With 27 miles of shoreline, majestic Lake Lure encompasses over 700 acres of water in the mountains of western North Carolina. Located in the northwest corner of Rutherford County, Lake Lure’s beauty was a defining factor in choosing the site for filming the movies Dirty Dancing, and Last of The Mohicans. Originally created in 1926 by the Samuel Morse family as a health retreat, Lake Lure is currently considered a private lake with public access. There is a marina for boaters with permits, and a designated area for swimmers, which is maintained by the town of 1000 residents. Water skiing, wake boarding, fishing, kayaking and canoeing are all forms of recreation found on the lake.

Nearby Lake James has over 6,500 acres of surface, with over 150 miles of shoreline. Located at the eastern edge of the Blue Ridge mountains, it is north of Rutherford County, sitting just north of Interstate 40. From Clearwater Creek and Hearthstone Ridge, it's about a 25 minute drive. The lake was created in 1916 with dams on the Linville and Catawba Rivers, and offers great fishing and other forms of recreation. A North Carolina State Park is on the southern border of Lake James, with camping, park trails, a boat launch and swimming area for all to enjoy.