There are more than 200 recreational sites, 12 of which offer boating. More than 600 miles of trails, including the Appalachian Trail, traverse the forest. Activities and facilities include swimming, hiking, camping, horseback riding, interpretive trails, picnicking and wildlife viewing. White-water raft trips on the Ocoee River are offered by rafting operators based in Benton, Ducktown and Ocoee.
Find Roan Mountain just off US 19E via SR 143 between the town of Roan Mountain and N.C. SR 261. In mid-June, the uncultivated Catawba rhododendron burst into bloom, forming one of the largest natural rhododendron gardens in the world at nearly 600 acres. Beneath the mountain's 6,327-foot peak, Roan Mountain State Park offers furnished cabins, recreational activities, the Miller farmstead and spectacular views.
The Cherohala Skyway (SR 165), or Overhill Skyway, about 40 miles long, runs from Tellico Plains, Tennessee, east into Robbinsville, North Carolina. Following portions of what was once a Cherokee Indian trading route, the road meanders past the Tellico River and Bald River Falls, over rolling hills and through the Cherokee and Nantahala national forests. The road passes several scenic viewpoints.
For additional information contact the Forest Supervisor, Cherokee National Forest, 2800 N. Ocoee St., Cleveland, TN 37312; phone (423) 476-9700.