Cocke County

Drivers know the stretch of Interstate 40 between Hartford, Tennessee, and Canton, North Carolina, as a white-knuckled experience wedged between concrete barriers and moving walls of tractor trailers. Passengers see soaring mountain peaks and the plunging Pigeon River Gorge. Locals know this as Cocke County—aka the “adventurous side of the Smokies” at the intersection of the Cherokee National Forest, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Pisgah National Forest.   

“The national forests provide the same scenic beauty and recreation opportunities as the national park, but can be a lot less crowded,” says Cheryl Summers, recreation manager for the Cherokee National Forest. Better yet, many of these outdoor opportunities are just a short drive or hike away from the busy I-40 corridor. Bonus: Though national park regulations prohibit mountain biking and hiking with dogs, no such restrictions apply on the trails and roads of Cherokee and Pisgah. Also permitted: horseback riding and operation of street-compliant, registered, off-road vehicles on certain state and county roads.

BASE CAMP Hartford and Cosby, Tennessee, make ideal bases for exploring the neighboring forests. Known as “the rafting capital of the Southeast,” Hartford is home to 11 outfitters conducting guided whitewater and scenic float trips on the Pigeon River, named for the extinct passenger pigeon. This thriving ecosystem supports rainbow trout, river otters, and nesting bald eagles and also hosts thousands of commercial rafting visitors and private boaters annually as the third most popular whitewater river in the United States.

Hartford features two riverside campgrounds: Foxfire Mountain Campground, or the new Pigeon River Campground. The closest hotels are in Newport, Tennessee, about 20 minutes west on I-40.

GO OFF ROAD The rafting put-in at the Waterville exit off I-40 provides a starting point for an excellent “gravel grind” bicycle ride. This route includes a shallow river crossing and is best suited for bikes that can handle off-road terrain. Not for the faint-of-heart, the three-hour trip “offers amazing climbing with unbelievable views that you will not see anywhere else on a mountain bike,” says Doug Sharp, coach of the Smoky Mountain Bears Mountain Bike Team.

Depart from the parking lot below the Waterville Bridge, and pedal upriver past the power plant. At the end of that road, turn left up Highway 32 (Mount Sterling Road) and climb 4.5 miles to the Mount Sterling trailhead. Turn left across from the trailhead onto logging road 287. At the crest of that climb, stay left and begin a nine-mile descent. Veer right on Forest Road 288 and ride 1.5 miles past Tower Road. Look for a pull-off on the left and a hanging rope marking the path to Buzzard’s Roost, where outstanding views await. Then backtrack 1.5 miles to turn right onto a rough “pig trail”—a beautiful riverside ride with a creek crossing. Once you return to Highway 32, turn right to coast 1.5 miles back to your car.

Another route with a birds-eye view is Rocky Top Road, not far from Hartford’s center. This destination provides an outstanding vista of the French Broad River Valley for mountain-bikers, horseback riders, and high-clearance four-wheel drive motorists. Along the summit of Rocky Top Road, the views are dramatic. Look for a Forest Service pull-over on one side, and on the opposite side, an unmarked dirt embankment. Scramble up that embankment to find a maintained one-mile footpath along the Rocky Top Ridge. After a steep climb, it’s a fairly level walk with soaring views. Make it a loop hike by returning to your car by road. Dogs must be leashed.

MORE ADVENTURES At the Smoky Mountain Premier RV Resort, Smoky Mountain Adventures operates Ultimate Terrain Vehicle tours. This is the first licensed off-road tour operator in the Cherokee National Forest, offering an off-road adventure that can last up to 2.5 hours. 

Horseback riders might want to head to the Harmon Den area, located in Pisgah National Forest. Here one can ride 15-plus miles on a series of loops composed of forest trails and roads. Harmon Den can be accessed off Interstate 40, exit 7, onto Cold Springs Road.

About the author: Olwen Claiborne is the marketing director for Smoky Mountain Outdoors (smokymountainrafting.com).