Graham County, tucked into the southwestern corner of North Carolina, is home to some of the tallest mountains east of the Mississippi River. National forestland covers roughly two-thirds of the sparsely populated county, which serves as a gateway to a vast wilderness area. Bordering the northern edge of the county is Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in America. Graham County’s heavily wooded highlands, sprawling man-made lakes, winding mountain trails and roads, whitewater rapids and primitive natural beauty make it a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts.
Visit Mountain Lakes
- Fontana Lake, formed by a hydroelectric dam on the Little Tennessee River, covers more than 10,200 acres along the northeastern border of Graham County. Near the center of the county is sprawling Lake Santeetlah, created by a hydroelectric dam on the Cheoah River. Surrounded by thickly wooded mountains, these two reservoirs offer a wide array of recreational activities. Facilities at Fontana Lake, part of the Tennessee Valley Authority network, include campgrounds, picnic areas, playgrounds, boat ramps, fishing and swimming areas, marinas and multipurpose trails. Lake Santeetlah, managed by Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower, has a fishing pier, campgrounds, day-use areas, a marina, multiple boat access areas and a network of trails that crisscross the land surrounding the lake.
In Memory of a Poet
- Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest protects one of America’s most impressive remnants of old-growth forest. The 3,800-acre forest contains examples of more than 100 different tree species, some more than 100 feet tall and over 20 feet in circumference. Fittingly, the forest is dedicated to the memory of poet Joyce Kilmer, whose most famous poem celebrates the beauty and wonder of trees. A 2-mile hiking trail in the shape of a figure-eight offers access to this ancient forest and Popular Cove, a grove containing some of the park’s largest trees. A picnic area adjoins the trailhead parking lot.
Drive the Skyway
- Stretching from Santeetlah Gap near Robbinsville in the east to Tellico Plains, Tennessee, in the west, Cherohala Skyway traverses more than 40 miles of Smoky Mountains high country. Elevations along the skyway range from a low of 900 feet, at the Tellico River, to 5,400 feet, at Haw Knob, which straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee line. Completed in 1996 and designated a National Scenic Byway, the paved two-lane road offers spectacular mountain views, and is particularly popular with motorcyclists, as is the Tail of the Dragon, an 11-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 129 that features 318 curves.
Raft the Cheoah River Rapids
- American Whitewater, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration and conservation of the nation's whitewater resources, reports rising sentiment that the Cheoah River will become “one of the crown jewels of the whitewater world.” Of prime interest is a 9-mile stretch of the river from Santeetlah Dam to Lake Calderwood, which each year enjoys 16 releases of water from the dam, creating optimal whitewater conditions for rafters. Nantahala Outdoor Center’s rafting trips on the river depart from the Cheoah Outpost located at the Blue Waters Mountain Lodge near Robbinsville.
