Watauga Ranger District (Cherokee)

The Watauga Ranger District in Cherokee National Forest comprises forest lands in northeastern corner of Tennessee along the border of Virginia and North Carolina.  The district contains many miles of hiking and multi-use trails, including the Appalachian Trail, campgrounds, numerous waterfalls and Watauga Lake.

Contact Information:

4400 Unicoi Drive

Unicoi, TN 37692

Phone: (423) 735-1500

Areas:

Backbone Rock Recreation Area:

Backbone Rock Recreation Area has a campground, picnic area and hiking trails surrounding a spur ridge of Holston Mountain.

Dennis Cove Recreation Area:

Dennis Cove Recreation Area has a campground and many miles of trails located outside Hampton.

Pond Mountain Wilderness:

Pond Mountain Wilderness protects over 6,000 acres surrounding Pond Mountain near Watauga Lake.

Waterfalls:

1. Backbone Falls
2. Blue Hole Falls
3. Coon Den Falls
4. Jones Falls
5. Laurel Fork Falls
6. Splash Dam Falls

External Links:

US Forest Service website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/cherokee/recarea/?recid=70975