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Cherokee National Forest

Forest Service1,228,298 acres · USDA Forest Service
Can you sleep here

Dispersed camping is generally allowed

On national forest and grassland, camping outside developed campgrounds is generally permitted unless an area is posted closed or a local order says otherwise. Stay on existing surfaces, camp away from water and trailheads, and check the forest's current orders before you go — fire restrictions change through the season.

Stay limit14 days in most forests — the exact limit is set per forest and district
In an RVDispersed sites are unimproved: no hookups, no water, no dump station, and access roads are often unsurfaced. Designated wilderness inside the unit is closed to all vehicles.
Rule36 CFR 261.58 — occupancy and use, set by forest order

Rules change with fire season and local order. Checked 2026-08-05. Confirm on the managing office’s official page

Area
1,919 sq mi
Managed by
Forest Service
Campgrounds
32
Longest rig
90 ft
The boundary

Where the land is, and what fits

The official Forest Service boundary with every campground we hold inside it. Tell it how long your rig is and the map keeps only what takes it — public land rarely matches the shape people picture, and neither does what you can actually get into.

Map loads as you scroll

Official unit boundary · USDA Forest Service · 32 campgrounds shown

32 of 32 campgrounds
About

Cherokee National Forest

The Cherokee National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the U.S. states of Tennessee and North Carolina that was created on June 14, 1920. The forest is maintained and managed by the United States Forest Service. It encompasses an estimated area of 655,598 acres (2,653.11 km2).

Extract from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA. Agency description not published.

Wilderness inside

No vehicles past these lines

Designated wilderness is closed to every wheeled vehicle, including bicycles. You can walk in and camp; you cannot drive or park a rig inside one.

  • Citico Creek Wilderness16,213 acres
  • Sampson Mountain Wilderness10,896 acres
  • Big Laurel Branch Wilderness10,764 acres
  • Upper Bald River Wilderness9,037 acres
  • Big Frog Wilderness8,502 acres
  • Pond Mountain Wilderness6,930 acres
  • Little Frog Mountain Wilderness5,635 acres
  • Unaka Mountain Wilderness4,463 acres
  • Bald River Gorge Wilderness3,791 acres
  • Gee Creek Wilderness2,580 acres
Scenic drives

Byways through this country

Lookouts

Places worth pulling over

Next door

National parks close enough to pair

Plan it

Drive to Cherokee the long way

Byway plans the road in, not just the destination — real places along the way, weighted to what you like, with nothing invented.

Plan a driveOfficial Forest Service page