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Cherokee National Forest
Adventure Beckons...
From the scenic Appalachian Mountains to whitewater, discover your next destination on the Cherokee National Forest.
The Cherokee National Forest is divided into northern and southern sections by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 650,000-acre forest is the largest tract of public land in Tennessee and adjoins other national forests in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. The forest is home to 30 developed campgrounds and numerous picnic areas, over 700 miles of trails, seven whitewater rivers, two Forest Service scenic byways where you can enjoy a scenic drive through the mountains, the pursuit of wildlife, the thrill of whitewater, a night under the stars, or solitude on a backcountry trail.
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Be Bear Wise
Knowing how to act in the presence of a black bear, and how to keep them away is crucial to your safety, and that of the bears.
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Know Before You Go
Cherokee National Forest Current and Recent Projects
Note: Not all projects may appear on map. See list below for complete list of projects with more information or documentation.
Developing Proposal
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Horse Creek Campground Improvement Project
The Forest Service have developed a proposal to make improvements to the campground and associated infrastructure at the Horse Creek Recreation Area. The reconfiguration would increase accessibility for recreational vehicle camping.
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Roan High Knob Shelter Repair Project
Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club have submitted a proposal to perform needed repairs to the Roan High Knob shelter along the Appalachian Trail in Carter County, Tennessee.
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Walnut Mountain Shelter Decommissioning Project
The Carolina Mountain Club have proposed to decommission and remove the Walnut Mountain shelter and associated infrastructure from national forest system lands.
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White Rocks Horse Trail Connector Project
Backcountry Horsemen of East Tennessee have submitted a new proposal to build a connector trail between FSR303 and FSR530211 in Carter County, TN.
Under Analysis
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FY25 Prescribed Fire Project
The FY 2025 South Zone Prescribed Fire Project would conduct prescribed fire on approximately 22,949 acres within 15 burn units: 8 burn units on the Ocoee/Hiwassee District and the 7 burn units on the Tellico District.
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Lower Citico Dam Removal Project
The project would remove an instream concrete dam at river mile 8.3 near Young Branch in Citico Creek. The dam would be removed with heavy machinery in a live or wet stream. All dam materials would be removed from the site.
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Margarette Falls Trail #189 - Relocation Project
This project is proposing to relocate approximately a 50 ft long section of trail #189. Waterbars would also be installed to limit stormwater runoff and continued damage to the trail.
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Pond Mountain Project
The project would provide early successional forest for wildlife, restore forest and wetland comm., release mast-producing trees, improve forest health, provide wildlife habitat components, and manage NFS system and non-system roads
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Red Spruce Restoration Project
The Cherokee National Forest, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Monongahela National Forest, and the National Forests in North Carolina seek to implement large landscape red spruce - fir ecosystem restoration.
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Restoration of Dry Forest Communities- Bell Mountain
The project would conduct forest restoration and improvement actions under the programmatic environmental assessment, Restoration of Dry Forest Communities. Additional actions in the project area would include road improvements and prescribed fire.
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South Zone Trail Maintenance Project
This project would allow routine maintenance on existing trails on the south zone of the Cherokee National Forest and minor reroutes where ground disturbance from natural events, such as tree windfall or landslide, are causing resource damage.
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Southern Appalachian Watershed Resiliency Project
The Southern Appalachian Forests(Cherokee National Forest, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, National Forests in North Carolina and Chattahoochee - Oconee National Forest seek to implement large landscape watershed resiliency efforts.
Analysis Completed
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Atwood Structure Removal Project
Demolition of two structures that are a public heath and safety concern.
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Blue Hole Tracts U-1634 & U-1634a Land Acquisition Project
The Forest Service proposes to acquire: 29.336 acres more or less situated on the waters of Stoney Creek (USA Tract U-1634 & U-1634a in Carter County).
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Buffalo Mountain Land Acquisition
The Forest Service proposes to acquire 488 acres, more or less, located in the Fourth Civil District of Washington County southwest of Johnson City, Tennessee.
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Cress Branch Tract Land Acquisition Project
The Forest Service is proposing to acquire 2 parcels in Johnson County (U-1632 and U-1633) 14 acres and 41 acres respectively.
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Cut Laurel Gap Land Acquisition
Acquire 1,051 acres located in Johnson County northeast of Mountain City, Tennessee.
