This
beautiful forest lies in the mountains and valleys
of western North Carolina between Waynesville
and Murphy. Elevations in the Nantahala National
Forest range from a low of 1,200 feet along
the Tusquitee River below the Appalachian Dam
in Cherokee County to a high of 5,800 feet at
Lone Bald in Jackson County. The Cheoah, Highlands,
Tusquitee, and Wayah Ranger Districts form the
Nantahala National Forest. Their headquarters
are in several mountain communities, situated
along the western recesses of the Appalachian
Mountains. The Wayah District is located in
Franklin,North Carolina. With the exception
of Highlands, the other three districts have
taken their names from the Cherokee Indian language.
Cheoah is the Cherokee word for "otter,"
Tusquitee is Cherokee for "where the water
dogs laughed," and Wayah is Cherokee for
"wolf." Even the term Nantahala is
a Cherokee Indian word meaning "land of
the noonday sun," a fitting name for the
deep valleys and gorges where the sun only penetrates
to the valley floor when directly overhead at
noon. With over half a million acres, the Nantahala
is the largest of the four national forests
in North Carolina.
Explored in 1540 by Spanish conquistador Hernando
DeSoto, the
Nantahala National Forest was established in
1920 under authority of the 1911 Weeks Act,
which directed that lands be acquired for national
forests to provide for timber production and
regulation of flow of navigable streams. Today
the Nantahala National Forest is managed under
the ecosystem concept for the sustainable use
of natural resources such as air and water quality,
wildlife habitat, forest products, biological
diversity, outdoor recreation, wilderness, serenity,
and more!
Unique plant communities and endangered species
are found in various areas of the Nantahala
National Forest, which also offers a wide variety
of recreation activities from mountain climbing
to whitewater rafting. The Blue Ridge Parkway
borders the eastern edge of the Nantahala National
Forest in Jackson County. There are over 200
miles of hiking and horse trails within close
proximity of Franklin. While permits are required
for overnight trail use in the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, none are required for trails
in the Nantahala National Forest. The Wayah
Ranger District features 52 miles of the Appalachian
Trail and 35 miles of the Bartram Trail. The
Appalchian Trail stretches over 2000 miles from
Springer Mountain, Georgia to Mount Katahdin,
Maine. The Bartram Trail is named after the
well-known naturalist, William Bartram.
In
Macon County, North Carolina 152,400 acres of
the Nantahala National Forest provide nearly
unlimited recreational opportunities for people
of all ages. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of
clear mountain waters tumbling over waterfalls
such as Dry Falls, Mooney Falls, Whitewater
Falls, and others (for your safety, please view
all waterfalls from established trails and viewing
sites only). Much of the beauty of the Nantahala
National Forest can be seen by driving the Mountain
Waters Scenic Byway. For those who want to relish
the sights, sounds, and fresh smells of the
forest on a more personal level, a great number
of trails of varying lengths and difficulties
are waiting to be traveled.
For the novice or seasoned whitewater enthusiast,
a thrilling trip by raft, canoe, or kayak down
the Nantahala River Gorge may result in a memory
that lasts forever. The Nantahala National Forest
offers developed campgrounds and picnic areas
for family use and fun, or visitors may prefer
to simply camp or picnic within the general
forest area. Breath-taking scenery may be viewed
from mountaintop vistas such as Whiteside Mountain
or Wayah Bald, the latter which is famous for
its beautiful flame azaleas.
Hunters can pursue whitetail deer, wild turkeys,
and other species during open seasons set by
the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
While in Macon County, be sure to visit other
nearby areas such as Joyce Kilmer Wilderness,
just outside of Robbinsville, North Carolina.
A figure-8 loop trail gently meanders through
this ancient forest characterized by its huge
yellow poplar trees. The nearby Cherohala Scenic
Byway traverses rugged mountain terrain and
provides exquisite distant views of the Joyce
Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness areas. Of course,
the Nantahala National Forest also offers nearly
unlimited fishing opportunities within its many
clear-water streams, rivers, or mountain lakes
such as Fontana Lake, Santeetlah Lake, Lake
Chatuge, and others.
For more information about the Nantahala National
Forest, please contact the U.S. Forest Service
at the Wayah Ranger District in Franklin, Highlands
Ranger District in Highlands, Cheoah Ranger
District in Robbinsville, or Tusquitee Ranger
District in Murphy. We hope you 
enjoy
your visit to the "Land of the Noonday
Sun"; the Nanathala National Forest!
For more information, visit the UNC/USDA
web page on National Forests in North Carolina.
The Wayah Ranger District office is located
at 90 Sloan Road just off U.S. 64 West. Call
828-524-6441.
Pictures provided by US
Forest Service.
Visitor Information 
