NANTAHALA NATIONAL FOREST
Address 100 Otis Street, Box 2750
Asheville NC,28801
Phone: (828) 257-4200
www.ncnatural.com/NCUSFS/Nantahala
www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/recreate.htm

Nantahala is an Indian word that means "Land of the Noonday Sun", so called because the deep gorges do not let the sun shine to the bottom until late in the morning. It was inhabitted by the Cherokee Indians for hundreds of years and explored by Hernando DeSoto in 1540. Nantahala is an area filled with natural and cultural heritage. It offers picturesque waterfalls, beautiful mountain landscapes, and large mountain reservoirs. These and many other things contribute the the wide variety of recreational opportunities in North Carolina's largest national forest.

Nantahala National Forest Recreational and Camping Areas

 Nantahala NF Recreation Overview (1.62 mb pdf)
 Nantahala NF Day Use Areas ( 137 kb pdf)

Apple Tree Group Camp

Wayah: Take US 19-1 29 east from Andrews for 1 mile to Junaluska Rd. (NC 1505), turn right (South) on Junaluska Road for about 10 miles. Camping, drinking water, fishing, hiking, and a sanitation facility are all provided. More information- Appletree Campground (263 kb pdf)

Arrowood Glade

Wayah: Take US 19 east from Franklin for 5 miles, turn right (west) on NC 1310 (Wayah Bald Rd.) for 3 miles. Drinking water, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are all provided.

Bob Allison

Tusquitee: Take US 19 east from Andrews for 1 mile, turn southeast on NC 1505 (Junaluska Road) for 5 miles, then turn south on Forest Service Road. 440 and go 6 miles to area. Drinking water, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are all provided.

Cable Grove

Cheoah: Take NC 28 east from Fontana Village for 4.7 miles, turn left (north) on Forest Service Road 520 for 1 .4 miles. Boating, camping, drinking water, fishing, hiking, a sanitation station, and trailer space are all provided.

Cheoah Point

Cheoah: Take US 129 North from Robbinsville for 7 miles; turn left on NC 129, then go 0.8 miles on NC 129. Boating, camping, drinking water, fishing, hiking, a sanitation station, and trailer space are all provided.

Cliffside Lake

Cliffside Lake Recreation Area offers two covered picnic shelters that must be reserved, a bathhouse with cold showers, a lake for fishing and swimming, a gazebo, and six short hiking trails. Some trails lead to waterfalls. More information- Cliffside Lake Recreation Area  (862 kb pdf)

Ferebee Memorial

Cheoah: From Bryson City go west on US 19 for 16 miles. Boating, fishing, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are all provided at the campsite.

Hanging Dog

Tusquitee: Take NC 1326 (Joe Brown Highway) Northeast from Murphy for 5 miles. Boating, camping, drinking water, fishing, hiking, sanitation center, and trailer space are all provided.

Horse Cove

Cheoah: From Robbinsville go northwest on US 129 for8 miles, turn left on NC 1134 and go 2.5 miles, turn left on Forest Road 416 and go 3.7 miles to area. Camping, drinking water, fishing, hiking, sanitation facility, and trailer space are all provided.

Jackrabbit Mountain

Bordering the 13-mile long Chatuge Lake, Jackrabbit Mountain Recreation Area is a great mountain getaway and offers a bounty of outdoor recreation, from waterskiing to fishing to camping.

Located on the Nantahala National Forest of Clay County, Jackrabbit Mountain Recreation Area lies on a peninsula of Lake Chatuge—a man-made reservoir that boasts over 130 miles of shoreline. Touted as the crown jewel of Tennessee Valley Authority’s system of lakes, Lake Chatuge is an impoundment of the Hiwassee River. Similar to a Swiss alpine lake setting, the lake has a gradual shoreline with a backdrop of mountains. More information- Jackrabbit Campground (578 kb pdf)

Joyce Kilmer

Cheoah: From Robbinsville go northwest on US 129 for 8 miles, turn left on NC 1134 and go 2.5 miles, turn left on Forest Road 416 and go 3.7 miles, turn right on Forest Road 305 and go to the end of the road. Drinking water, hiking, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are provided. More information- Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest (1.4 mb pdf)

Kimsey Creek Group Camp

Wayah: From Franklin go west on US 64 for 12 miles, exit on old US 64 and go east 2 miles, turn right (south) on Forest Service Road 67 and go 2 miles to area. Camping, drinking water, fishing, hiking, and a sanitation facility are provided at the site.

