At The Lost Sea, a guided tour takes you through the historic Craighead Caverns and ends with a boat ride on the largest underground lake in America. The approximately 1.2-kilometer round trip and duration of about one hour and 15 minutes give you a clear idea of the time involved. Check the current tour format before your visit.
History that reveals itself in different ways
The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum is a key historical resource on Sequoyah and the history of Cherokee homelands during his lifetime. It is also a certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. A visit includes historical and interpretive exhibits; parking for cars is also available. This brings together learning about Sequoyah and Cherokee homelands with a tangible insight into the history of the Trail of Tears.
The Monroe County Courthouse in Madisonville offers an architectural perspective. Built in 1897, the building is an example of Victorian eclecticism, with elements of the Italianate, Romanesque Revival and Classical Revival styles. Here, eclecticism describes the interplay of different architectural vocabularies in one building—a tangible starting point for comparing the styles mentioned.
Fort Loudoun is also managed as a day-use park with a visitor center. The Unicoi Turnpike Trail offers a different connection to history: it gives visitors access to Cherokee heritage, Appalachian traditions and historic landscapes in Monroe County. While the museum focuses on Sequoyah and Cherokee homelands, the trail connects these themes with an experience of landscape and tradition.
Skyway, waterfalls and lakes
The Cherohala Skyway is a 43-mile route connecting Tellico Plains, Tennessee, with Robbinsville, North Carolina. High-elevation overlooks, hiking opportunities and picnic areas in the southern Appalachian national forests give the route several points of interest. The Skyway also offers a view of Cherokee heritage and that of early settlers amid a forested Appalachian landscape. Nature and historical perspectives come together along the way.
The 90-foot-tall Bald River Falls are easily accessible from Tellico River Road (NFRS 210). There is a roadside pedestrian viewing area where you can see the falls. The overlook offers a different way to experience the landscape than a longer route with hiking opportunities or picnic areas.
Indian Boundary Lake covers 96 acres, sits at an elevation of 1,560 feet and is surrounded by hardwood and conifer forests. Visitors can fish, swim, boat and watch wildlife at the lake. Its forest setting and range of waterside activities make clear how different interests come together here. Tellico Lake in Vonore also offers boating opportunities; water levels and visitor conditions may vary by season. The Unicoi Mountains near Tellico Plains also offer hiking trails—a different focus from the activities at the lakes.
Wine, farm products and gold panning
Tsali Notch Vineyard offers wine tastings and handcrafted products made from Muscadine grapes. Seasonal grape picking adds to these discoveries; availability may vary. A visit therefore combines tastings and products with a seasonal opportunity to pick the grapes yourself.
At the Sweetwater Valley Farm café, you can get grilled cheese sandwiches made with cheese produced on the farm and hand-dipped milkshakes. Café hours may change, so check them before your visit. For gold panning, Coker Creek Gold Camp near the Coker Creek Welcome Center is recommended. Contact the camp directly to find out when it is open.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Vonore, Sweetwater, Lauderdale County, Mcminn County, Obion County, Hamblen, Carter, Shelby.
Return to the main travel overview: Tennessee.
