Camping, trails, maps & photo credits — Cherokee National Forest
Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee offers Forest Service recreation at Indian Boundary Recreation Area, Parksville Lake Campground. For a walking or hiking visit, start with Indian Boundary Recreation Area, Parksville Lake Campground. Each recreation site has its own facilities and access rules; use the official maps and current site instructions to plan your visit.
Camping & reservations
The booking button opens the published reservation system for Indian Boundary Recreation Area. Other campgrounds in this forest may use different reservations, first-come sites or permits. Check each named site.
Indian Boundary Recreation Area ↗
If you are looking for a base camp to explore the vicinity or a destination campground with modern facilities and a family atmosphere, try Indian Boundary Recreation Area (IBRA), accessed off Cherohala Skyway. Over 87 campsites are equipped with firerings, picnic tables, lantern posts and electrical hookups, with easy access to drinking water, showers, flush toilet facilities and an on-site dump station. Day use facilities include a 96-acre lake, swim beach, small boat launch, accessible fishing pier and 3.6 mile hike/bike trail around the lake. Did you forget something? Don't sweat it! The Indian Boundary General Store can meet your camping supply needs ranging from bread to firewood, as well as a souvenir for you to remember your trip to IBRA. Indian Boundary Recreation Area Map Indian Boundary Recreation Area Guide
Reservations: Rec.gov
Site rules: Food storage restrictions apply at all areas on the Cherokee National Forest. All food and beverages must be stored in an approved bear-proof container, your locked vehicle or hard-sided camper at all times unless being eaten, prepared, or transported. Maximum of 5 people and 2 vehicles at each site.
Parksville Lake Campground ↗
Located near Parksville Lake, this popular campground is divided by Highway 30 into an RV campground and a tent/group campground. The RV sites are well shaded and well spaced and many will accomodate large RVs. Several sites offer the opportunity for two RVs to camp close together and some are located along a small stream. The group sites are set up with tent pads around a central fire ring and picnic table area. Convenient to the Ocoee River, Parksville Lake beaches and boat ramps, many miles of mountain bike/hiking trails and whitewater rafting, it’s a great central location for day trips. Parksville Lake Campground Map and Guide
Site rules: Food storage restrictions apply at all areas on the Cherokee National Forest. All food and beverages must be stored in an approved bear-proof container, your locked vehicle or hard-sided camper at all times unless being eaten, prepared, or transported. Maximum of 5 people and 2 vehicles at each site.
Truck-camping & permitted overnight use
Located near Parksville Lake, this popular campground is divided by Highway 30 into an RV campground and a tent/group campground. The RV sites are well shaded and well spaced and many will accomodate large RVs. Several sites offer the opportunity for two RVs to camp close together and some are located along a small stream. The group sites are set up with tent pads around a central fire ring and picnic table area. Convenient to the Ocoee River, Parksville Lake beaches and boat ramps, many miles of mountain bike/hiking trails and whitewater rafting, it’s a great central location for day trips. Parksville Lake Campground Map and Guide
The official recreation inventory lists Citico Creek Area, Tellico River Area, French Broad River Area for dispersed camping. Read each site’s current rules; this does not authorize camping on every forest road.
