This Mountain Lake Community Might Be the Most Peaceful Escape in Western North Carolina—and It's Home to the Largest National Forest in the State

This Mountain Lake Community Might Be the Most Peaceful Escape in Western North Carolina—and It's Home to the Largest National Forest in the State

The Nantahala area is tailor-made for rest and relaxation.Aerial view of the lake in Nantahala, North Carolina.Credit: May Ambrosius/Adobe StockNantahala, a Cherokee word that translates to "land of the noonday sun,” isn’t just the name of the popular whitewater rafting river and gorge in western North Carolina, although many travelers may know it as such. It’s also a national forest—Nantahala National Forest is the largest of its kind in North …