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Location: Cherokee, Macon and Clay counties, NC, 10 miles east of Murphy, Tusquitee Ranger District, Nantahala National Forest
USGS Topographic Maps: Shooting Creek, Hayesville, Topton, Andrews, Peachtree
This relatively unroaded area represents one of the largest, unprotected primitive areas in the Nantahala National Forest. Over 13,000 acres have been inventoried as roadless. The rare southern water shrew is found here.
To the northeast is the adjoining Piercy Bald Mountain Treasure area. To the southwest, the Boteler Peak area joins at Big Tuni Creek and the Bob Allison Campground. The centerpiece of the region isan unusual geological feature: a horseshoe shaped rim of mountains rising from 1,900 fee on the southwest end of the horseshoe to 5,200 feet. on the northeast end.
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Approximate size:
29,177 acres
Roadless acreage:
13,791 acres
Old growth acreage:
3,990 acres |
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Fires Creek drains the 15,000-acre interior basin, which is a bear sanctuary and wildlife management area. There is no road exit on the high northeast end of the area and only one road enters from the outside at Leatherwood Falls on the southwest end.
The area is replete with hiking trails. The principle trail, and one of the premier backpacking trails in western North Carolina, is the 26-mile Rim Trail which circles the basin on the often knife-edged ridge. Chunky Gal Trail leaves the Tusquitee Bald Munit runs southeast through the Shooting Creek Bald (Boteler Peak) Mountain Treasure area to the Appalachian Trail. The Old Road Gap Trail travels northeast to the Piercy Bald Mountain Treasure and to the North Carolina Bartram Trail and the Appalachian Trail.
Trout fishing in Fires Creek and several other streams in the basin add to the recreational opportunities, making this a key area for backcountry use and one that should be protected in its primitive state.
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Forest Communities
Upper Alfred Creek: Rich Cove and Dry Oak.
Valley River Mountains-Tusquitee Mountains: Northern Hardwood, Hemlock-Northern Hardwood, Rich Cove, Acidic Cove, High Elevation Northern Red Oak, Submesic Oak, and Subxeric Pine.
Upper Lyon Creek: Dry Oak
Largest Diameter Tree of Its Kind in Nantahala-Pisgah:
* Northern red oak, 58.5 inches (Big Choga Creek).
* Yellow buckeye, 53.6 inches (Big Tuni Creek).
* American chestnut, 16.5 inches (Upper Blockade Branch).
* Mountain maple 6 inches (Upper Fires Creek).
Unusual Plants
* There are numerous occurrences of Rich Cove forest in this area, and a thick and diverse herb layer is common to many of them. The spectrum of Northern Hardwood at higher elevations, and Rich Cove and Mesic Oak forests at mid-elevations is a unique factor of upland north-facing slopes in the Valley River Mountains
* Fires Creek is a biological hot spot.
* The Hiwassee Headwaters crayfish is listed near Laurel Creek in the Fires Creek watershed.
Aquatics
High-quality trout fishing can be found along Fires Creek. |
