Reference URL. Lake Nantahala was formed in 1942 when the Nantahala River was dammed to create a pure, crystal clear reservoir. com Falls Lake, built by the army corp of engineers, is around 10 miles from both Raleigh and Durham. This lake is also home to the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Gerry Dincher used under CC BY-SA 2. 5 30 #858 of 3,417 things to do in North Carolina Bodies of Water • Nature & Wildlife Areas • Observation Decks & Towers Visit website Call Write a review About Covering 40,000 acres, Mattamusekeet is North Carolina's largest natural lake. 99 previous price $24. .