It's been nicknamed "the Yosemite of the East" and is home to granite domes, waterfalls, valley floors and rare high altitude bogs.  If you want to explore Panthertown, you will need a trail map and a compass.

Hiking on the old logging roads of Panthertown is a good way to familiarize yourself with this large scenic valley. A network of hiking trails will lead you to waterfalls and spectacular overlooks of the valley, its cliff faces, and bogs. The waterfalls have a wet microclimate supporting the highest concentration of rare plants in the valley.

The headwaters of the East Fork of the Tuckasegee River and 20 miles of native brook trout streams, including Panthertown, Greenland, and Flat Creeks, are located in Panthertown Valley.

Primitive overnight camping and catch-and-release fishing are allowed in Panthertown, so you can spend a full weekend in this wild area. 

The valley was heavily logged in the 30's and suffered majors fires and erosion in the 60's, so there are almost no old growth trees left. Despite this and Duke Power running a major power lane through the area in the late 80's, Panthertown Valley has made a comeback and is now home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.  In 1989, this 6,295 acre tract was purchased from Duke Power by the NC Chapter of the Nature Conservancy for $8 million and added as part of the Nantahala National Forest. Panthertown Valley is located in a very popular vacation home and resort area in the North Carolina mountains, so it was unusual to find such a large piece of land under single ownership.

In 2007, the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance formed the Friends of Panthertown, http://www.j-mca.org/index.aspa partnership with the USDA Forest Service, in an effort to address the unmet needs of Panthertown. Due to budget cuts in recent years, the Forest Service doesn't have sufficient funding or personnel to provide more than minimal levels of maintenance; therefore, the Friends of Panthertown are providing funding and volunteers for much needed projects and conservation efforts. 
  
Directions:  Approximately two miles east of Cashiers on US 64, turn left or north on Cedar Creek Road (SR 1120). Continue on Cedar Creek Road 2.2 miles. Bear right or northeast on Breedlove Rd (SR 1121). Continue 3.4 miles on SR 1121 to a flat parking area at a gap where the National Forest boundary begins. The access road from the gap makes an excellent foot travel path. No motorized vehicles are allowed beyond this point.