Panthertown Valley is a rugged and wild 6,311-acre backcountry area located on Nantahala National Forest in western North Carolina, on the eastern continental divide, between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Panthertown features a diversity of native flora and fauna, pristine headwaters of the Tuckasegee River, a rare high-elevation southern Appalachian mountain bog, dozens of waterfalls, granite cliffs and domes, and is part of Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, and Bonas Defeat-Panthertown American Black Bear Sanctuary.

Friends of Panthertown works in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to conserve this outstanding natural resource while improving the quality and experience of recreational opportunities in Panthertown.

Panthertown is a wonderful place to explore, however there are a few things you should be aware of before visiting for your first time. We hope this list of suggestions (and cautions) will make your experience in Panthertown Valley more enjoyable:

*   Your safety is your responsibility. Plan ahead and come prepared.
    
*   This is a wild, rugged place with more than 30 miles of public trails spread out over 6,311 acres deep in the Nantahala National Forest. **It’s easy to get lost.** We recommend you bring a good map and compass, and know how to use them.
    
*   Panthertown is NOT a National Park or State Park. It’s common to not see any other people when visiting. Cell phone service here can be spotty or unreachable. Use the trails with caution and at your own risk.
    
*   **Bring plenty of water** to drink, or a filtration system to keep you hydrated. There are no water fountains, trash cans, or restrooms here.
    
*   Please **carry out your trash** and practice Leave No Trace principles of outdoor ethics when visiting.
    
*   Hiking in the forest can be dangerous, especially for inexperienced hikers. Know before you go, plan ahead, and come prepared for a fun backcountry experience.
    
*   You may get hot, cold, wet, muddy, scratched up, and dirty just from hiking and exploring in Panthertown, so dress appropriately and in layers.
    
*   Expect to hike several miles on uneven surfaces to reach the most popular points of interest, including waterfalls and overlooks.
    
*   The hike out of the valley is uphill and can be difficult. Some hiking experience is recommended. Make sure you save some energy and water for your walk back to the parking area. That’s all part of the Panthertown experience!
    
*   American **black bears live here** and are protected as part of the Bonas Defeat-Panthertown Bear Sanctuary. Panthertown hosts a diversity of wildlife, please do not feed the animals!
    
*   Common natural hazards to watch out for include venomous snakes and yellow jacket nests.
    
*   Friends of Panthertown volunteers only maintain the official trail system in Panthertown. There are hundreds of miles of user created footpaths that crisscross the valley. For your safety, and to protect the ecology, we recommend you stay on the marked trails and avoid short cuts through the woods. Remember, it’s easy to get lost here, and we want you to enjoy your backcountry experience.
    

**CAMPING**

*   **Dispersed camping is primitive and no amenities are provided. F**orest Service rules limit camp sites to no more than 12 people, and not within 50 feet of water sources. No permits are required for non-commercial groups.
    
*   Please **use existing fire rings and never leave a fire unattended**. Make sure to properly extinguish and drown your fire and coals before leaving your camp site!
    
*   Follow these recommendations to avoid any close encounters with bears: [https://panthertown.org/bears/](https://panthertown.org/bears/)
    

**PARKING**

*   There is limited parking at three entrances (Salt Rock Gap, Cold Mountain Gap, and Flat Creek), low-clearance gravel Forest Service roads, and heavy use on weekends. https://panthertown.org/directions
    
*   Drive slowly and use caution to not damage your vehicle or the road.
    
*   Equestrians please note: there are no horse trails at the Cold Mountain Gap trailheads. Horse trailer parking is prohibited there. The Salt Rock Gap entrance offers limited parking and can be difficult to turn a horse trailer around. If you use this entrance, we suggest that you park and unload your trailer on the pavement at the end of state maintained Breedlove Road.
    
*   The Flat Creek parking area off Rock Bridge Road north of Lake Toxaway on NC 281 is the largest and offers a wide horse trailer turn around with easy access to the Panthertown Valley Trail System.
    

**LEAVE NO TRACE**

Always practice Leave No Trace principles of outdoor ethics when visiting.

The Seven Principles of Leave No Trace:

*   Plan Ahead and Prepare
    
*   Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
    
*   Dispose of Waste Properly
    
*   Leave What You Find
    
*   Minimize Campfire Impacts
    
*   Respect Wildlife
    
*   Be Considerate of Other Visitors
    

Reprinted with permission ©Leave No Trace

Panthertown Valley Backcountry Area

This is my favorite back country camping spot. The sites near the middle of Macs Gap trail are huge and there is easy access to a couple streams. Bring a good map and stick to the trails that your map covers. It's an easy place to get lost because of all the unofficial trails. Waterfalls are everywhere.

Incredible back country camping

Beautiful camp site at Tranquility Point in Panthertown Valley. Approximately 0.4 miles up from Schoolhouse Falls, it can accommodate around 4 tents. Huge rock face to walk on and observe stars (partially shown in picture) or overlook the valley below. 

Bring a map an electronics map and a paper backup as well. Bear vaults are suggested, although not required at the time of this review. You will need to camel in water, the nearest source is back at schoolhouse falls. 

Tranquility Point

It is imperative to purchase a decent map for these trails and I highly recommend using the one available via the Friends of Panthertown website. 
This is a beautiful area with tons of dispersed camping. You will really need to pack a bear safe food container and absolutely store food using a bear line well away from camp as there are most certainly bears out and about. 
The hikes are amazing. 

The only complaint is that the volunteers need to practice some more restraint when they are cutting the trails. They completely destroyed a beautiful canopy of trees. Panthertown is beautiful because it is free and natural. When we cut trails, we should put nature first and human needs second.

It is also important to note that there are no bathrooms, so a good cathole shovel is a nice tool to have. 

All time favorite

We stayed at three different campsites throughout our trip (went backpacking 4 days, 3 nights - could have just set up camp and day hiked, buttttt didn't necessarily think that through). 

  

The first campsite we stayed at was on the Green Valley Trail, the second one was on the Panthertown Valley Trail right near the Schoolhouse Falls Trail, and the third was on Mac's Gap right past the Granny Burrell Falls Trail. 

  

All the campsites were beautiful, but the Green Valley Trail campsite was our favorite. It was the most secluded and in an utterly beautiful location. There was foliage covering it from the trail and there was a creek steps away which made it easy to get water and make for. The Panthertown Valley Trail campsite was our least favorite, but that is because it was right off the main trail and not secluded whatsoever and kind of disappointing compared to the Green Valley campsite. It was also dirty with water bottles and socks and lots of mud from horses stepping all over the place. We were also woken up at 2AM by a group of loud hikers which left us concerned because it was down pouring and they were being extremely belligerent. However, we camped here because we were exhausted and wanted to stay near Schoolhouse Falls to be able to swim around and get wet and there were some unknown animal tracks in the sand near Schoolhouse Falls. We stayed on Mac's Gap for the same reason - to be near Granny Burrell after a long day - and even though it was the most crowded trail, it was a lot of fun. There was a pack of llamas we were next to and they were so sweet (part of a boys camp), and we felt the safest from predators (read: bears). Even though there were a lot of people, I felt a strong sense of camaraderie. 

  

You will need a bear canister, practice the Bearmuda Triangle, and make sure to bring a poop shovel. Pack out what you packed in.