Cherokee National Forest, created on July 19, 1936, by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, is a large National Forest operated by the U.S. Forest Service and encompassing some 640,000 acres (2,600 km²).
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Location
The Cherokee National Forest headquarters are located in Cleveland, Tennessee.
The Cherokee National Forest is mostly lies within eastern Tennessee, along the border with North Carolina, and comprises nearly the entire border area except for the part of it within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cherokee National Forest has two separate sections: a northern region with a smaller northern section extending into northwestern North Carolina directly north of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a southern section directly south of the Smokies. [1]
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 in northeastern Tennessee.
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, McMinn, and Ashe counties. (Ashe County, with the smallest forestland area, is the only county that is in North Carolina; all the rest are in Tennessee.) [2]
Recreation
The Cherokee National Forest surrounds both the Tennessee Valley Authority Watauga Reservoir and Wilbur Reservoir in an area near Hampton, Tennessee by what TVA describes as being located "...in some of the most beautiful country in the Tennessee River watershed."[3]
Recreation opportunities in the Cherokee National Forest are diverse.
The forest's fast-flowing rivers support trout fishing. Rainbow trout are stocked in many Cherokee 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 sailing, 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.
See also
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References
- ^ http://www.fs.fed.us/land/staff/lar/2007/TABLE_6.htm
- ^ Table 6 - NFS Acreage by State, Congressional District and County - United States Forest Service - September 30, 2007
- ^ http://www.tva.com/sites/wilbur.htm TVA: Wilbur Reservoir
External links
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