Cherokee NF

[mabrown730]

Hello, has anyone one any car camping in the Cherokee lands in NC? Looking for a place to hang a hammock along rhe creek or river and do some trout fishing.

[Hangin Hillbilly]

Hello, has anyone one any car camping in the Cherokee lands in NC? Looking for a place to hang a hammock along rhe creek or river and do some trout fishing.

Been looking for the same type of places.

[mistone]

Was going to do that same type of thing up around black mountain around the toe river area but that kinda fell through!Just never got around to do it!

[mabrown730]

We made the trip there. Cherokee is very commercialized. Mostly RV type campgrounds. The KOA there would not allow me to hang at their campgroung. If uou looking to hang you probably would need to look at the NF outside of the reservation. But on a positive note, trout fishing on the reservation was incredible. Best bet for hooking up would be to head out of town to more remote locations. There are large trout there just locate deep holes with calm water and they will be sitting on the bottom under the rocks. Low and slow on a gold spinner was the key to success.

[halh68]

We made the trip there. Cherokee is very commercialized. Mostly RV type campgrounds. The KOA there would not allow me to hang at their campgroung. If uou looking to hang you probably would need to look at the NF outside of the reservation. But on a positive note, trout fishing on the reservation was incredible. Best bet for hooking up would be to head out of town to more remote locations. There are large trout there just locate deep holes with calm water and they will be sitting on the bottom under the rocks. Low and slow on a gold spinner was the key to success.

If you are talking about GSMNP which borders the reservation that's a no go. You have to get a permit in advance and even then you can camp only in designated camp sites. Here is a link that shows all the sites in the park and allows you to get a reservation. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "begin reservation". You have to hike in to most all but don't let that discourage you. GSMNP is a beautiful place.
Hal

https://smokiespermits.nps.gov/index...PermitTypeID=1

[mabrown730]

Hall68, we ended staying at the KOA on the reservation. I did not realize that the regulations there were very stringent upon the reservation. But the fishing on the reservation was amazing. Next trip I put together it will be to camp in the GSMNP and make the drive to the reservation to fish.

[Acer]

Check out Balsa Mt. Campgroud above Cherokee in GSMNP at 6000 ft. It opens late spring and closes around Oct 11 or so. Great for a base camp. You also have Mile High Campgroud (private) with showers before yu get to Balsa Mt.

[SChammikker]

Balsaam mountain campground but I have NEVER camped at a more beautiful campground than Mile high Campground in Cherokee. They are closed after Oct 15 but MAAAAN.....the views from the campsites are in my opinion...spectacular....I have found no other like it except when backpacking of course. It's on the same road as Balsaam Campground. Love it. Link to their website below.
http://campmilehigh.com/

[La Picker]

Well Mabrown, the thread title is "Cherokee NF", but most of the replies seem to infer that you meant the town of Cherokee. They are very definitely not the same thing, so you may want to clarify. The Cherokee National Forest is a VERY large area that covers a lot of ground both in and out of the GSMNP.

That said, you may also want to check out some of the areas south of the park, like Horse Cove Campground. It's a small CCC (I think) facility right on a beautiful little trout stream close to the Joyce Kilmer Memorial area. I've heard the fishing is pretty good there.

[Acer]

Cherokee has their very own trout hatchery above the city of cherokee also and a great reason the fishing is so good.