The Cherokee National Forest

The Cherokee National Forest was created on July 19, 1936, by President Franklin Roosevelt, and contains 640,000 acres. The Forest lies mostly in East Tennessee, along the border with North Carolina, and the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park.

Outdoor recreation opportunities abound and include hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, boating, rafting, canoeing, kayaking,hunting, shooting and picnicking.

The Cherokee National Forest contains three scenic rivers, Tellico, Hiwassee and the Ocoee. The Tellico and Hiwassee rivers are trout fishing waters, stocked by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Citico Creek and its tributaries offer opportunities to catch native and stocked trout. The Hiwassee River is also enjoyed by rafters, canoeists and kayakers. The Ocoee River is famous as the site of the 1996 Olympic whitewater events and is a great place for rafting and kayaking. Opportunities for hiking, biking and horseback riding abound with hundreds of miles of Appalachian scenic trails, Benton MacKaye and John Muir Trails. Popular destinations in addition to the rivers are Citico Creek Wilderness; Bald River falls, Big Frog Mountain, Big Frog Wilderness, Chilhowee Recreation area, Rock Creek Gorge Scenic area, Gee Creek Wilderness, Starr Mountain and Parksville Lake. Camping is available in RV campgrounds and tent-only camping areas, and primitive tent camping is allowed throughout much of the forest. Regardless of the season, there are great opportunities to enjoy the beautiful outdoors at Cherokee National Forest.