A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Cheoah Point Campground

Forest Service campground in National Forests in North Carolina, Graham County, North Carolina. 1,760 feet. 0.5 miles from Lake Santeetlah.

Managed by
Forest Service National Forests in North Carolina
Elevation
1,760 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
23 17 standard non-electric, 6 standard electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Graham County

Overview

Cheoah Point Campground lies on a peninsula of the vast Lake Santeetlah in the hills of western North Carolina. The lake and surrounding landscape provide countless recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.

Recreation

Anglers enjoy fishing for trout, walleye, a variety of bass, bream and crappie and more in the 2,800-acre Lake Santeetlah. Boating, canoeing, jet skiing and swimming are also popular activities on the lake. Nearby, the Wauchecha Bald Trail, which begins as a an easy hike and gets progressively more difficult, provides access to the famed Appalachian Trail.

Facilities

The campground provides multiple open and wooded campsites that can accommodate up to 10 guests and 2 vehicles per site. Six RV sites provide 15/30/50 amp electrical hookups. Tables and campfire rings with grills are provided at each site. Flush toilets, hot showers and drinking water are provided to help create a comfortable camping experience.

Natural Features

Lake Santeetlah sits in the Nantahala National Forest, which covers 1.3 million acres of mountain lands. Old forests grace the hills and valleys, with some of the canyons reaching deep into the earth, providing ample hiking opportunities in the beautiful terrain. Cheoah Point is situated in a forest of mature hardwoods at an elevation of 1,760 feet. The campground covers steep terrain and many of the campsites overlook the lake.

Nearby Attractions

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is just a short distance away, offering an ideal day trip from Cheoah point Recreation Area.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • jet skiing
  • kayaking
  • non-motorized boating
  • swimming
  • water access
  • water activities

The land around Cheoah Point Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.