Big Fat Branch and Slickrock Creek Trail

There are many trailheads leading into the wilderness on either the Tennessee or North Carolina side. My favorite is the Big Fat Gap trail on the North Carolina side at an elevation of 3,060'. To see the best of what this area has to offer take the Hangover Lead South Trail to the 5,180' Hangover, where you have a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains. Early mornings here are typically e...

8:30 a.m. and we’re winding our way down Highway 129 near Robbinsville, NC. The fog is still thick over the Little Tennessee River as we slow down crossing the bridge into Graham County. “I think we missed it,” I say as we continue onward. Within minutes the Tapoco Lodge comes into view. My pre-hike reconnaissance tells me that the lodge is one mile past the trailhead. I turn around in a pull-o...

The beauty of this trail starts at the parking lot. Before you start the trail, you will find a picnic table near the parking lot and go down to the edge of the rolling stream. Its a great spot to hear the stream and take some pictures. If you are feeling adventurous you can try to hop from rock to rock to stand in the middle of the stream but be careful the rocks are very slippery. Once you st...

There are a few options for getting to Citico Creek, you can either go up the windy gravel road from US 411 or get off of the Cherohala Skyway and go down the mountain past the Indian Boundary campground. The Citico Creek campground has about 5 or 6 spots but is rarely full because it is very secluded. It is a free campground but it has no amenities including no bathrooms however there are bath...

The Cheoah River is a dam controlled section of whitewater that has become one of the "bucket runs" for Western, North Carolina. Located near Robbinsville, NC, the Cheoah is a non-stop class IV+ classic of constant gradient that delivers a Southeastern whitewater experience like no other. There are a number of spots to put in depending on length of time and section of river you want to run, b...

Gregory Bald via Twentymile is a loop trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Robbinsville, North Carolina.