Nantahala National Forest

From almost every vantage point in the Clay County communities of Brasstown, Hayesville, Shooting Creek, Tusquittee Valley, and Warne, one can view beautifully forested rounded peaks of the oldest mountains in the United Statesthe Appalachians’ Blue Ridge Range. This range includes mountains which cover almost all of the County’s 219 square miles, including Tusquittee Bald, Potrock Bald, and Johnson Bald. Before 1941, as part of a forest preservation effort, the United States Government added to the domain of its National Forest Service by purchasing most of the forest land, including that on the mountains, from individuals who lived here.

Today the Forest Service oversees approximately 60% of the County’s land, including portions of forests surrounding Lake Chatuge. Within the County’s boundary, there are 136,096 acres, of which 110,096 are forested lands, including 65,934 owned and maintained by the Federal Government as part of the Nantahala National Forest. Adjacent to Lake Chatuge, the forest covers 700 acres (Dave Wright, Recreation Program Manger, Nantahala National Forest; via NFNC FAX of February 12, 2007).

Before the TVA built Chatuge Dam and its Lake, there were only 70,162 acres remaining in forest land that was not owned by the U. S. Government and, therefore, available for cultivation and development. When the Dam’s construction was finished in 1942, an additional 5,533 acres were eliminated from the available land. TVA’s original purchase in both Georgia and North Carolina was ll,065 acres (Hiwassee Valley Projects TVA Technical Report Number 5, The Appalachia, Ocoee Number 3, Nottely, and Chatuge Projects , Volume 2, l948). This figure represents approximately half of the acreage in Clay County. This left approximately 59,097 acres in forests and open land held by individuals in Clay County.

The National Forest in Clay County has abundant streams and creeks, and many are named for Native Americans and the early pioneers (see Chapter on Legends and Area Landmarks). Most of these creeks are tributaries of the major stream, the Hiwassee River, which altogether creates the Hiwassee Watershed. The River connects Georgia with North Carolina through Lake Chatuge, and runs through the Nantahala National Forest northwesterly to the Tennessee River, then to the Ohio River that flows into the Mississippi River. Therefore, Clay County is connected with the Gulf of Mexico!

Besides upkeep of forest land, the Forest Service maintains various campgrounds, including in the Jackrabbit Recreation Area at Lake Chatuge (100 campsites), the Bristol Horse Campground (7 sites), and the Fires Creek Hunter Camp, which has undesignated sites in an open field with a toilet facility. In addition, the Forest Service maintains a boat ramp, picnic, and swimming areas at the Jackrabbit Recreation Area, and an additional picnic area at the Fires Creek location, west of Hayesville, not on the Lake (Wright, Ibid.). See more information on Entertainment and Outdoor Recreation.

    The County’s economy profits from the amount of tourists who visit here and use the various facilities provided by the Forest Service, especially at Lake Chatuge, through the months of April through October and during wild game hunting season in the National Forest. In addition, harvesting timber is permitted on Forest Service lands with a percentage of proceeds given back to the County to help support the local school system. The amount returned has been averaging $50,000 per year.