Nantahala Ranger District
The Nantahala Ranger District stretches 250,000 acres across Macon, Jackson and Swain counties offering a variety of recreational opportunities from camping to off-highway vehicle riding. This District is a diverse, rugged, and mountainous area with raging rivers, granite walls, and waterfalls. Visitors can enjoy the remoteness of the Southern Nantahala Wilderness, a scenic drive along the Mountain Waters Byway or a view Whitewater Falls, the highest falls east of the Rocky Mountains. The Nantahala is also home to four long distance trails, the Appalachian, Bartram, Foothills, and Mountains-to-Sea Trails. Come experience the outdoors and explore the Nantahala! Nantahala Ranger District, 90 Sloan Road, Franklin, NC 28734, (828) 524-6441
Activities
Mountain Biking
Recreation areas with activity Mountain Biking:- Nantahala River Bike Trail TR368
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Panthertown Valley TR474
- Great Wall TR489
- Deep Gap TR 449
- Mac's Gap TR482
- Blackrock TR447
- Riding Ford TR 450
- Devils Elbow TR448
- Powerline Road TR451
- Rattlesnake Knob TR452
- North Road TR 453
Road Cycling
Recreation areas with activity Road Cycling:Campground Camping
Recreation areas with activity Campground Camping:RV Camping
Recreation areas with activity RV Camping:Group Camping
Recreation areas with activity Group Camping:- Appletree Group Campground
- Kimsey Creek Group Campground
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
- Standing Indian Campground
Dispersed Camping
Recreation areas with activity Dispersed Camping:- Ammons Branch Campground
- Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
- Chattooga Wild and Scenic River
- Ellicott Rock Wilderness
- Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Wine Spring Horse Camp
Cabin Rentals
Recreation areas with activity Cabin Rentals:Rock Climbing
Recreation areas with activity Rock Climbing:Lake and Pond Fishing
Recreation areas with activity Lake and Pond Fishing:- Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
- Fingerlake Day Use Area
- Balsam Lake Lodge
- Balsam Lake and Picnic Area
- Cliffside Lake and Day Use Area
- Van Hook Glade Campground
- Cullasaja Gorge
River and Stream Fishing
Recreation areas with activity River and Stream Fishing:- Nantahala River Gorge
- Nantahala River Ferebee Memorial Picnic Area and L
- Balsam Lake and Picnic Area
- Van Hook Glade Campground
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
- Standing Indian Campground
- Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground
- Kimsey Creek Group Campground
- Cullasaja Gorge
- Chattooga Wild and Scenic River
- Appletree Group Campground
Day Hiking
Recreation areas with activity Day Hiking:- Ammons Branch Campground
- Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
- Albert Mountain Fire Tower
- Nantahala River Gorge
- Whiteside Mountain
- Whitewater Falls
- Balsam Lake Lodge
- Balsam Lake and Picnic Area
- Cliffside Lake and Day Use Area
- Van Hook Glade Campground
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
- Camp Shortcut TR 36b
- Cullowhee TR370
- Rough Fork TR371
- Hurricane Creek Loop TR36
- Blackwell Gap Loop TR366
- Betty Creek Gap TR 367
- Nantahala River Bike Trail TR368
- Wilson Lick TR369
- Grap Cove TR 372
- Siler Bald Shelter TR 373
- Siler Bald Vista TR373a
- Wayah Bald TR 374
- Thomas Branch TR375
- Walton Interpretive TR376
- Wine Springs Loop TR 379A
- Rocky Bald Loop TR 379B
- Long Branch TR86
- Standing Indian Campground
- Standing Indian Picnic Area
- Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground
- Kimsey Creek Group Campground
- Wine Spring Horse Camp
- Cullasaja Gorge
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Ellicott Rock Wilderness
- Wayah Bald Tower
- Chattooga Wild and Scenic River
- Slickrock TR 11
- Cliffside Loop TR24
- Potts Memorial TR 24b
- Van Hook TR 24c
- Skitty Creek TR 24e
- Chinquapin TR 3
- Hurrah Ridge TR 4
- Silver Run Falls TR435
- Whitewater River TR437
- Tuckaseegee Gorge TR438
- Wolf Creek Gorge TR439
- Glade Trail TR 430
- Ellicotts Rock TR431
- Chattooga River TR432
- Chattooga Loop TR 433
- Bearpen Gap TR442
- Homesite Road TR443
- Big Creek Loop TR 492
- Blue Valley Route TR493
- Brush Creek Route TR 494
- Clear Creek Loop TR 495
- Moss Gap Route TR 496
- Round Mountain Gap TR 497
- Stewart Cove/Yellow Mountain TR498
- Yellow Mountain TR5
- Stewart Cove TR 5a
- Little Yellow Mountain Gap TR651
- Scaly Mountain TR67a
- Jones Knob TR67b
- Whitewater Falls TR 7
- Little Green TR485
- Panthertown Valley TR474
- Great Wall TR489
- Wilderness Falls TR490
- Whiteside Mountain TR70
- Glen Falls TR 8
- Dry Falls TR 9
