The Highland Ranger District covers nearly, 105,000 acres in Macon, Jackson, and Transylvania counties. Within it, you'll find the 39,000 Roy Taylor Forest, which has some off-road vehicle trails and the rugged Tuckasegee Gorge, which is in the Jackson County next to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Highlands District also contains two National and Wild Scenic Rivers, the Chattooga and the Horsepasture.  The Chattooga, on which the movie "Deliverance" was filmed, is very popular with whitewater rafters, but only after it passes the South Carolina/Georgia border.  No canoeing is permitted on either river within the district. The Horsepasture River is noted for its five waterfalls.  Other famous waterfalls in this district include  Whitewater Falls, Glen Falls, Dry Falls, and Cullasaja Falls.  Some of these cascades are found along the Cullasaja Gorge,  another unbelievably rugged gorge in the area.  You'll pass harrowingly close to it when you take  U.S. 64 from Highlands to Franklin.
One of the most famous mountains in the Nantahala Forest is Whiteside Mountain,  between Highlands and Cashier off U.S. 64 on the eastern Continental Divide.  Said to be one of the oldest mountains on earth, it rises more than 2,100 feet from the valley floor to an elevation of 4,930 feet.  It"s spectacular north and south faces contain sheer cliffs ranging from 400 to 750 feet in height.  They were formed of metamorphic rock commonly called Whiteside granite, a gneiss containing a high conent of feldspar, quartz and mica, along with such minerals as pyrite and rare monazite.   The white streaks seen on its south face are feldspar and quartz.  These do not show up on the north face because of lichens and mosses covering the stone.  Cherokees called the mountain the "Sitting Down Place," because they camped and rested here near a spring on their travels in the area.  Spanish explorers were also here; there is a two inch inscription in Spanish that some think was left by one of Hernando Desoto's men in 1540.
A two mile loop trail, designated as a National Recreation Trail,  is on the top of the mountain.
It offers unparalleed views of the east, south, and west, where you will see at least 27 other peaks, the Cashiers Valley and the upper Chattooga River watershed.  From the northeast side of the loop, you can take a three-quarter-mile trail to Devil's Courthouse, where you'll get a breathtaking view of the headwaters of the Chattooga River.  To reach the mountains, drive 6.9 miles from  the main Highlands intersection on U.S. 64 going toward Cashiers and turn onto Whiteside Mountain Road. From Cashiers, the turn is just past the Jackson/Macon county line.  After about mile, you will arrive at the mountain's parking area and the trail that follows the edge of the cliffs. Use extreme caution with children and pets.  This is a popular place for rock climbers from February through June to protect nesting peregrine falcons.
 Cliffside Lake and the Vanhook Recreation Areas, off U.S. 64 between Highlands and Franklin, form one of the district's most popular camping, swimming and fishing areas. Because it is often full, you may want to check with one of the two other campgrounds in the general area if you can't get into Vanhook.
The Blue Valley Primitive Camping area, with 28 camp sites, is 6 miles south of Highlands on N.C. 28 and then 3 miles on a gravel road ino the valley.  There is a pit toilet, but no water supply has been developed, so boil stream water before drinking.  The Ammons Branch Primitive Camping Area is located about 10 miles east of Highlands.  To reach it go through Horse Cove. When the pavement ends, bear right onto Bull Pen Road for approximately 1.5 miles.  The campground with three picnic tables and a pit toilet is on the right, and the stream water will have to be boiled.
Murphy North Carolina Your Mountain View Specialist Coldwell Banker High Country Realty               866-835-8500         866-835-8500 or               321-279-1049         321-279-1049 Jack Shingler.