North Cherokee Destinations
TN State Highways 67/321
Follow the shoreline of Watauga Lake, accessing several national forest recreation areas and providing views of the lake and forested slopes of Iron Mountain. Highways 67 and 321 split east of the lake, where both routes pass through farmlands, rural communities and scenic mountain views. top U.S. Highway 421
From Bristol, U.S. Highway 421 winds across South Holston Lake, Holston and Iron mountains, and Shady Valley. Scott-Booher Pond is a quiet stop along the way. top
Highway 91
This highway ascends Stony Creek through farmlands framed by Holston and Iron Mountains to the top of Cross Mountain. It then drops spectacularly into Shady Valley, rural farming community known for its extant cranberry bogs. North of Shady Valley, State Highway 133 continues along Beaverdam Creek through the "Shortest Tunnel in the World" at Backbone Rock. top
The Unaka Mountain Auto Tour
This 31-mile auto tour (paved highways 107 and 395 and gravel Forest Road 230) loops through the Unaka Range of the Appalachians and climbs from 2,000 to 5,000 feet. This route travels through dense rhododendron and hemlocks, grassy balds and peaks at a misty mountain top. top
TN State Highway 81
This route travels through the Nolichucky River Gorge with views of Rich Mountain. Look for great blue herons stalking fish from the riverbanks! top
TN State Highway 143
This drive climbs through Roan Mountain State Park to Carvers Gap, with numerous long-distance mountain vistas, picnic spots, rhododendrons and spruce-fir forests. top
TN State Highway 19/23
This route is a four-lane divided highway that takes you above the valley floor for panoramic views of homes and farms nestled among the Unaka Mountains. top
Paint Creek-Paint Mountain Loop (Forest Roads 31, 41 and 54, and TN State Route 107)
This drive follows the meandering path of Paint Creek to historic Paint Rock at the French Broad River. If you're looking for more variety, wind up Paint Mountain on Forest Road 54 through Lone Pine Gap for scenic mountain vistas. Forest roads are gravel and narrow. top
The Brush Creek Loop (TN State Highway 107 and Forest Road 209)
This drive takes you through a narrow canyon with rhododendron covered sandstone bluffs. Stretch and enjoy the accessible interpretive trail at Allen Branch Pond. Access to Weaver Bend Watchable Wildlife Area is along the route. State Route 107 passes Bubbling Springs Shooting Range and Houston Valley Recreation Area (picnicking and camping). NOTE: Forest Road 209 is narrow with a gravel surface. top
Forest Road 88 to Round Knob
Spring wildflowers, azaleas and rhododendrons ornament this winding gravel mountain road. Openings in the forest canopy provide spectacular views of slopes of the Bald Mountains. At the end of the road, you'll find Round Knob picnic area, and a shelter. top
Foothills Parkway
From Cosby to I-40; a scenic connector from Great Smoky Mountains National Park across Green Mountain. top
South Cherokee Destinations
Ocoee Scenic Byway
U.S. Highway 64 and Forest Road #77, is the first designated national forest scenic byway in the nation. The 26-mile, two lane route winds past Parksville Lake, through the scenic rocky bluffs of the Ocoee River gorge and past the Ocoee Whitewater Center, the site of the 1996 Olympic Canoe/Kayak Slalom competition. Part of the byway is a side trip up Forest Road 77 to Chilhowee Mountain. This a steady 3-mile climb with views that change from tunnel-like corridors to magnificent vistas. Numerous overlooks offer views of the Tennessee Valley, the Cumberland Mountains and into the mountains of Georgia, as well as picnic tables and short hiking trails. Chilhowee Recreation Area sits at the end of the road, with 88 camp sites, several trails and a swimming beach. top
Cherohala Skyway (also known as Overhill Skyway)
This is the latest addition to the beautiful drives in the southeastern United States. View some of the best mountain scenery in the work from this 43-mile national scenic byway. Connecting Tellico Plains, TN, and Robbinsville, NC, the route climbs over 4,500 feet in elevation through Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. Travelers can see classic Southern Appalachian scenery along each mile - from the sparkling rush of Tellico River to expansive view of the Tennessee Valley to waves and waves of mountain peaks, including nearby Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Indian Boundary and Horse Cove campgrounds are close to each end of the skyway. top
Tellico River Road
U.S. Highway 165 to Forest Road 210, follows the Tellico River up to Bald River Falls, where you can view the falls or hike to the top for a picnic. The Pheasant Fields Fish Rearing Pools are at the end of Forest Road 210. top
State Route 68
An easy tour of the Appalachian countryside, passes through Coker Creek, Turtletown and Dogtown. You will catch glimpses of Little Frog and Wauchesi Mountains and Hiwassee State Scenic river. Take a picnic and view the panoramic countryside from Buck Bald, a former firetower site off Forest road 311 on Forest Road 198. For a loop, take U.S. Highway 64 in Ducktown to TN State Route 68 to Tellico Plains, to County Road 39 to County Road 310 to Etowah, to U.S. Highway 411, that leads back to U.S. Highway 64. top
Hiwassee River Road
TN State Route 30 to Forest Road 108. Sun-dappled forests surround TN 30 as it follows Hiwassee River to Reliance. Cross the bridge and turn east. Take Forest Road 108 to climb the mountain to Big Bend and Apalachia Powerhouse. Pack a picnic and enjoy the views from Hood Mountain overlook and other spectacular sites along the corridor. Stop to stretch your legs or spend the day on John Muir Trail #152. From Reliance, SR 30 continues through the community of Greasy Creek to US 64, Ocoee Scenic Byway. top
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