- Greenland Creek TR488
- Deep Gap TR 449
- Overlook TR491
- Big Green TR487
- Turkey Knob TR 469
- Mac's Gap TR482
- Blackrock TR447
- Riding Ford TR 450
- Devils Elbow TR448
- Powerline Road TR451
- Rattlesnake Knob TR452
- North Road TR 453
- Green Valley TR484
- Granny Burrell Falls TR486
- Mooney Gap TR12
- Pickens Nose TR13
- Wildcat TR14
- Stewart TR15
- London Bald TR19c
- Diamond Valley TR19d
- Nantahala Trail TR19e
- Laurel Branch TR19f
- Nature Walk TR19g
- Locust Tree TR16
- Camp Branch TR 16a
- Shot Pouch TR17
- Rocky Bald TR18
- Junaluska Gap TR19
- Hickory Branch TR19a
- Timber Ridge Trail TR20
- Little Indian TR21
- Bear Pen Gap TR22
- Kimsey Creek TR 23
- Wesser Creek TR26
- Rufus Morgan Falls TR27
- Lower Trail Ridge TR28
- Big Laurel Falls TR29
- Waslick Poplar TR30
- Mooney Falls TR31
- Park Ridge TR32
- Park Creek Ridge Connector TR32a
- Park Creek TR33
- Big Indian Loop TR34
- Beech Gap TR35
- Appletree Group Campground
- Foothills Trail TR436
- Appalachian TR1
- Clifftop Vista TR 24a
- Appletree TR19b
- Clifftop Nature TR 24f
Backpacking
Recreation areas with activity Backpacking:- Whitewater Falls
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
- Bartram Trail TR67
- Standing Indian Campground
- Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Ellicott Rock Wilderness
- Wayah Bald Tower
- Chattooga Wild and Scenic River
- Park Creek TR33
- Section 7 Beechertown to Cheoah Bald
- Section 2 Jones Gap to Buckeye Creek
- Section 4 Wallace Branch to Wayah Bald
- Appalachian TR1
- Section 6 Nantahala Lake to Nantahala River Gorge
- Section 3 Buckeye Creek to Wallace Branch
- Section 1 Beegum Gap to to Hickory Gap
- Section 5 Wayah Bald to Nantahala Lake
Horse Camping
Recreation areas with activity Horse Camping:- Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Wine Spring Horse Camp
Horse Riding
Recreation areas with activity Horse Riding:- Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground
- Wine Spring Horse Camp
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Panthertown Valley TR474
- Great Wall TR489
- Deep Gap TR 449
- Turkey Knob TR 469
- Blackrock TR447
- Riding Ford TR 450
- Devils Elbow TR448
- Powerline Road TR451
- Rattlesnake Knob TR452
- North Road TR 453
- Big Indian Loop TR34
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
- Camp Shortcut TR 36b
- Hurricane Creek Loop TR36
- Blackwell Gap Loop TR366
- Thomas Branch TR375
- Wine Springs Loop TR 379A
- Rocky Bald Loop TR 379B
Big Game Hunting
Recreation areas with activity Big Game Hunting: Visit www.ncwildlife.org or call (888) 248-6824Species | Deer, Bear |
Small Game Hunting
Recreation areas with activity Small Game Hunting: Visit www.ncwildlife.org or call (888) 248-6834Viewing Wildlife
Recreation areas with activity Viewing Wildlife:- Standing Indian Campground
- Hurricane Creek Horse & Primitive Campground
- Kimsey Creek Group Campground
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
- Whiteside Mountain
Viewing Plants
Recreation areas with activity Viewing Plants:Viewing Scenery
Recreation areas with activity Viewing Scenery:- Ammons Branch Campground
- Nantahala River Gorge
- Whiteside Mountain
- Whitewater Falls
- Balsam Lake Lodge
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
- Standing Indian Campground
- Kimsey Creek Group Campground
- Cullasaja Gorge
- Dry Falls
- Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area
- Wayah Bald Tower
- Chattooga Wild and Scenic River
Target Shooting
Recreation areas with activity Target Shooting:Picnicking
Recreation areas with activity Picnicking:- Standing Indian Campground
- Standing Indian Picnic Area
- Cullasaja Gorge
- Dry Falls
- Wayah Bald Tower
- Nantahala River Gorge
- Nantahala River Ferebee Memorial Picnic Area and L
- Fingerlake Day Use Area
- Whitewater Falls
- Balsam Lake and Picnic Area
- Cliffside Lake and Day Use Area
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
No. of Accessible sites | 2 |
Group Picnicking
Recreation areas with activity Group Picnicking:Scenic Driving
Recreation areas with activity Scenic Driving:- Cullasaja Gorge
- Dry Falls
- Mountain Waters Scenic Byway
- Nantahala River Gorge
- Van Hook Glade Campground
Boating - Non-Motorized
Recreation areas with activity Boating - Non-Motorized:- Nantahala River Gorge
- Nantahala River Ferebee Memorial Picnic Area and L
- Fingerlake Day Use Area
- Balsam Lake Lodge
- Balsam Lake and Picnic Area
- Chattooga Wild and Scenic River
- Appletree Group Campground
Swimming
Recreation areas with activity Swimming:- Blue Valley Dispersed Camping
- Cliffside Lake and Day Use Area
- Fingerlake Day Use Area
- Van Hook Glade Campground
- Wilson Lake