Cherokee National Forest

Cherokee National Forest
IUCN category VI (protected area with sustainable use of natural resources)
South Fork of Citico Creek in the Cherokee National Forest
Location	Tennessee, USA
Nearest city	Johnson City, TN
Coordinates
Area	655,598 acres (2,653.11 km2)
Established	June 14, 1920
Governing body	U.S. Forest Service
http://www.fs.usda.gov/cherokee/

The Cherokee National Forest is a large National Forest created on June 14, 1920 and managed by the U.S. Forest Service and encompassing some 655,598 acres (2,653.11 km²).

Location

The Cherokee National Forest headquarters are located in Cleveland, Tennessee.

The Cherokee National Forest mostly lies within eastern Tennessee, along the border with North Carolina, and comprises nearly the entire border area except for the section within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cherokee National Forest has two separate sections: a northern region directly north of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a southern section directly south of the Smokies.

The Cherokee National Forest contains such notable sites as the Ocoee River (site of the 1996 Olympic whitewater events); 150 miles (240 km) of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail; Citico Creek Wilderness; Big Frog Mountain within Big Frog Wilderness, and surrounds both the Tennessee Valley Authority Watauga Reservoir and Wilbur Reservoir.

The forest is located in parts of ten counties in Tennessee and one county in North Carolina. In descending order of forestland area they are Polk, Monroe, Carter, Unicoi, Cocke, Johnson, Greene, Sullivan, Washington and McMinn counties in Tennessee and Ashe County in North Carolina.

Recreation

File:WataugaLake.jpg

The Cherokee National Forest at Watauga Lake.

Recreation opportunities in the Cherokee National Forest are diverse. The forest's fast-flowing rivers support trout fishing. Rainbow trout are stocked in many streams and rivers. Brook trout and brown trout are also present. Bass, bluegill and crappie are found in the forest's lakes, which are also open to wind surfing, water skiing and boating.

Trails criss-cross the forest. In addition to the Appalachian Trail, these include the John Muir Recreation trail, other hiking trails, and some trails designed for equestrian use. Bicycle trails are being developed.

Camping is available in RV campgrounds and tent-only camping areas, and primitive tent camping is allowed throughout much of the forest.

File:Ocoee Whitewater Center.jpg

Ocoee Whitewater Center from the 1996 Summer Olympics, now operated by the U.S. Forest Service in support of hiking, mountain biking, conferences, weddings, and receptions

The Unicoi Mountains are a mountain range rising along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina in the southeastern United States. They are part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The Unicois are located immediately south of the Great Smoky Mountains and immediately west of the Cheoah Mountains. Most of the range is protected as a national forest, namely the Cherokee National Forest on the Tennessee side and the Nantahala National Forest on the North Carolina side— although some parts have been designated as wilderness areas and are thus more strictly regulated.

Wilderness areas

There are eleven official wilderness areas in Cherokee National Forest, which are all part of the National Wilderness Preservation System. Three of these extend into neighboring National Forests (and also into neighboring states, where the forest changes names):

• Bald River Gorge Wilderness
• Big Frog Wilderness (Cherokee NF in Tennessee and Chattahoochee NF in Georgia)
• Big Laurel Branch Wilderness
• Citico Creek Wilderness
• Cohutta Wilderness (Chattahoochee NF in Georgia and Cherokee NF in Tennessee)
• Gee Creek Wilderness
• Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness (Nantahala NF in North Carolina and Cherokee NF in Tennessee)
• Little Frog Mountain Wilderness
• Pond Mountain Wilderness
• Sampson Mountain Wilderness
• Unaka Mountain Wilderness

See also

• Bald River
• Roan Mountain, Tennessee
• Tennessee State Route 67
• Watauga River

External links

• Official website
• Info about the Cherokee National Forest