
The first 5.5 miles of the river flow through the Cherokee National Forest and the last half mile is a river valley with farmland and homes. Local outfitters rent rafts and tubes and provide shuttle service to the put-in. The Hiwassee River is a State Scenic River and offers Class I-III rapids that are suitable for the whole family. Camp at the nearby state campground at Gee Creek.įish Your National Forests: This site can be accessed by Passenger Car Fish available include: Trout Types of fishing available include: Wade, Shore, Motorized boat, Fly Boat Launch available The 21-mile John Muir National Recreation Trail, a section of the longer distance Benton MacKaye Trail, meanders along the river. Fishing, rafting, canoeing and hiking are popular activities. Along the corridor, you’ll also find overlooks to observe Kelly and Dudley Falls, a warm water fishing pond, hiking trails and opportunities for dispersed camping.įorested hillsides and pastoral river bottoms complement the beauty of Hiwassee River Gorge. Paint Creek is stocked with trout during the summer months, and fly fishing is another favorite activity. Driving for pleasure is one of the most popular activities along the corridor, though bicycling is becoming increasingly more common. Forest Road #41 parallels Paint Creek five miles between Paint Creek Campground and the French Broad River.

This area is known for solitude and backcountry adventure, with Big Frog Wilderness being a destination for backpacking, day-hiking and hunting. Horse Creek and Old Forge Recreation areas offer picnicking, water play and camping. Try fishing Nolichucky River, Horse Creek, Dry Creek and Clark Creek. The area is known for its diverse populations of wildflowers and a number of waterfalls, including 60-foot fan-shaped Margarette Falls and Sill Branch Falls. Roads are limited, but forty-plus miles of trail access the forest. Most of the area is remote backcountry, including Bald Mountain Ridge Scenic Area and Sampson Mountain Wilderness.

Wild trout, rainbow, brown and native brookies are present in most of the mountain streams above 1000 feet in elevation. The most popular stocked trout streams include Tellico River, Citico Creek, Paint Creek and Beaverdam Creek. Rainbow trout averaging 8 to 12 inches are stocked in many streams, typically between March and September.

Stocked trout streams provide opportunitiess for anglers who catch and release as well as those who wish to harvest trout for consumption.
