cherokee national forest

For those who love the outdoors, this is your place. Hiking, biking, whitewater rafting, zip lining,boating,etc. you can even visit the kayaking spot of the 1996 Olympics.

I am a local to the Cherokee National Forest and I would not want to live anywhere else! The forest truly is God's Country with the best of outdoors activities. We have festivals and whitewater and hiking and hunting and fishing and any little outdoor thing you could think of. gem hunting, scuba diving, heritage festivals, sight seeing, site seeing, there is hardly a place that wouldn't afford a fantastic picnic. Joy riding is the best along the Cherohala Skyway, Old Copper Road, and The Tail of the Dragon. Come visit the forest . . .

Regular visitor to the Cherokee National Forest for almost 60 years and still discover new things to do and places to visit. We are fortunate to live so close. Just to many experiences to describe in a few words, but some of our favorite getaways are located in or adjacent to this forest.

Not crowded. Even though I no longer live here, not sure why more locals do not take advantage of this gem. It's beautiful, safe, challenging. Great trails. Just be careful not to leave trash behind. Take out what you take in.

Went to the Hatchery and the ranger there was amazing. Very friendly and answered any and all questions. Loved her!!!

This forest park is such a beautiful place that we moved just outside of it. Within the park lies the Ocoee river which was made famous by it's use in the world olympics. In season, rafting draws people from both near and far to this river that boasts of it's class 4 & 5 rapids. The river flows into the large lake Ocoee which is surounded by tree covered mountains; one of the most beautiful and peaceful places you could ever visit. Cabins are available for rent in different sizes.We actually had a family reunion in one of them. It was perfect. On the north side of the lake is Big Frog mountain. The view from it's top is so far reaching that it was used as a lookout point in the civil war. There is a large camping site at it's peak that can accommodate RV's and campers with all the expected facilities. There is a smaller lake here where you can both fish or swim at a beach that is perfect for swimmers of all ages. A two mile hike will take you to a waterfall that you will want to see. Go in a group, there have been bear sightings. Within ten miles from the forest you can go glidlng and zipline riding. Bring extra money to do these things. It's not cheap. One hour north of Cherokee Forst is Bald River Falls as seen in the photo below. Cherokee is about 30 miles northeast of Chattanooga. It has a world class aquarium, riverfront park, riverboat rides, numerous theatres and restaurants. We've used this area as our vacation destination for many years and still find it pleasurable.

Spent a beautiful, crisp October day taking pictures of Falls splendor. The water, mountains and trees were in perfect harmony for some great pictures!

Very cool, lots of outdoorsy stuff to do. Watching the kayakers navigate the rapids from the twisty road above...

Being from Tennessee, we really appreciate our local natural resources. We love fishing & camping in this area and the fall is especially beautiful in the National Forest area. Very well kept, maintained & monitored. Definitely a family-oriented environment.

all kinds of water sports with white water rafting.fishing hiking camping . breathtaking views.boating swimming. hiking. love it lived here all my life

Along Lake Ocoee and the Ocoee River, this drive is amazing! Tennessee scenery at its finest. Lots of places to stop and lots to see on both sides of the road. Mountains on one side, river on the other. Waterfalls, boulders, hiking trails, and awesome rocks for skipping. I'm definitely coming back in the fall to see the leaves change color. I highly recommend Cherokee National Forest!

Parksville is just off US Highway 64 on State Highway 30. If you are not from the area, US 64 is the main drag running along the Ocoee River. This campground is located very close to Ocoee Lake. The campground is divided into group and individual camping. The group camp lots are quite large, as pads are provided on most sites for two tents. The lower elevation sites have a bathroom/bathhouse structure, have water, electric and are paved in fine gravel. The upper elevation sites do not. Driving tent stakes is next to impossible so might keep that in mind. A short distance from the campground (towards Cleveland on US 64) is a gas station, which has supplies for unprepared campers as well as a Subway sandwich shop. The campground has an overlook that provides a nice view of the lake, but the sites themselves are not lake view sites. We stayed at site G12 and I did see a game trail that showed some bear traffic, but I didn't encounter any the one night we stayed. We did have some creepy neighbors, with kids that wandered the campground until 3:00am who visited our site at least twice during the night uninvited. The Park Ranger patrols the area, but the only ranger we saw was of the "Iron Ranger" variety, as the campground is totally self-service. It was a pleasant evening other than the creepy neighbors.

This is a great place to enjoy nature and history! lots of sights and attractions. We have been enjoying the beauty for many many years. Great for children!!!

took a road trip threw the national forest while there to white water raft the Ocoee... great overlook points with beautiful views... would like to go back & camp there sometime :)

My only complaint is not staying longer! Great beautiful trip! Not crowded! The few folks we did run into were very friendly! Just clean, quiet, and gorgeous views as far as the eye can see!