Kayaking, hundreds of miles of hiking trails, biking, rafting, tubing, fishing, horseback riding, nature viewing, scenic drives, water activities.

The Nantahala National Forest lies in the mountains and valleys of southwestern North Carolina. Elevations range from 5,800 feet at Lone Bald in Jackson County to 1,200 feet in Cherokee County along Hiwassee River below Appalachian Lake Dam. Nantahala is a Cherokee word meaning “land of the noon day sun,” a fitting name for the Nantahala Gorge, where the sun only reaches to the valley floor at midday. With over a half million acres, the Nantahala is the largest of the four national forests in North Carolina.