The Cherokee National Forest is located in Eastern Tennessee and stretches from Chattanooga to Bristol along the North Carolina border. The 650,000-acre forest is the largest tract of public land in Tennessee.  It lies in the heart of the Southern Appalachian mountain range, one of the world's most diverse areas. These mountains are home to more than 20,000 species of plants and animals. Each year millions of people visit Tennessee's Cherokee National Forest.  It is a place of scenic beauty that provides opportunities for anyone interested in nature and history.

Current Events

Final Weekly Fall Color Report

The peak of the fall foliage viewing season is all but over in the Cherokee National Forest ...

Clear Creek Road Temporarily Closed to Through Traffic

BENTON, TN – October 20, 2010 ... USDA Forest Service officials at the Cherokee National Forest say the Clear Creek Road (Forest Service Road 185) in Polk County, TN is temporarily closed to through traffic for road improvement work. Work on the Clear Creek Road is being done to reduce sedimentation and impacts to streams in the area, and to improve visitor access.

Flatwoods Road Paving To Begin

UNICOI, TN – October 7, 2010 ... USDA Forest Service officials at the Cherokee National Forest say paving work on approximately six miles of the Flatwoods Road (FSR 87) in the Watauga Ranger District will begin soon. The road is currently gravel and leads to the Little Oak Recreation Area on South Holston Lake in Sullivan County, TN.

Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2010

Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2010: On June 9, 2010 Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker introduced the Tennessee Wilderness Act of 2010 that would designate seven areas totaling 19,556 acres as wilderness in the Cherokee National Forest. These areas were recommended as Wilderness Study Areas in the Cherokee National Forest’s 2004 Land and Resource Management Plan....

Cave and Mine Closure Extended

ATLANTA (May 20, 2010)— In response to the uncontrolled spread of white-nose syndrome affecting bat species, the USDA Forest Service Southern Region is renewing its closure order on all caves and abandoned mines on national forests in the Southern Region...

May persons possessing handgun carry permits possess their handguns while in the Cherokee National Forest?

YES - Recent State legislative changes provide that individuals who possess a carry permit may possess their handgun while on Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) wildlife management areas, public hunting areas, or refuges open to hunter access. Because the Cherokee National Forest is managed under an agreement with the Forest Service, USDA and TWRA as a Wildlife Management Area this legislative change applies to the Cherokee National Forest. The handgun may not be used for taking game unless specifically permitted by TWRA regulation. For more information regarding this legislative change and related TWRA information please contact the TWRA at 1-800-332-0900 or visit their web site.

Fire Prevention Website

This site is designed for homeowners, public land visitors, wildfire prevention professionals, volunteers, and others. It is filled with information on where the big fires are burning throughout the nation, what the wildfire severity level is in your state, rules and regulations for burning debris in your state, and how to protect your home against wildfire. It tells you about educational materials that are available in the arena of fire prevention, the Wildland Urban Interface, Smokey Bear, and Woodsy Owl.