Some 500 million years ago, the Uwharrie Mountains emerged from the soils of North Carolina's central Piedmont, making them the oldest mountain range in North America. The same forces of erosion that wore the Appalachians down from their former Rocky Mountain-like heights also took their toll on the Uwharrie Mountain range, which now top out at around 1,000 feet.

The Uwharrie Lakes Region contains some of the most significant Native American archeological sites in North America. Attracted by the Yadkin-Pee Dee River and abundant wildlife, a succession of Indian cultures began settling in the region as far back as 12,000 years ago. There are six man made lakes that lie along the river chain. They are (from north to south) High Rock Lake, Tuckertown Reservoir, Badin Lake, Falls Lake, Lake Tillery, and Blewett Falls Lake. At the region's center, the Uwharrie River joins the Yadkin to become the Pee Dee as it flows south through Georgetown, South Carolina and into the Atlantic Ocean.