Cherokee National Forest

Cherokee National Forest covers an area of 655,598 acres (2653.11 km2) and is maintained and managed by the United States Forest Service.

The headquarters of Cherokee National Forest is situated in Cleveland, Tennessee. Great Smoky Mountains National Park divides the Cherokee National Forest into two sections that are Northern and Southern Sections. The Northern Section lies to the northeast of Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and the Southern Section lies to the southwest of smokies.

Where is Cherokee National Forest

Cherokee National Forest is a national forest located in the U.S states of Tennessee and North Carolina. The national forest lies mainly in eastern Tennessee along the border with North Carolina and adjoining other national forests in Virginia and Georgia.

Wilderness Areas

The Cherokee National Forest is home to eleven wilderness areas part of the National Wilderness preservation system:

Bald River Gorge Wilderness
Big laurel Branch Wilderness
Big Frog Wilderness
Citico Creek Wilderness
Cohutta Wilderness
Gee Creek Wilderness
Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
Little Frog Mountain Wilderness
Pond Mountain Wilderness
Sampson Mountain Wilderness
Unaka Mountain Wilderness

Places to Visit Nearby

Catawba rhododendron Gardens
Bald River Falls
Citico Creek
Watauga Lake
Unicoi Mountain
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum
Hiwassee River Picnic Area
Sculpture Fields at Montague Park

Things to Do

Tourists visiting Cherokee National Forest can indulge in diverse recreational activities. There is something for everyone to enjoy, from nature to recreation. It is a premier destination for outdoor recreation with seven whitewater rivers, three lakes, 30 developed Campgrounds, and numerous picnic areas. Some of the popular activities are:

Wildlife viewing and Bird watching
whitewater Paddling
Water activities (windsurfing, boating and water skiing)
Scenic Drive
Hiking and Mountain Biking
Snorkelling and Fishing (Trout)
Camping and backpacking
Picnicking and Naturalist Tours
Horseback Riding

Hiking

Cherokee National Forest has many hiking opportunities on more than 600 miles of non-motorized trails. The trails include the 150 miles Appalachian National Scenic Trail, John Muir Recreation Trail and four other national designated trails. The trails have options for Both Day Hiking and Backpacking:

Backpacking Area

Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Iron Mountains: popular backpacking destination in this region is Chestoa Recreation Area,

Day Hiking Trails

Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Bald Mountains: The trails significant trails in this region include Marquette Falls Hike, Old Forge Recreation Area, Round Knob Picnic Area and still Branch Falls Hike
Big Frog Area: the famous trail in this region is the Conasauga river blue hole
Citico Creek Area: Falls Branch Falls Hike is the most popular trail in this region
Unaka Mountains: significant trails in this area are Pinnacle Tower, Chestoa Overlook, rock Creek Falls Hike and Rock Creek Recreation Area
Ocoee River Area: The region includes Benton Falls Hike, Chilhowee Recreation Area, Ocoee Whitewater Center, Rock Creek Gorge Waterfalls Hike and Tanasi Trail System

Facts

The Cherokee National Forest is situated in parts of ten counties in Tennessee and one county in North Carolina. The ten counties of Tennessee are Polk, Monroe, Carter, Unicoi, Cocke, Johnson, Greene, Washington, Sullivan and McMinn County. The county in North Carolina in Ashe County.
The Cherokee National Forest is home to more than 20,000 species of animals and plants. It provides a habitat for 262 birds, 43 species of mammals, 154 species of fish and 55 species of mammals.
Cherokee National forest stretches from Chattanooga to Bristol and lies in the Southern Appalachian Mountain range.
The Cherokee National Forest is divided into 14 recreation zones and is home to notable sites such as Ocoee River (area of the 1996 Olympic Whitewater events), Big Frog Mountain and More.

Best Time to Visit

Cherokee National Forest is a four-season recreation experience as it offers something different each time you visit. The best time to visit Cherokee National forest is during the summer season, June through August and the fall season.

Ticket Prices

Cherokee National Forest is open year-round, 24 hours a day, except for national holidays. One requires a recreation and forest pass or permits to enter the specific national forest areas and engage in recreational activities. The types of tickets are

Annual Pass

Cherokee National Forest Annual Pass: $30
Senior/Access Cherokee National Forest Annual Pass: $15
America the Beautiful-National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass: $80
Annual Forest and Interagency Pass: $55

Day Pass

Ocoee and Tellico Ranger District pass: $3
Unaka and Watauga Ranger District Day Pass:$2

Cherokee National Forest Map