2019 Map of Topton

About this map

The Nantahala National Forest dominates this landscape where four North Carolina counties—Graham, Cherokee, Macon, and Clay—converge amidst the southern Appalachian peaks. Centered on the sprawling Nantahala Lake, the terrain rises sharply from the Nantahala River valley into the Tusquitee Mountains and the Snowbird Mountains. The map documents a network of high-elevation gaps and ridges, including Shinbone Ridge, London Bald, and Wolf Creek Gap. Settlement is concentrated at the northern edge in Topton and Rhodo, and to the east at Aquone, while the interior is defined by recreation and timberlands. Long-distance hikers can trace the path of the Bartram Trail as it winds through Diamond Valley and across Sutherland Gap, while the Rim Trail skirts the southwestern ridges near Signal Bald. This survey provides a precise look at the drainage patterns of numerous branches and forks, such as Roaring Fork and Indian Camp Br, that feed into the central reservoir.