Swan Cabin Group Camp

Please be advised: due to health and safety concerns, occupancy within Swan Cabin is no longer permitted. However, group camping outside the cabin in the adjacent grassy field is allowed. Nestled in a remote area of Nantahala National Forest, this primitive log cabin was built in 1931 by Frank Swan in a different location, then later moved to its current location near the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness. The cabin and the surrounding meadows are named for the Swan Family, who came to the area from Pennsylvania in the late 19th century. Swan Cabin Group Campsite offers a peaceful, quiet retreat where visitors can relax and enjoy birdsong and views of the surrounding wilderness. This group campsite is available from April 15 through October 31. Swan Cabin Group Camp is considered remote, and is located at a high elevation where climatic conditions can be extreme and can change very quickly. Forest Service Roads 81 and 81F, which provide access, are gravel roads, and during certain times of the year they may be muddy or covered with snow. During ideal conditions the group camp may be accessed with two-wheel-drive vehicles; during muddy or snow-covered conditions, four-wheel drive and higher clearance vehicles are required. Staying here requires proper preparation, thorough review of predictive weather reports, and the ability to be self-sufficient during unplanned weather events, which can happen at any time of the year. Tents may be pitched in the surrounding meadows for group camping. A pit toilet is located adjacent to the group camp, and a nearby spring may provide a water source, although it should be boiled or treated. There is no electricity or running water at the group site. A picnic table, grill and fire ring are available for use. Visitors may wish to bring their own drinking water, as well as supplies and equipment for food preparation. All equipment must be carried in from the parking area, located approximately 100 feet from the group camp. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety. There are several nice hikes in the area, including the 3-mile Swan Meadows and the 7-mile Stratton Bald Trails, and an easy 5-minute hike from the group camp to a waterfall. Nearby boat ramps are available on Santeetlah Lake. Hunting is popular from September through December, and hunters and their dogs may frequent the nearby trails during that time. The Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness is particularly known for its old-growth forest of oak, poplar and hemlock within the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, one of the largest old-growth forests east of the Mississippi; sun-loving wildflowers are abundant in the spring, and rhododendron, azalea and mountain laurel bloom in the late spring and early summer. The 2 major watersheds in this wilderness are Slickrock Creek and Little Santeetlah Creek, and the mouth of Slickrock Creek has the lowest elevation in the wilderness at 1,086 feet. The camp is situated near the highest elevation in the wilderness, 5,341-foot Stratton Bald in the Unicoi Mountain Range, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park is only a short drive away.