynesville
Low Tide Seafood
Restaurant · 2.1 mi
2651 Dellwood Road, Maggie Valley
The Red Gingham Country Store
Ice cream · 1.4 mi
1880 Dellwood Road, Waynesville
Kanini's Restaurant & Catering
Restaurant · 2.3 mi
1196 North Main Street, Waynesville
12 more on the map.
History
Before Indian Removal in 1839, all this area was part of the homelands of the Cherokee people. Today the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is based on Qualla Boundary in North Carolina, one of the two federally recognized tribes in the state. European Americans colonized most of the former Cherokee territories.
Methodist pastors James Atkins and George R. Stuart believed the Southeastern United States needed a place comparable to Chautauqua Lake, New York and Winona Lake, Indiana. Atkins contacted Stuart in April 1908 while attending a missionary conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee where Stuart was a pastor. The Southern Assembly, Inc. bought 1,200 acres of land.
On June 25, 1913, the Second General Missionary Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South convened in the new auditorium built here and named for Stuart. It was beside a new lake being filled after the damming of Richland Creek. As there were only 13 houses and no hotel until 1914, the 4,000 people had to stay elsewhere.
Auditorium Hotel, the first hotel, was built in 1914 across from Stuart Auditorium but burned in 1920.
The Junaluska Inn was built in 1917, but it caught fire and burned down the next year. A new hotel in 1921 was built on the same site, eventually to be named for Bishop Walter Russell Lambuth. Additions were made in 1956 and 1964.
From the History section of Lake Junaluska, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship10
Shopping7
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Healthcare1
Map of Lake Junaluska
103 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°F | 24°F | 4.6 in | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 26°F | 4.3 in | 1.6 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 32°F | 4.5 in | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 40°F | 4.5 in | 0.4 in |
| May | 73°F | 48°F | 4.2 in | 0.3 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 56°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 60°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 59°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 53°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 41°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 31°F | 3.6 in | 0.5 in |
| Dec | 50°F | 26°F | 4.7 in | 2.5 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Waynesville 1 E Hcn (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Haywood County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-08: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Barker Private STOL Airport (53NR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Waynesville 3 mi southwest, about 5 min by car
- Clyde 3 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Maggie Valley 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- West Canton 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Canton 8 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Sylva 17 mi southwest, about 28 min by car
- Cullowhee 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
- Cherokee 19 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Bent Creek 20 mi east, about 32 min by car
- Asheville 24 mi east, about 38 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Lake Junaluska, Daniel Hass, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lambuth Inn, Lake Junaluska, NC (46642287502), Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
- Citizens Bank and Trust Company Building, Waynesville, NC (39750590633), Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
- Waynesville, North Carolina - Haywood County Courthouse, Travis K. Witt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Frog Level District, Blastoids, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historic Main Street Waynesville, Lawrenceoftyrone, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shook House, Clyde, NC (32820465158), Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
- Waynesville, North Carolina - Municipal Building, Travis K. Witt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Masonic Hall - Waynesville, NC, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dr. J. Howell Way House, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shelton House, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Francis Grist Mill, Blastoids, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Clyde H. Ray Sr. House, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Boone-Withers House, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Alden and Thomasene Howell House, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Frank Smathers House, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Charles and Annie Quinlan House, AbeEzekowitz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shackford Hall, Lake Junaluska, NC (45970267024), Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, CC0
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Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.