A Weekend of Wilderness on the Cherokee National Forest

Tellico Wild - Explore our Big Back Yard!

A Weekend of Wilderness on the Cherokee National Forest
July 31 thru August 2, 2015
Tellico Plains Tennessee

http://www.meetup.com/Tennessee-Wild

Cherokee National Forest is Open!

Tellico Plains' beautiful neighbor, the Cherokee National Forest, has been minimally impacted by the current Federal government shutdown. Unfortunately, many campers have been disappointed to learn that the large gated campgrounds, like our nearby Indian Boundary campground, are closed. However, individual campsites along the National Forest roads - often called "primitive" sites since they have no facilities - are still available to use on a first-come basis.

The scenic 43-mile Cherohala Skyway is also open, and this is a gorgeous week to take a tour to the higher elevations, where the foliage is beginning to don its fall colors. The Skyway traverses the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests which are managed by the US Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. Maintenance of resources along the Cherohala Skyway is by the highway departments of the appropriate state and/or the US Forest Service.

Our weather forecast for this week shows sunny daytime highs in the 70s and evening lows in the 50s - ideal! Trails off the Skyway are open for hiking, picnicking, and sightseeing.

The Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center, owned by Monroe County, Tennessee, and located in Tellico Plains at 225 Cherohala Skyway (Hwy 165), provides friendly information, free maps, Skyway driving conditions, and a "not for profit" gift shop. Picnic tables and spotless restrooms are available. The friendly staff will welcome you with important Skyway and area information!

The Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center is a product of a grant from the National Scenic Byway program. The visitor center was opened in September 2003 and is owned by Monroe County, Tennessee. The gift shop in the visitor center is a “not-for-profit” gift shop. Maintenance of resources along the Cherohala Skyway is by the highway departments of the appropriate state and/or the US Forest Service. The Cherokee and Nantahala National Forest through which the Cherohala Skyway traverses are managed by the US Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. Download the Online Skyway Brochure & Maps:
Cherohala Online Brochure

Summer Cool Down

Indian Boundary Lake, in the Cherokee National Forest just outside Tellico Plains, is the ideal spot for cooling off and relaxing on a hot summer day. Follow the Cherohala Skyway east about 15 miles, and follow the signs to the Beach. At the beach there is plenty of free parking, a massive covered pavilion with picnic tables, rest rooms, volleyball courts, and a fishing pier.

Indian Boundary also has a fabulous 87-site campground, camp store, and group camping area, which make the ideal headquarters for exploring the surrounding Cherokee National Forest. There are many places to fish in the Lake's 96 acres of waters, boat ramp, a well-maintained 3.2 mile trail surrounds the lake and is great for walking, jogging, bike rides, and wildflower viewing, and benches overlooking the lake so you can sit and enjoy the peacefulness.

Getting There:
GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
35.40167, -84.10722
35°24'6"N, 84°6'26"W

From I-75 at Sweetwater, Tennessee, take State Route 68 to Tellico Plains.

From Highway 68 in Tellico Plains, take Highway 165 (Cherohala Skyway) east for 16 miles. Turn left onto Forest Development Road 345 and travel 2 miles to the entrance. Follow the signs from there. Have fun!

Learn the History of Logging in Tellico Plains

The Cherokee Hiking Club invites the public to a special presentation on Thursday, September 13, 2012, 6-9 pm
 at The Outpost Pavilion in Tellico Plains.

"Early Logging Days in the Tellico Mountains (the Tellico Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest)" will be presented by Pam Hall Mathews. Local documents and pictures from The Charles Hall Collection will illustrate the operations of the small scale lumber companies of the late 1800s and the larger enterprise of Babcock Lumber Company. Babcock began their extensive logging operation in the Tellico mountains in 1906. Topics will include the sawmill, the Company store, the building of the logging railroad, harvesting the timber, the tools used, the oxen and horses used in the venture, the engines used in the logging operations including the Shay engines, the skidders, and the log cranes. Life in a logging camp will be described not only with pictures, but with the recorded stories of the local logging families. A tour of the Charles Hall Museum, Building 2, will follow, to view its displays of logging relics. Charles Hall will be available to answer questions and to speak about his experiences as a young boy, visiting the recently abandoned logging camps, and the information he learned from the loggers and their families. His pictorial collections of the logging railroad days include over 750 pictures specific to the Tellico, Citico, and Slickrock areas.

