2019 Map of Santeetlah Creek

About this map

Nantahala National Forest dominates this landscape, characterized by the steep ridges of the Unicoi Mountains and the Snowbird Mountains. The 2019 survey documents a terrain defined by high-elevation peaks like Stratton Bald and Hooper Bald, where the modern Cherohala Skyway now traverses ridges that once only saw backcountry travel. Small clusters of human activity are noted at McGuires and Dentons, while the northern reaches include protected areas such as the Joyce Kilmer memorial lands. The drainage pattern is complex, with numerous branches like Wolf Laurel Branch and Little Santeetlah Cr feeding into larger systems. This map shows how 21st-century infrastructure, including the Blue Boar Lodge near Santeetlah Lake, coexists with the preserved wilderness of the North Carolina high country.