NANTAHALA GORGE
INFORMATION
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In the heart of western North Carolina, the Nantahala River Gorge
joins other wilderness and natural areas to create a vast recreational
paradise. With its close proximity to Asheville
NC, Atlanta
GA, Knoxville
TN and Greenville
SC, this area is a prime recreation and vacation destination.
This heavily forested area is perfect for outdoor activities; including whitewater rafting, canoe and kayaking, waterfalls, hiking, mtn. biking, horseback riding, fishing, camping / backpacking. As well as, serious shopping for antiques, and genuine Native American goods in Cherokee NC. The surrounding areas have main streets filled with eclectic shops, restaurants and plenty of activities to fill your time when you are not in the woods, or on the river. The Nantahala River, the heart of this area, is formed at the base
of a hydroelectric dam. Water is routed to the river through two
circular tubes, from the upstream side of the dam. The water originates
from the bottom of Nantahala Lake(map image ). As a result,
the Nantahala
River is a cool 50 degrees year-round. The river flows
down hill, along Hwy 19, headed toward Fontana Lake. Fontana
Lake, an enormous lake with just under 12,000 acres of
surface area, is held suspended in place by Fontana
Dam, the highest dam east of the Rockies, which holds
back 30 miles of water. The Appalachian
Trail, which meanders for 2,000 miles from Georgia
to Maine, crosses the Fontana Dam. Also, to the north, is the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, a national treasure, resting directly on the North Carolina - Tennessee border. This vast section of wilderness provides its own opportunities for recreation. The wilderness is filled with a variety of plant and animal life: several hundred species of birds reside year-round or migrate through, in the spring, the area is abundant with wildflowers and the wildlife includes bear, reintroduced elk, at Cataloochee and red wolves. A nature lover's dream and beautiful year-round, the Fall foliage in this area alone, is worth a trip. It should be no surprise why there are numerous groups working
to preserve this area and the area at large called the Little
Tennessee River Basin, an ecologically diverse section
of area, containing multiple rivers and streams, and stretching
over three states. Locally, in Bryson City, the Watershed Association
of the Tuckasegee
River and the Tuckasegee River Revitalization Project
are working to clean and protect the Tuckasegee River. In Franklin
NC, the Little
Tennessee Watershed Association is working to protect
the Little Tennessee, a river winding a great distance through western
North Carolina. |
NANTAHALA
RIVER RIVER
RAFTING PADDLING BOAT RENTALS |
