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Cherokee NF Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

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Cherokee NF

1,000–6,285 ft · TN🚗 Directions

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Cherokee National Forest — six ranger districts along the NC-TN border from the Virginia line to the Smokies. Mixed mesophytic coves with tulip poplar, sugar maple, basswood, and yellow buckeye; oak-hickory on drier slopes; red spruce at the Roan Mountain highlands. Exceptional spring morels in coves; summer chanterelles, black trumpets, lobster; fall hen-of-the-woods and chicken-of-the-woods.

Trees:Tulip Poplar Sugar Maple Yellow Buckeye

Updated Apr 19, 6:20 PM MT

Foraging Potential95/100

✅Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

0.00"

Precip 14d

0.00"

Soil Temp

66°F

SWE

Snow Water Equivalent — how much water is in the snowpack vs. normal. Declining SWE means snowmelt is adding moisture to the soil.

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Nearby Camping

Within(8)

Rock Creek Campground

developed

USFS~0.8 mi from centerFee required/night

37 sites

Rock Creek Recreation Area (Cherokee National Forest, TN)

developed

USFS~0.9 mi from center

Rock Creek Recreation Area

developed

USFS~0.9 mi from centerFee required/night

Cherokee National Forest

Unaka Mountains

developed

USFS~2.1 mi from center

North Indian Creek Campground

developed

~2.6 mi from center

Woodsmoke Campground

developed

~4 mi from center

Nolichucky Gorge Campground and Cabins

developed

~5.8 mi from center

Spivey Gap Recreation Area

developed

~9.2 mi from center

⚠ Road Access Notice

Always verify road access is public before following GPS directions to mountain areas. Many forest roads are seasonal, gated, or require 4WD. Dispersed camping follows USFS/BLM rules (typically 14-day limit). Check ranger district offices for current road and campground conditions.

0%

Drought

None

Snowmelt

complete

Viable Species

HIGH

True Morel

All conditions met

HIGH

Oyster Mushroom

All conditions met

HIGH

Turkey Tail

All conditions met

HIGH

Dryad's Saddle

All conditions met

HIGH

Witch's Butter

All conditions met

HIGH

Jelly Ear

All conditions met

HIGH

Scarlet Elf Cup

All conditions met

HIGH

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met

HIGH

Artist's Conk

All conditions met

HIGH

Birch Polypore

All conditions met

HIGH

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met

HIGH

Devil's Urn

All conditions met

HIGH

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met

HIGH

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met

HIGH

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met

HIGH

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met

HIGH

Half-Free Morel

All conditions met

HIGH

Early Morel

All conditions met

HIGH

Snow Fungus

All conditions met

HIGH

Wood Ear

All conditions met

HIGH

Black Cup

All conditions met

HIGH

Green Elfcup

All conditions met

HIGH

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met

HIGH

Devil's Cigar

All conditions met

HIGH

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met

HIGH

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met

HIGH

False Morel (Gyromitra)

All conditions met