Pam Mathews is a local historian and a clinical psychologist who published the definitive history of the Tellico Plains area last year: A Pictorial History of the Tellico Plains, Tennessee Area (1849-1949). Pam is a member of the Cherokee Hiking Club and maintains a section of the Benton MacKaye Trail up Sycamore Creek together with her husband, Kent. Charles Hall, her father and the former mayor of Tellico Plains and founder of the Tellico Plains Telephone Company - who built the museum to house and share his vast historic collections -  will also be present at the meeting to answer questions.

Bring friends and family to The Outpost Pavilion, Main Street, Tellico Plains, on Thursday, September 13th at 6 pm, first for dinner (your tab), then as Pam Hall Mathews delivers her presentation on the early logging days in the Tellico mountains.

Indian Boundary Campground Opening

Indian Boundary Campground will reopen for the 2012 Season on Tuesday, April 17, at 2pm. The campground is part of the Cherokee National Forest, and is a favorite vacation spot for both locals and visitors. The 91 tent/RV sites are wooded, level, mostly shaded, and spacious, all with electric RV hookup and fire ring, some with RV pull-thrus. There are water spigots along the camping loop roads. Several sites have views of Indian Boundary Lake. There are flush toilets and shower facilities, a well stocked campstore, and a picnic pavilion at the beach.

Wild yellow trout lily growing along the hiking trail

The campground is within easy access of all the activities on and around picturesque Indian Boundary Lake: fishing (wheelchair accessible fishing pier too), beach swimming with bath houses, hiking and bicycling on the 3.2 mile track around the lake's shore, kayaking, canoeing and other non-motorized boats, volleyball, picnicking, and relaxing on the beach. The "overflow" camping area, open year round, is ideal for groups. Note there is no cell phone coverage and no public phone; the campground hosts have radio contact to the Ranger's station for emergencies.

Year-round, the lake is a special destination for day visitors too - a welcome escape from city life and crowds. PIck up a picnic lunch from a restaurant in Tellico Plains, grab a book, put on your walking shoes, pack your bathing suit, and enjoy the serenity of a day at Indian Boundary Lake.

Indian Boundary Lake is manmade, and dam controlled, and beautifully surrounded by mountains. It is at an elevation of about 1800 feet. The approximately 100-acre lake is drained during the winter off-season, allowing the Forest Service to do maintenance to fish structures, the fishing pier, etc. Flats Creek, which helps feed the Lake, can be seen in the photo of the drained lake, below. Old tree stumps have been preserved by remaining underwater. The forests around the lake are home to much wildlife, and beautiful wildflowers bloom along the trail all through the spring, summer, and fall.

Indian Boundary is two miles off the scenic Cherohala Skyway (TN Hwy 165, NC Hwy 143), about 16 miles east of Tellico Plains.
GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
35.40167, -84.10722
35°24'6"N, 84°6'26"W

Campsites can be reserved by calling 877-444-6777.

Make your camping reservations online, at least 4 days ahead of arrival, thru:
http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Indian_Boundary_Tn/r/campgroundBookingWindow.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70494
or
http://www.reserveamerica.com

During the winter, Indian Boundary Lake is drained for various projects.

We are sad to report that the March 2nd tornado leveled the KOA Tellico Plains Kampground in its path of destruction. The Kampground owners have plans to rebuild, and we look forward to seeing this wonderful facility reopen. In the meantime, Indian Boundary Campground will be a popular alternative for many campers.

For more information about Tellico Plains activities, events, and businesses, visit the Guide to Tellico Plains.

Smoke in the Mountains

Looking east from Tellico Plains you get a great view of the Smoky Mountains. But lately the "smoke" has been from burning. Don't be alarmed, this is part of the Cherokee National Forest's Prescribed Burning. Here is their news release:

"The Tellico Ranger District will be conducting three prescribed burns through April 15, 2012. The burns will be in the vicinities of Brushy Ridge, Turkey Creek, and Whigg Mountain. Neighboring communities should be advised that minimal smoke may be observed during the burning operations. 

USDA Forest Service officials say prescribed (controlled) fire is a useful tool for managing National Forest lands. Approximately 20,000 acres are scheduled for burning throughout the 650,000 acre Cherokee National Forest during 2012. A significant portion of the prescribed burning is planned for early spring."

Thank you to Debra and Mike Rogers for their photography, capturing the beauty of our mountains in every condition.