The water is dam controlled so you’ll want to plan around 10 weekends based on the Cheoah River Release Schedule for 2012.

The Cheoah River whitewater is normally tamed by Santeetlah Dam, but starting in 2005 the water was released under a Relicensing Settlement Agreement.

Now daring kayak enthusiasts and rafters take to the Cheoah River to tackle Class IV and V whitewater on limited release dates.   For 2012 the waters will be unleashed on 20 scheduled days but heavy rains will sometimes provide additional release dates.  There were quite a few bonus release date in 2011 due to the heavy rains in Western Northe Carolina. Here is the…

Cheoah River Release Schedule for 2012

February 25 & 26 (Saturday & Sunday)
March 17, 18 & 19 (Saturday, Sunday & Monday)
April 14, 15 & 16 (Saturday, Sunday & Monday)
April 28 & 29 (Saturday & Sunday)
May 5 & 6 (Saturday & Sunday)
May 19 & 20 (Saturday & Sunday)
May 26 & 27 (Saturday & Sunday)
July 7 & 8 (Saturday & Sunday)
September 1 (Saturday)
November 3 (Saturday)

The Cheoah River runs along US HWY 129 outside of Robbinsville in Graham County North Carolina and offers 9 miles of heart pounding adventure. Nearby is the famous Tail of the Dragon or Dragon at Deals Gap, where car and motorcycle drivers test their skills on the sharp 318 turns in 11 miles.

This is considered challenging whitewater with prior experience and/or guides suggested. Cheoah River Guided trips are offered by:

* Nantahala Outdoor Center

* Wildwater Rafting

* USA Raft

* Endless River Adventures

Even if you don’t take to the water during the release dates it is fun to watch the kayaks and rafts navigate the river, especially the water fall in the Cheoah River Photos featured in this post. (Oh and to Mikayla from NOC… go back to studying…your summer whitewater will be here soon!)

You’ll see all the cars parked on the side of the road about 3/4 of the way down the Cheoah River before Tapoco Lodge. The historic Topoco Lodge reopened for business in 2011 and offers lodging and food.

The dam is controlled by the Tapoca division of Alcoa and they post this disclaimer on their site: Water release schedules and flow levels posted by Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI) as directed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice.

Click the link to view the official 2012 Cheoah River Release Schedule at Alcoa.

Can you say big?  While not as large as the Redwoods in California, these hardwoods are most impressive at 20 feet around and some of the largest trees you can see in the Eastern United States. 

On our last visit we pulled into the paved parking area right around noon and were greeted by a member of the Forest Service staff under the informational pavilion.  The trail is well marked with maps readily available, so no worries if a ranger isn’t present.

The full trail is 2 miles long and made up of two primary loops that form an elongated figure eight. The lower loop is about 1.25 miles with the upper loop clocking in at .75 of a mile.  While most people head over the bridge to the left to start the trail, we prefer heading out on the right.  This is an easier incline route saving the steepest part for downhill on the way back!

The two loops intersect at the middle where you can find the official Memorial plaque to Joyce Kilmer.  He was a soldier and a poet (yes, Joyce is a dude) that was killed in action during WWI.  He wrote that poem about Trees that starts out ….. “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree…..”

We finished the full two miles in an hour with photo op stops along the way.  It took about 35 minutes on the lower loop and 25 minutes on the upper loop.  We were walking at a pretty good clip so allow somewhere between 1- ½ hours.

You can hike all or a portion of the trail but if you want to see the big grand daddy trees, be sure to complete the upper loop called Poplar Cove.  Most of the larger trees can be viewed on this upper loop so keep going once you get to the Memorial plaque.

The trail is packed dirt with quite a few tree roots and rocks to step over. A sturdy and comfortable pair of hiking type shoes is recommended.  The views of the towering trees and lush forest undergrowth are set against the sound of babbling Lake Santeetlah Creek making for a memorable experience.

Getting There…….

There are two routes to reach the entrance of the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.  Both routes are well marked, on paved two lane roads, and easily reached by motorcycle or car.  What route you take really depends on what end of Lake Santeetlah you start from. 

From Robbinsville: Head North on US 129 for about a mile then turn left onto NC 143 West.  Travel about 12 miles and take a right turn on Joyce Kilmer Road SR 1134.  Go about two miles and turn left into the forest entrance.

From The Dragon on US129:  Heading South on US 129 turn right onto SR 1134/1147 then take the next right onto Joyce Kilmer Road SR 1134 following the signs to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.  The road meanders around the west end of Lake Santeetlah for about 6 miles.  When you reach the stop sign just go straight into the entrance of the forest.  If you turn left at the stop sign (instead of going straight) and travel 2 miles you will reach NC 143 W at the start of the Cherohala Skyway.  This is a great short cut when riding back from the Dragon that takes about 8 miles total from US 129 to NC 143 and saves mileage if you don’t want to head back into Robbinsville. 

