Cherokee National Forest

A 650,000-acre patchwork of southern Appalachian forest stretching along the Tennessee–North Carolina border, headquartered in Cleveland

The Cherokee National Forest is one of the great wild places in the southeastern United States — 650,000 acres of southern Appalachian ridges, balds, hardwood coves and trout streams, stretching for almost 300 km along the Tennessee–North Carolina border. Cleveland is the forest headquarters, and the southern half of the forest spreads out east and south of town up to the high country around the Hiwassee and Ocoee rivers.

There are around 700 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, around 30 developed campgrounds, and several federally designated wilderness areas including Big Frog, Cohutta, and Citico Creek. Black bears, wild boar, and the occasional elk roam the higher elevations. The Hiwassee River is famous for its scenic float trips and trout fishing; the Ocoee for whitewater.

A good starting point for the southern part of the forest is the Ocoee Ranger District office on Highway 64 east of Cleveland, where you can pick up maps and current trail conditions.

things to do sight nature hiking day trip
A story
The forest is named for the Cherokee Nation, whose Eastern homeland these mountains were until the forced removal of 1838–39. The Trail of Tears began less than 10 miles from the current forest headquarters in Cleveland, at the Red Clay council ground and the Cherokee agency at Charleston.

Other places in Things to Do in Cleveland