Nantahala National Forest and River
A while ago, we took a drive to Murphy, North Carolina in Cherokee County. We were looking for interesting places to camp that weren’t too far from home. The drive took us through the Nantahala National Forest and along the Nantahala River. This area is near the Great Smoky Mountains in Western North Carolina. The word, “Nantahala” is a Cherokee word meaning “Land of the Noonday Sun”. It’s a very beautiful part of our state! The Nantahala River is a favorite place for Whitewater Rafters, Canoeists, and Kayakers. I haven’t tried whitewater rafting but I think it would be fun! There were many places to rent a raft along our route.
Nantahala Outdoor Center-NOC
Along the Highway, we came upon this area, which had rafting centers(Nantahala Outdoor Center), zip lines, outdoor gear stores and more! It’s not far from Bryson City, North Carolina. We only stopped to take photos, but if you are into rafting, this is the place to be!
Nantahala River Rapids
We drove through the town of Murphy, North Carolina. It looked like a cute little town. I spotted some cool looking restaurants that we will have to try the next time we are there. We looked on Trip Advisor for “things to do” in Murphy and we found the Hiwassee Dam.
Hiwassee Dam
It sounded interesting so we headed in that direction. We actually drove over the Dam, which was pretty cool! Hiwassee Lake is a reservoir located about 9 miles from Murphy near Hiwassee Village, North Carolina. The reservoir serves recreational, power generation, and flood control purposes. It is surrounded by the Nantahala National Forest and almost right next to the Appalachia Reservoir(we didn’t check out this reservoir). We found a nice parking lot, picnic area, restrooms, and some information about the area.
Hiwassee Lake(reservoir)
It’s worth a little side trip if you are in the area. It’s a very peaceful place.