Nantahala National Forest
Mountains surpassing 5000 feet, cascading waterfalls, towering hardwood forests and whitewater foaming over the backs of boulders--these are the sights awaiting you in the Nantahala National Forest. Enjoy the panoramic views from Whiteside Mountain or Wayah Bald. A 2-mile loop trail to the top of the Whiteside cliffs, provides a spectacular view. Wayah Bald is especially beautiful in June when the azaleas and laurel bloom. Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, with it's 400-year old trees, is another breathtaking sight, as is Whitewater Falls - the highest falls east of the Rocky Mountains.
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Nantahala River
The Nantahala River is located in the Nantahala National Forest and flows from Macon County into Swain County, North Carolina. The Nantahala River Gorge occupies approximately 9 miles of the Nantahala River from the Beechertown power plant to the upper reaches of Fontana Lake. The Nantahala River Gorge is managed by the Wayah Ranger District of the USDA Forest Service. The river allows for a variety of recreational activities to occur within the rivers corridor including rafting, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, fishing, hiking, viewing, camping, and photography.

Nantahala Outdoor Center
In 1972, Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) founders Payson and Aurelia Kennedy and Horace Holden opened a small rafting company on the banks of the Nantahala River. That same year, whitewater kayaking made its Olympic debut in Munich, Germany.

In the more than three decades since then, the growth of whitewater paddling has been exponential. We're proud of our Olympic history: our staff includes many Olympians and National Champions. We bring this tradition of excellence to our rafting operations, where we've established ourselves as leaders in staff training, trip organization, and customer service.
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Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
Cherokee is located minutes away from the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area of Tennessee. Asheville is only an hour away. In fact, Cherokee is midway between Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina with easy access to the Qualla Boundary on state-maintained highways. Many of the roads that lead to Cherokee bring you through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Cherokee is a great “home-base” for many great southeastern vacations.
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Great Smoky Mountains
Ridge upon ridge of endless forest straddling the border between North Carolina and Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected areas in the Eastern United States. World renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, and the depth and integrity of its wilderness sanctuary, the park attracts over nine million visitors each year. Once a part of the Cherokee homeland, the Smokies today are a hiker's paradise with over 800 miles of trails.
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