TN · Southeast
7 forest guides within driving distance
North Carolina's Nantahala National Forest is the most visited national forest in the Eastern United States. Over 531,000 acres of Southern Appalachian terrain host the Appalachian Trail, old-growth Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, and some of the highest waterfalls in the East.
7 min read
Complete guide to Pisgah National Forest in western North Carolina. Trail recommendations, campgrounds, waterfalls, Blue Ridge Parkway access, and trip planning resources.
13 min read
Complete guide to Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests in Georgia. Trail recommendations, campgrounds, waterfalls, Appalachian Trail access, and trip planning resources.
15 min read
Cherokee National Forest flanks Great Smoky Mountains National Park across 655,000 acres of Tennessee's Blue Ridge and Unaka Mountains, offering waterfalls, high-country meadows, and some of the best trout fishing in the South.
7 min read
Daniel Boone National Forest spans 708,000 acres of rugged Kentucky hill country, offering sandstone arches, deep gorges, and the largest concentration of natural arches east of the Rockies.
8 min read
371,000 acres across three South Carolina districts, from the Piedmont hills of the Andrew Pickens District to the coastal plain Long Cane and Enoree Districts, with Chattooga Wild and Scenic River, waterfalls, and Appalachian foothills hiking.
7 min read
Oconee National Forest protects 115,000 acres of Georgia Piedmont forest along the Oconee River tributaries, offering accessible hiking, fishing, and camping near Atlanta and Macon.
5 min read
A 2.0-mile figure-eight loop through one of the last remaining old-growth cove hardwood forests in the Eastern United States. Yellow poplars exceeding 20 feet in circumference grow here, making this short walk one of the most striking forest experiences in the Southeast.
5 min read
Bald River Falls Trail is a 2.5-mile out-and-back walk through the Tellico River corridor to one of Tennessee's most photogenic waterfalls, where Bald River drops 100 feet directly into the main river.
3 min read
Unicoi Mountain Trail climbs 4.2 miles out and back through old-growth forest remnants to a ridge with views east into North Carolina, one of the quieter ridge hikes in Cherokee National Forest.
3 min read
A 10.0-mile loop along the ridgeline rim of the Fires Creek watershed in the southern Nantahala National Forest. Remote backcountry terrain, sustained ridgeline views, and minimal foot traffic make this one of the most rewarding long loops in the southern Appalachians.
4 min read
Guide to the Max Patch hike on the Appalachian Trail in Pisgah National Forest. A 2.4-mile loop to a grassy bald with 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains.
9 min read
An 8.0-mile out-and-back on the Appalachian Trail through the Nantahala National Forest section near Wayah Bald. The route traverses high-elevation ridgelines with views, rhododendron tunnels, and classic Southern Appalachian AT character.
4 min read
A 4.0-mile out-and-back to the 4,627-foot Wayah Bald summit and its historic stone observation tower. The hike follows the Appalachian Trail and offers some of the best 360-degree views in the southern Appalachians.
4 min read
Coker Creek Falls Trail is a 3.0-mile loop visiting a 25-foot cascade in the Coker Creek watershed, one of the better-maintained and least crowded waterfall trails in Cherokee National Forest's southern unit.
3 min read
Yahoo Falls Trail combines Kentucky's tallest waterfall with Yahoo Arch and several rock shelters in a 3.5-mile loop through the Big South Fork corridor of Daniel Boone National Forest.
3 min read
The Clemmer Trail is a 3.8-mile out-and-back ridge hike on Chilhowee Mountain in Cherokee National Forest's southern unit, with lake views over Parksville Lake and easy access from US-64.
3 min read
The 9.0-mile out-and-back to Standing Indian Mountain follows the Appalachian Trail to the highest point in the Georgia-North Carolina area south of the Smokies. The 5,499-foot summit delivers 360-degree views across the Southern Appalachians.
4 min read
An 8.0-mile out-and-back along the Bartram Trail in Nantahala National Forest, following the historic route of naturalist William Bartram through the Southern Appalachians. Ridgeline walking, mountain views, and rich wildflower corridors.
4 min read
The Ocoee Section of the Benton MacKaye Trail covers 5.5 miles out and back through the Ocoee River corridor, offering river views and ridge walking in Cherokee National Forest's southern unit.
3 min read
A short but dramatic 1.0-mile out-and-back to a quartzite summit at 5,462 ft in Pisgah National Forest, offering 360-degree views into North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee.
7 min read
Guide to Black Balsam Knob in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina. A 3.5-mile out-and-back on the Art Loeb Trail to an open Appalachian bald at 6,214 feet with 360-degree views over the Southern Appalachian high country.
7 min read
Guide to the Shining Rock hike via the Art Loeb Trail in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina. A 7.6-mile out-and-back to a white quartz outcropping at 5,940 feet.
6 min read
Guide to the Graveyard Fields Loop off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Pisgah National Forest. A 3.2-mile loop through a unique high-altitude valley with two waterfalls and exceptional fall color.
10 min read
Guide to hiking Brasstown Bald via the Freeman Trail in Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, Georgia. A 6.2-mile out-and-back to the state's highest point at 4,784 feet, with views into four states and a staffed visitor center at the summit.
7 min read
Guide to Moore Cove Falls in Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina. A 1.4-mile out-and-back through a flat forest cove to a 50-foot waterfall you can walk behind, near Brevard, NC.
8 min read
Guide to the Looking Glass Rock Trail in Pisgah National Forest. A challenging 6.2-mile out-and-back hike to the summit of one of the most iconic peaks in the southern Appalachians.
8 min read
A 4.0-mile out-and-back through old-growth forest in Pisgah National Forest to a 45-foot waterfall on Courthouse Creek, one of the quieter cascades in western North Carolina.
7 min read
A 5.0-mile out-and-back to the historic Ellicott Rock, the boundary marker of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, through the federally designated Ellicott Rock Wilderness on the Chattooga River.
4 min read
A 1.0-mile out-and-back to the upper overlook of Whitewater Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in the Eastern United States. The cascade drops over 400 feet on the Whitewater River near the North Carolina-South Carolina border.
4 min read
A 4-mile round trip to the tri-state boundary marker of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia in the Ellicott Rock Wilderness of Sumter National Forest, through old-growth cove hardwood forest.
3 min read