View from highway Crossing the Catawba River, North Carolina.The Catawba River originates in the mountains of North Carolina and flows through a series of lakes and free-flowing stretches for over 200 miles until it meets Big Wateree Creek to form the Wateree River at Wateree Lake. This entire area is the Catawba-Wateree Sub-basin that bisects the north-central portion of South Carolina. North Carolina is home to more than 30 state parks from its mountains to the sea. Hiking, camping, boating, picnicking, rock climbing, nature watching