Oconaluftee River Trail

Swing into summer.

If you've ever wanted to do your best Tarzan impression and swing on a rope followed by a deep dive into a cool, clear river, we have the adventure for you. Though the rope swing we’re describing is a little challenging to get to, most agree it’s well worth your while to find. There are two routes: either begin with a tubing adventure on the Oconaluftee, so you eventually float down and find the area the locals refer to as Piney Grove Beach or take Big Cove Road and take a local with you. It isn’t easy to find if you take the road, but very easy if you access it via tube. You’ll discover the rope swing is part of a big swimming hole near the river, so there’s plenty of fun to go around. The Cherokee Welcome Center can get you started in the right direction.

800.438.1601

Explore Judaculla's Dance Hall, known as Devil's Courthouse, another scenic destination for giant chasers. Beyond it, Looking Glass Rock and Pilot Knob carry stories of the giant and make great picnic spots. 

View Judaculla’s Farm, now called Judaculla Old Fields, from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and then fish for trout in the Tuckaseegee River.

Take a scenic hike to Judaculla Rock to see the ancient petroglyphs considered by the Cherokee people to be Judaculla’s footprint.

Cherokee is situated just outside the gateway to the legendary Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the most beautiful, biodiverse parks in the Southeast. World-class hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and horseback riding are available in this wooded paradise at Cherokee’s doorstep.

Visit Mingus Mill near the Mountain Farm Museum, and explore one of the most historic sites in the region, surrounded by some of Cherokee country’s finest hiking trails and numerous historic landmarks. Mingus Mill is the ideal place for those looking to immerse themselves in the natural world of the Cherokee people.