Highlighted Areas
Starr Mountain is a popular area of the national forest for horse riding & camping with nearly 20 miles of trails and a number of roads available for riding. Lost Corral Campground & Trailhead provides the easiest access to the area.
This zone also features Gee Creek Wilderness and the Gee Creek Trail #191 trail that only gets more challenging the further you hike. Access is located off US Highway 411 near the Hiwassee River and state managed Gee Creek Campground.
Water recreation is abundant in this zone that features Watauga Lake; the Doe, Elk and Watauga rivers; several streams and seven waterfalls.
Highly developed recreation areas along Watauga Lake provide facilities for fishing, picnicking, swimming and boat launching. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail runs through the zone’s backcountry. Camp on the lakeshore at Cardens Bluff or in the backcountry along Laurel Fork Creek at Dennis Cove.
Most of the zone is remote backcountry, including Bald Mountain Ridge Scenic Area and Sampson Mountain Wilderness. Roads are limited, but forty plus miles of trail access the forest.
The area is known for its diverse populations of wildflowers and a number of waterfalls, including 60-foot fan-shaped Margarette Falls and Sill Branch Falls. Try fishing Nolichucky River, Horse Creek, Dry Creek and Clark Creek. Horse Creek and Old Forge Recreation areas offer picnicking, water play and camping.
This zone’s wooded mountainsides and creek gorges are linked by an extensive road and trail system. Activities include fishing, hiking, horseback riding, creek play and camping.
At Paint Creek, camping, fishing, swimming and picnicking are popular activities. Other water-based opportunities include driving along scenic Brush Creek or exploring warm-water Allen Branch or Paint Creek ponds. Enjoy the scenery from horseback on 35 miles of multi-use trails, also open to mountain bikers and hikers. The Appalachian Scenic Trail lies along the eastern edge of this zone.
Holston Mountain provides a scenic backdrop for South Holston Lake and is a venue for boating, water skiing, swimming, fishing and horseback riding.
A horse trail complex winds for more than 30 miles along both sides of Holston Mountain. Visit the scenic Blue Hole waterfall located off TN Highway 91.
Camp on the lake shore at Jacob’s Creek and Little Oak Recreation Areas.
Backcountry trails, scenic driving and the Nolichucky River provide opportunities for outdoor adventure. High elevation balds along the Unaka Mountain Range offer spectacular views.
Look for Pinnacle Mountain Fire Tower located on the crest of Buffalo Mountain. The zone is rich with Civilian Conservation Corps history: view their legacy at Laurels, Rock Creek and Unaka Mountain Road. Enjoy picnicking at Laurels, Limestone Cove, Rock Creek and Chestoa or camp at Rock Creek Recreation Area.
This zone provides opportunities for solitude and backcountry experiences. You will find ample opportunities for fishing, horseback riding, camping, and hiking.
With more than 20,000 acres of Wilderness in Citico Creek and Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock areas, this zone provides ample opportunities for solitude and backcountry experiences. Catch both native and stocked trout in Citico Creek and its rugged tributaries, and fish for small-mouth bass and catfish in the creek’s lower reaches. Young Branch Horse Camp is the hub for Little Citico Horse Trail Complex.
Rugged mountain solitude can be experienced throughout this zone. Long distance backpacking, trout fishing and the shortest tunnel in the world are a few features you can find here.
The Osborne Farm offers a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains from the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (A.T.). From there, take a multi-day backpack trip along the A.T. and Iron Mountain Trail. Try your hand at trout fishing in Beaverdam and Laurel creeks. Camp at Backbone Rock Recreation Area and explore what is known locally as the shortest tunnel in the world.
Favorite activities in this remote recreation zone include whitewater rafting, hiking and camping.
Located between the French Broad and Pigeon Rivers, this zone offers pockets of backcountry nestled among the rural communities of Cocke County, TN. This area is home to Catherine Marshalls’s novel Christy and the historic Wasp Community. Hike a section of the Appalachian Trail and other forest trails. Camp at Round Mountain rated as the number one tent campground in Tennessee. Explore Martha Sundquist State Forest and contact local outfitters to help guide your whitewater adventure.
This zone’s steep rugged mountainsides, high-elevation balds and hollows are richly diverse, home to unique and rare plants and animals.
Look for rock outcrops, lush wildflower displays and high-elevation mountain balds and spruce-fir forests. In June, experience some of the most prolific Rhododendron bloom in the region. Hike for one day or several on the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.
This zone provides outstanding opportunities for fishing, camping, hiking, and scenic driving. It is also home to the popular Indian Boundary Recreation Area and the Cherohala Skyway.
Nearly 30,000 acres of remote backcountry surround three rivers and their tributaries, where fishing for brown, rainbow and brook trout is excellent. Cherohala Skyway (TN 165/NC143), a 43-mile National Scenic Byway, winds between Tellico Plains, Tenn. and Robbinsville, N.C. Tellico River Road (FR 210) offers intimate views of the river and 90-foot Bald River Falls.
Spend the night at the historic Donley Cabin and check out CCC structures at Tellico Ranger Station and Dam Creek Picnic Area. Hike across the zone on Benton MacKaye Trail. Camp at sites along Tellico River or in Indian Boundary Recreation Area just off Cherohala Skyway.
This Recreation Zone is known for solitude and backcountry adventure, and is a destination for Big Frog Wilderness offering backpacking, day-hiking and hunting.
The area offers about 35 miles of backcountry trails, some of which climb to over 4,000 feet. In addition to the backcountry hiking opportunities, the area is also managed as a black bear reserve. Try snorkeling at Conasauga River, renowned for remarkable fish viewing. Pitch a tent at Tumbling Creek or Sylco Campgrounds.
World class whitewater, mountain biking trail systems, environmental education programs, highly developed camping, and scenic byways are a few activities featured in the Ocoee River Zone.
Local outfitters offer rafting excursions in Ocoee River’s world class whitewater. The Ocoee Whitewater Center is a hub for outdoor adventure and offers regional information, environmental education, trails and picnic sites. Bike the 30-mile Tanasi Trail complex and trails at Chilhowee Recreation Area or take a scenic drive along the Ocoee Scenic Byway (US 64 and Forest Road 77). Popular camping areas include Parksville and Thunder Rock Campgrounds, as well as Chilhowee Recreation Area.
Heritage and culture experiences are the primary emphasis in this recreation zone. It is home to the nationally recognized Millennium Trail, The Unicoi Turnpike and gold panning opportunities.
Looking for a cultural heritage excursion? Pan for gold in the community of Coker Creek. Hike a portion of the Unicoi Turnpike, an ancient travel route once part of the Trail of Tears and now a nationally designated Flagship Millennium Trail. Visit the waterfalls in Coker Creek Scenic Area and drive along Hiwassee Scenic River on TN 68.
Forested hillsides and pastoral river bottoms complement the beauty of Hiwassee River Gorge. Fishing, rafting, canoeing and hiking are popular activities.
The 21-mile John Muir National Recreation Trail , a section of the longer distance Benton MacKaye Trail, meanders along the river. Camp at Quinn Springs Campground, located near the river on TN 30 or the nearby state campground at Gee Creek.
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