The Cheoah River runs along US HWY 129 outside of Robbinsville in Graham County North Carolina and offers 9 miles of heart pounding adventure. Nearby is the famous Tail of the Dragon or Dragon at Deals Gap, where car and motorcycle drivers test their skills on the sharp 318 turns in 11 miles.

The whitewater on the Cheoah is normally tamed by Santeetlah Dam, but starting in 2005 the water schedule was released under a Relicensing Settlement Agreement.

The waters will be unleashed on 19 scheduled days but heavy rains will sometimes provide additional release dates.  Here is the…

Cheoah River Release Schedule for 2011

February 19 & 20 (Saturday & Sunday)
March 19, 20 & 21 (Saturday, Sunday & Monday)
April 2 & 2 (Saturday & Sunday)
April 9 & 10 (Saturday & Sunday)
April 16 & 17 (Saturday & Sunday)
May 14 & 15 (Saturday & Sunday)
May 21 & 22 (Saturday & Sunday)
June 18 & 19 (Saturday & Sunday)
October 1 (Saturday)
November 5 (Saturday)

The dam is controlled by the Tapoca division of Alcoa and they post this disclaimer on their site: Water release schedules and flow levels posted by Alcoa Power Generating Inc. (APGI) as directed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are for informational purposes only and are subject to change without notice. Click the link to view the official 2011 Cheoah River Release Schedule at Alcoa.

This is considered challenging whitewater with prior experience and/or guides suggested.  Even if you don’t take to the water during the release dates it is fun to watch the kayaks and rafts navigate the river, especially the water fall in the photo.  You’ll see all the cars parked on the side of the road about 3/4 of the way down the Cheoah River before Tapoca Lodge.

Sure, motorcycles and sports car clubs may get a lot of attention in these parts, especially at The Dragon on US 129,  but 4×4’s certainly have a lot to choose from.

Look at any local map and you will find plenty of roads that send shivers up the spine of a motorcyclist or someone that has to wax their car every other week. These roads – typically a “dotted” line on the map – were meant for you! 

Top of the list are the trails located at the Upper Tellico ORV Area.  These great off road trails are part of the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina near the Tennessee border. The cost to access is only $10.00 for a one-day pass available at a self-service pay station located at the two entrances (or exits depending on where you enter and leave)! 

With something for every skill level this off-road paradise is frequented by Four Wheel Drive Clubs from all over.  In fact members of the Southern 4WD Association help maintain the public trails.

Unless you are sporting a GPS with trail maps, you are going to need to obtain a map through the Tusquitee Ranger District at 123 Woodland Drive in Murphy, NC (Phone 828-837-5152).   You can also download in PDF from the Forest Service. While there is a map for viewing at the entrance, they are not available to take with you. 

It is also a good idea to pay attention to the difficulty ratings. Don’t confuse the trail numbers (ranging from 1 through 12) with the ratings or you could end up down a road that you or your vehicle is not ready for. 

With that said, there are plenty of trails for the newbie. Trail #1 or Tipton Creek Trail is rated easy and really nothing more than a gravel road that cuts through the Unicoi mountains and connects both entrances. Four-wheel drive is actually not needed for this road but unless you want to fling rocks at your wheels, we recommend a pick-up or SUV at a minimum. 

Step it up with Trails #4 or #5. On our first visit we ran into someone at the entrance that knew the area well and pointed us in the right direction but you will find plenty of well-marked trails along the way. We took #1 to trail #5. Going up (and down) trail #5 was a great taste of going off road.  You have the option to turn around when you hit trail #4 and come back down the hill. No question – you will need 4WD and above average clearance. We opt for the Jeep Wrangler and leave the motorcycles at home for the ORV area.

Looking for more 4×4 information? Check out the Southern Four Wheel Drive Association for great local trail information and organized events. 

Getting There…..

The Northwest Entrance is probably the easiest entrance site to locate.  From Tellico Plains, TN take Highway 165, also known as the Cherohala Skyway.  From Hwy165 turn onto Forest Service Road #210 and follow until the pavement runs out to reach Upper Tellico ORV Area. This route also gives you an opportunity to visit Bald River Falls on your way there. If you are on street bikes #210 is a nice paved two lane road to travel along the Tellico River but you will probably want to turn around when it turns to gravel at the ORV area.  

When you are done playing around the ORV area you can head back on #210 or elect to take Trail #1 to the Southwest Entrance and head towards Murphy, NC.  You are on gravel for about 8.5 miles and then hit pavement around Davis Creek Road.  Turn left at Hanging Dog Road, left at Joe Brown Highway, and follow the signs into Murphy, NC (about a 20 mile drive into town).