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USFS Rec Sites Now Open in the Mountains

The U.S. Forest Service National Forests in North Carolina today announced that numerous campgrounds and recreation sites in the Nantahala and Pisgah national forests are now open for the 2016 season. The following are open now:

Campgrounds

Nantahala National Forest

  • Cable Cove (Cheoah District)
  • Cheoah Point (Cheoah District)
  • Horse Cove (Cheoah District)
  • Rattler Ford Group Camp (Cheoah District)
  • Tsali (Cheoah District)
  • Appletree Group Camp (Nantahala District)
  • Balsam Lake Lodge (Nantahala District)
  • Standing Indian, including Kimsey Creek Group Camp and Hurricane Horse Camp (Nantahala District)
  • Van Hook Glade (Nantahala District)

Pisgah National Forest

  • Curtis Creek (Grandfather District)
  • Mortimer (Grandfather District)
  • Cove Creek Group Camp (Pisgah District)
  • Davidson River (Pisgah District)
  • Kuykendall Group Camp (Pisgah District)
  • Lake Powhatan (Pisgah District)
  • North Mills River (Pisgah District)
  • Sunburst Recreation Area (Pisgah District) – waterless toilets and no drinking water until mid-May
  • Wash Creek Group Camp (Pisgah District)
  • White Pines Group Camp (Pisgah District)

Day-use Areas

Also open are:

  • Nantahala National Forest
  • Cheoah Point Beach (Cheoah District)
  • Cliffside Lake (Nantahala District)
  • Nantahala River facilities (Nantahala District)
  • Wayah Bald (Nantahala District)
  • Cherokee Lake (Tusquitee District)
  • Hanging Dog (Tusquitee District)
  • Pisgah National Forest
  • Murray Branch (Appalachian District)
  • Old Fort (Grandfather District)
  • Table Rock (Grandfather District)
  • Lake Powhatan (Pisgah District)
  • North Mills River (Pisgah District)

Many other day use areas in Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are open year-round.

Off-Highway Vehicle Trail Complexes are also open now:

  • Wayehutta (Nantahala National Forest)
  • Brown Mountain (Pisgah National Forest)
  • Opening later this month:
  • Black Mountain Campground (Appalachian District) – 4/15
  • Briar Bottom Group Camp (Appalachian District) – 4/15
  • Carolina Hemlocks Recreation Area (Appalachian District) – 4/15
  • Poplar Boat Launch (Pisgah NF, Appalachian District) – 4/15
  • Stackhouse Boat Launch (Appalachian District) – 4/15
  • Linville Gorge Information Cabin (Grandfather District) – 4/29

Opening May 1:

  • Hanging Dog Campground (Nantahala NF, Tusquitee District)
  • Jackrabbit Mountain Campground and Beach (Nantahala NF, Tusquitee District)
  • Harmon Den Horse Camp (Pisgah NF, Appalachian District)
  • Opening the weekend before Memorial Day:
  • Roan Mountain (Pisgah NF, Appalachian District)
  • Rocky Bluff Campground (Pisgah NF, Appalachian District)
  • Sliding Rock, with lifeguards on duty and facilities open (Pisgah NF, Pisgah District)

For more information about recreation in the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests, visit www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc and click on “Recreation,” or click here.