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2003 Map of Big Junction

Name: 2003 Topographic Map of Big Junction
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2004
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2004

About this map

Tellico River flows through a landscape defined by the convergence of the Cherokee National Forest and Nantahala National Forest along the high ridges of the Tennessee and North Carolina border. This 2003 revision captures the area following the completion of the Cherohala Skyway, which winds past Observation Sites like Unicoi Crest Observation Site and Rattlesnake Rock. This modern infrastructure contrasts with the remote character of the Citco Creek Wilderness and the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness, where travel remains limited to trails.

Local history is preserved in the location of the Green Cove Cem and the Donley Cabin near the water. The map documents specialized land use such as the Pheasant Field Rearing Pools and identifies high peaks like Haw Knob and Big Junction. These landmarks, along with the numerous gaps such as Mud Gap and Eagle Gap, illustrate how topography has long dictated movement through these mountain corridors.