Beautiful Lake Santeetlah is one of most unspoiled lakes you’ll find in the North Carolina mountains, and often called one of the most beautiful in the country. Located about 100 miles west of Asheville along the Indian Lakes Scenic Byway, it’s located in the “wild west” of Graham County. Since it’s further away from the city and less developed, it’s especially serene. About 80% of the 76-mile shoreline is in the Nantahala National Forest, in the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains. It’s just six miles from Robbinsville.