Cherokee NC is the end of the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway comes to an end at Milepost 469 in Cherokee, North Carolina. Cherokee NC is located a the southern entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Cherokee NC is located south of the Great Smoky Mountains in the Oconcluftee River Valley. Cherokee is the gateway to both the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It is the headquarters for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Cherokee is a tourist-oriented town due to its close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the casino- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino which opened in 1995.

The first inhabitants of the mountains were the Cherokee Indians. The Cherokee

used the word Shacorage meaning “blue, like smoke” to describe the mountain region.  The “smoky”mountains were bountiful for providing the Cherokee with natural resources. The area provided hundreds of species of plants used for food, medicines, and crafts. The wide variety of trees provided fuel, weaving fibers, twine, medicinal barks and the framework and covering of dwellings.

The Cherokee Indians used the Great Smoky Mountains as hunting grounds. The nearby area of Gatlinburg, TN was once hunting grounds to the early Native Americans and Cherokee Indian Tribe. The region was teaming with wildlife which provided hunting of animals that were then used for food, clothing, shelter, and medicine to the Cherokee. A footpath through the mountains called Indian Gap Trail was the way to reach the bountiful hunting grounds the Native Indians hunted for food. US 441 almost follows the same route today.

Cherokee NC is home to the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians

The Cherokees in Western North Carolina today are the descendants from those who were able to hold on to land they owned; those that hid out in the mountains; or those that were able to return to the land. Today, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians is a sovereign nation of 100 square miles, with more than 13,000 enrolled members. Cherokee NC is a place where modern people respect and preserve the history of their people.

Once a town with manufacturing and textile plants providing jobs to the local people along with the tourism to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, now Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort attracts close to 4 million tourist annually generating money for the locals.

Cherokee NC Attractions

Other popular attractions in Cherokee NC are: Mingo Falls, Museum of the Cherokee Indians, Oconaluftee Visitor Center at the south entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cherokee Indian Reservation, Oconaluftee Indian Village, the outdoor drama Unto These Hills, and the Qualla Arts and Crafts Center.

● At the Museum of the Cherokee Indian you can experience the 11,000 year old Cherokee story through priceless ancient artifacts, computer generated imagery, artwork, life-sized figures, dioramas, and more. The museum is located at 589 Tsali Blvd., Cherokee NC.  at the intersection of Tsali Blvd. and Drama Road.

● As you step into the Oconaluftee Indian Village, you’re transported back to witness the challenges of Cherokee life. Visitors can experience traditional medicine and interact with villagers as they hull canoes, make pottery and masks, weave baskets and beadwork, and participate in their daily activities. The Village also hosts live reenactments, interactive demonstrations as well as “Hands-On Cherokee” arts and crafts classes.

● The Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc. was founded in 1946 with the purpose of preserving and advancing Cherokee arts and crafts. It is the oldest and leading Native American Arts cooperative in the United States. The Cherokee people are still in touch with the pottery, basket weaving, carving, and tool-making that go back over ten thousand years. A variety of authentic and handmade Native American arts and crafts are available for purchase at Qualla Arts and Crafts.

● Unto These Hills is an outdoor historical drama staged annually at the 2800-seat Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee NC.The play follows the story of the Cherokee of the Eastern region up to their removal, via the Trail of Tears, in 1838.  It is the second oldest outdoor historical drama in the United States.

Visit the Cherokee NC Indian Reservation, it is a national treasure.