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Daniel Cates Land and Tiger Creek Land Acquisitions
Daniel Cates:The Forest Service proposes to acquire 14.79 acres in Carter County, TN. Tiger Creek:The Forest Service proposes to acquire 52 acres in Carter County, TN.
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Dennis Cove and Hampton Trailheads Improvement Project
This project proposes to redesign both parking areas to better organize their use and provide for perhaps 2-5 additional spaces at any given time. Both projects will be within currently impacted areas and the adjacent impacted areas.
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Divided Mountain and Hump Mountain Land Acquisitions
Acquire 186 acre in Johnson County and 324 acres in Carter County TN.
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Doll Branch Land Acquisition Project
The Forest Service proposes to acquire 65.269 acres, more or less, situated in Civil District No. 1 of Carter County, Tennessee (Shell Creek Road)
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Dry Fork Land Acquisition
Acquire three inholdings with total acreage of 548 acres.This acquisition complements the Goals, Objectives, and Desired Future Conditions and would adopt the 7.E.2-"Dispersed Recreation Area" prescription
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Flat Spring Ridge Land Acquisition Project (USA Tract U-1602)
The Forest Service proposes to acquire 74.714 acres, more or less, situated on Flat Spring Ridge, North of the tristate corner (NC, TN, VA).
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French Broad Land Acquisition "Tank Hollow/Buffalo Rock"
Acquisition of property known as the Tank Hollow/ Buffalo Rock tract along the French Broad River in Cocke County TN.
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Gulf Tract Roads Repair Project
Reconstructing the road in one location on FSR 22501 and doing heavy maintenance on 19 other locations along FSR%u2019s 2250, 2251& 22501 in the Gulf area of the Cherokee NF
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Hollybush Gap and Buffalo Mountain Trail (Pinnacle)Tract Land Acquisition Project
Hollybush Gap Tract Land Acquisition: 17.18 acres the Granny Lewis Creek drainage. Buffalo Mtn Land Acquisition: 22.26 acres adjacent to Buffalo Mountain ATV Trail.
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Max Patch Improvement Project
Replace the existing kiosk with a 3-panel kiosk and construct a 200 foot split rail fence that will start about 25 feet behind the kiosk.
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Osborne Cabin Road Repair
Repair, stabilize, and help prevent further erosion on approx. 1000 feet of farm road leading from the barn at the Osborne Farm to the bog and cabin.
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Restoration of Dry Forest Communities Kirkland Gap Project
The project would conduct forest restoration and improvement actions under the programmatic environmental assessment, Restoration of Dry Forest Communities. Additional actions in the project area would include road improvements and prescribed fire.
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Shook Branch Land Aquisition
The Forest Service proposes to acquire 19.439 acres, more or less, located in the First Civil District of Carter County south of U.S. Highway 321
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Toms Branch Tract U-1636 Land Acquisition Project
The Forest Service is proposing to acquire 1 parcel in Carter County (U-1636), approximately 52 acres.
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Underwood Spring Tract U-1627 and Big Laurel Branch Wilderness Tract U-1619 Land Acquisitions
The Forest Service is proposing to acquire: 24.38 acres m/l in the Underwood Spring Drainage and 93.8 acres m/l in the Doe Creek Drainage.
On Hold
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North Zone Large Tracts Amendment
The proposed forest plan amendment would address the need to assign management prescriptions to four tracts of land that were previously acquired.
Cancelled
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Forest Landscape Adaptive Management Environmental Assessment (FLAME Assessment)
The intent of this project is to produce a landscape scale project that would support the use of mechanical, herbicide and prescribed fire treatments in appropriate forest communities, across the entire Cherokee National Forest landscape.
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FY23 Prescribed Fire Project Tellico District
Conduct prescribed fire on five existing burn units on the Tellico Ranger District. Project would include multiple burn entries to maintain a fire return interval less than 12 years.
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Hartford Wastewater Testing Project
Prepare a study for determination of an area with adequate suitability for beneficial re-use of treated wastewater.
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Johnson County Communication Tower Project
Johnson County is proposing to erect a 120-foot free-standing metal power pole and a 10x12 concrete building to house radio components and a generator. The pole and building would be constructed on a gravel pad and surrounded by a chain-link fence.
Project Archive
Some of our older projects can be accessed in our Project Archive.