Lake Cherokee

Tusquitee: Take US 64 southwest from Murphy for 8 miles, and then turn right (northwest) on NC 294 for 3 miles. Drinking water, fishing, hiking, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are all provided.

The Mountain Waters Scenic Byway

The Mountain Waters Scenic Byway is a 61.3-mile drive that winds through hardwood forest, two river gorges, and countryside. Traveling from Highlands to Almond, the byway follows U.S. 64, old U.S. 64, SR 1310 (Wayah Road), and U.S. 19/74. More information- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway (258 kb pdf)

Nantahala River Gorge

The Nantahala River is located in the Nantahala National Forest and flows from Macon County into Swain County, North Carolina. The Nantahala River Gorge occupies approximately 9 miles of the Nantahala River from the Beechertown power plant to the upper reaches of Fontana Lake. The Nantahala River Gorge is managed by the Wayah Ranger District of the USDA Forest Service. The river allows for a variety of recreational activities to occur within the rivers corridor including rafting, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, fishing, hiking, viewing, camping, and photography. From Bryson City go west on US 19 for 16 miles. Boating, fishing, and a sanitation facility are all provided. More information- Nantahala River Gorge

Rattler Ford

Cheoah: From Robbinsville go northwest on US 128 for8 miles, turn left on NC 1134 and go 2.5 miles; turn left on Forest Road 416 and go 4 miles to area. Camping, drinking water, fishing, hiking, and a sanitation facility are provided.

Snowbird

Cheoah: From Robbinsville take US 129 north 1.1 miles, turn left on, NC 1116 and go 3.5 miles to NC 1127, turn right and go 1.3 miles. Fishing, hiking, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are provided.

Standing Indian Recreation Area

From the town of Franklin (located between the junction of US 64, US 441, US 28) take US 64 go two miles and make a right turn on forest road #67 and go two additional miles to the recreational area. This site is open year round, however, a small fee may be required. This campsite offers water, facilities, fishing, camping and hiking.  Available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Tsali Recreation Area

Challenging—that's the best word to describe the 42 miles of Tsali Trails, rated as "more difficult." Suited for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders, the 4-loop system offers a variety of landscapes. You can climb 1-foot wide rugged paths or travel flat, well-beaten roads. The four trails—Right, Left, Mouse Branch, and Thompson Loops—meander through mixed pine and hardwoods on a peninsula stretching into Fontana Lake.

Hikers may travel the trails on any day, but mountain bikers and equestrians, the primary users, are kept separated by alternating use of the trails. A schedule is posted at all trailheads. More information- Tsali Recreation Area Brochure (210 kb pdf)

Van Hook Glade

Van Hook Glade Campground’s 20 camping sites have parking spurs, fireplaces, tables, and tent pads. Five sites are for tents only, and the other 16 sites accommodate RV’s up to 34 feet.

Wayah Bald

Wayah: Take US 64 southwest from Franklin for 5 miles; turn right (west) on Wayah Bald Road. (NC 1310) for 10 miles, turn right (north) on Forest Service Road 69 for 6 miles. Hiking, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are provided.

Wayah Crest

Wayah: Take US 64 southwest from Franklin for 5 miles, turn right (west) on NC 1310 and go 10 miles to area. Hiking, picnicking, and a sanitation facility are provided.

Whiteside mountain

A landmark along the eastern continental divide, Whiteside mountain rises to an elevation of 4,930 feet. The mountain’s cliffs, look like sheets of rock is about 390 to 460 million years old. Attractions: A 2-mile loop trail climbs above sheer 750-feet high cliffs and offers outstanding views to the east, south, and west. Whiteside Mountain Trail is rated “more difficult” because of its steepness. Along your journey to the top, you can spot a variety of wildflowers- including false Solomons-seal, white snakeroot, and dwarf dandelion. Location: Whiteside Mountain is located south of U.S. 64 between Highlands and Cashiers. More information- Whiteside Mountain (129 kb pdf)

Whitewater Falls

With a 411-foot plunge, Whitewater Falls in North Carolina is the highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains. South Carolina’s Lower Whitewater Falls drops another 400 feet. Reflecting the escarpment’s steep, rugged terrain, much of the Whitewater Falls area receives few visitors and has remained wild and undeveloped over the years. From Asheville take I-26E and exit 40 (Asheville Airport). Turn right on NC 280W. After 16 miles, NC 280W becomes U.S. 64W in Brevard. Stay on U.S. 64W. Turn left on NC 281S at Sapphire, and go 9 miles. Turn left into Whitewater Falls entrance. More information- Whitewater Falls Brochure ( 445 kb pdf)