Citico Creek Area ↗ — This area provides opportunities for solitude and backcountry experiences. You will find ample opportunities for fishing, horseback riding, camping, and hiking. With more than 20,000 acres of Wilderness in Citico Creek and Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock, this area provides ample opportunities for solitude and backcountry experiences. Catch both native and stocked trout in Citico Creek and its rugged tributaries, and fish for small-mouth bass and catfish in the creek’s lower reaches. Citico Creek Area Map Citico Creek Area Guide
Tellico River Area ↗ — This area provides outstanding opportunities for fishing, camping, hiking, and scenic driving. It is also home to the popular Indian Boundary Recreation Area and the Cherohala Skyway. Nearly 30,000 acres of remote backcountry surround three rivers and their tributaries, where fishing for brown, rainbow and brook trout is excellent. Cherohala Skyway (TN 165/NC143), a 43-mile National Scenic Byway, winds between Tellico Plains, Tenn. and Robbinsville, N.C. Tellico River Road (FR 210) offers intimate views of the river and 90-foot Bald River Falls. Spend the night at the historic Donley Cabin and check out CCC structures at Tellico Ranger…
French Broad River Area ↗ — This area’s wooded mountainsides and creek gorges are linked by an extensive road and trail system. Activities include fishing, hiking, horseback riding, creek play and camping. At Paint Creek, camping, fishing, swimming and picnicking are popular activities. Other water-based opportunities include driving along scenic Brush Creek or exploring warm-water Allen Branch or Paint Creek ponds. Enjoy the scenery from horseback on 35 miles of multi-use trails, also open to mountain bikers and hikers. The Appalachian Scenic Trail lies along the eastern edge of this area. French Broad River Area Map French Broad River Area Guide
Activities, hiking & trails
Indian Boundary Recreation Area ↗
If you are looking for a base camp to explore the vicinity or a destination campground with modern facilities and a family atmosphere, try Indian Boundary Recreation Area (IBRA), accessed off Cherohala Skyway. Over 87 campsites are equipped with firerings, picnic tables, lantern posts and electrical hookups, with easy access to drinking water, showers, flush toilet facilities and an on-site dump station. Day use facilities include a 96-acre lake, swim beach, small boat launch, accessible fishing pier and 3.6 mile hike/bike trail around the lake. Did you forget something? Don't sweat it! The Indian Boundary General Store can meet your camping supply needs ranging from bread to firewood, as well as a souvenir for you to remember your trip to IBRA. Indian Boundary Recreation Area Map Indian Boundary Recreation Area Guide
Parksville Lake Campground ↗
Located near Parksville Lake, this popular campground is divided by Highway 30 into an RV campground and a tent/group campground. The RV sites are well shaded and well spaced and many will accomodate large RVs. Several sites offer the opportunity for two RVs to camp close together and some are located along a small stream. The group sites are set up with tent pads around a central fire ring and picnic table area. Convenient to the Ocoee River, Parksville Lake beaches and boat ramps, many miles of mountain bike/hiking trails and whitewater rafting, it’s a great central location for day trips. Parksville Lake Campground Map and Guide
Coon Den Falls Hike ↗
A steep and rocky trail follows Coon Den Branch for nearly 1.5 miles on its way to meet the Appalachian National Scenic Trail atop the ridge. The 50-foot cascading falls lie halfway up the trail and are best viewed after leaf-off.
Indian Boundary lake trail and Tellico River area ↗
The Forest Service identifies the Indian Boundary lake trail (#129) as a 3.2-mile hike/bike loop. The Tellico River area also provides access to the Benton MacKaye Trail. Use the current official map and check local closures before choosing a route.
Maps & road access
- Official visitor maps, trail maps and Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) ↗
- All Forest Visitor Maps ↗
- Interactive Recreation Maps ↗
- Official interactive Forest Service visitor map (search by forest) ↗
- Ocoee Ranger District MVUM 2024 ↗
- Ocoee MVUM Seasonal and Special Vehicle Designations ↗
- Tellico Ranger District MVUM 2024 ↗
- Tellico MVUM Seasonal and Special Vehicle Designations ↗
- Unaka Ranger District MVUM 2024 ↗
- Unaka MVUM Seasonal and Special Vehicle Designations ↗
- Watauga Ranger District MVUM 2024 ↗
The Forest Service describes Tellico River Road (Forest Road 210) as narrow and winding, and North River Road (Forest Road 217) as gravel. Check current access orders and the MVUM before using either. A designated motor route is not a guarantee that it is passable or suitable for your vehicle.
Use the official directions for the exact named campground or trailhead; forest boundaries and administrative offices are not campsite entrances. Official directions / site access ↗
Before you travel
Check current Citico Creek flood-closure orders and the Warden Field day-use restriction before selecting a campsite. Review current road access, fire orders and seasonal campground services. Download official maps before entering areas with limited reception.
Source review: 2026-11-01. Conditions, fees, permits and availability can change. USDA Forest Service official information ↗
Photograph sources & licensing
Banner: Twilight trees at Ocoee Lake
Twilight Trees of Ocoee Lake Twilight scene featuring trees in water along Lake Ocoee in Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee (USA). This photo is offered under a standard Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported . It gives you a lot of…
Credit: Nicolas Raymond. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.
Second large photograph: Bald River Falls, Cherokee National Forest
Bald River Falls Long exposure photo of Bald River Falls from the Cherokee National Forest in Tellico Plains, Tennessee (USA). This photo is offered under a standard Creative Commons License - Attribution 3.0 Unported . It gives you a lot of freedom…
Credit: Nicolas Raymond. Original source ↗ · CC BY 2.0 ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.
Photographs are real images of the named unit; no AI-generated photographs are used. Federal photo credit register.