Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center — Attraction in Tellico Plains

Wonderful Source of Information!! They are prepared to tell you about the #TotalityInTellico Event. Free maps, where the free camping in the Cherokee National Forest is [but be forewarned - the Cherokee National Forest site says they will close when full], and where other local atractions are. Right next door are the two buildings of the privately-owned Charles Hall Museum, which documents regional and Appalachian history. The Visitors' Center has a nice gift shop with a wide variety of items, including beautiful Totality In Tellico T-Shirts while they last!

The staff is very friendly and helpful, but they told me I'd have to ask about parking for the event next door, because the Charles Hall Museum is hosting parking. It will be in the grassy area behind the buildings of the Museum, across the small creek, and will cost you %5. But, the Museum is free, and a great way to spend a few hours learning about life before electricity, and the early days of electronics! The weekend before the Monday, Aug 21st eclipse is filled with fun activities for the whole family! No alcohol will be allowed during the event.

Back to the Visitor's Center., It is run by Monroe County, so anything you buy there benefits the small communities here. Tellico Plains only has less than a thousand souls!

If you are mobility challenged like I am, you'll be pleased to know that both the Visitor's Center and Charles Hall Museum buildings are very accessible. I came with my walker because I couldn't lift my wheelchair, and had no trouble getting around. Rest rooms in all 3 buildings are accessible and very clean. They are well-lit and there is plenty of space to get between displays to look, even if I was in my power chair.

Staff is very helpful, friendly and welcoming! There is a nice variety of items for sale, including Eclipse Glasses for $3 a pair while they last. I didn't notice any duplicate items between the Visitor's Center and the Museum, so be sure and check out both places for souveniers! Don't wait till the 21st to buy. With a couple thousand extra people [probably a LOT more] there might not be anything left!

The building is not very big, but has a lot of items and prices were reasonable. While I was there, a steady stream of folks from all over the country came through, some looking for eclipse info, and others here to visit Cherokee National Forest. Apparently a lot of motorcycle buffs visit here year round, too! If motorcycles are your thing, there;'s a bike shop in the Museum's Gift Shop, too.

Camping is normally abundant in this area, but due to the eclipse, most places and paid campgrounds are full. Free spaces are first come, first serve, and the Cherokee National Forest will close when it gets full. Most motel rooms anyplace near the Zone of Totality have been booked for a couple years because astronomers are coming from all over the world to see the eclipse! Somewhere in the world, there's an eclipse about every 18 months. But, total eclipses are few and far between if you don't travel. The last eclipse to cross the country like this one does was 99 years ago! For lodging, you might check with relatives who live in the Zone, places like AirBNB, and small motels. You might get lucky! Book early!! Leave early!! Travel on Aug 21 is predicted to be bad.

Aside from the eclipse, it's a great place to visit, and you can learn about all the neat places to visit all around! They have many, many brochures on local attractions, detailed maps for sale, and many interesting items. They are used to fielding questions from people who are visiting the first time, and are good at giving enough, but not too much, info. There's an art to that! If you want more, they give more. If you have enough, they are good at spotting that, and give you time to browse.

I've been in a lot of visitor info centers in my 58 years, and this one is definitely near the top of my list, if not THE top. I'll definitely be back, and recommend you...

The Visitors Center is a very gracious bunch of people. We are a Christian family oriented off road group that pride our self on God, family, fun, safety , and enjoying the great outdoors that God has provided. We stop and meet up there for a short fellowship of new riders, safety meeting and to pray for a blessed ride. We shop in the store and visit the museum before leaving single file from the center onto the road. We have always had the tail gunner as it's called pull out and block the lane for us to enter safely. While doing this correctly and safely by a disabled police officer, he was given a situation for blocking the lane. Is this the way to grow tourism in Tellico and the Skyway area for the small business to grow.? Jeeps with mods do not get good fuel mileage, we always stop for breakfast food and trail snacks. at he end of a long ride. We are a Christian family oriented non alcoholic group. Is this the kinda people you...

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME on this "Scenic" byway!! We were SOOOOO disappointed with the Cherohala Skyway -- nearly ALL of the overlooks had trees grown-up & blocking the Views!! AND, we rode all from Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in NC to Tellico Plains TN to the "end" of the Cherohala Skyway and NEVER FOUND the Visitor's Center! The ONLY ADDRESS given for the Visitor's Center was milepost 18 on the Cherohala Skyway ... the TN 165 mile markers STARTED at 20.0 at the NC/TN line and counted DOWN toward Tellico Plains! When we passed Milepost 0.0 in the little town of Tellico Plains, we didn't know where to go for the Visitor's Center and had no cellphone service! WHAT A WASTED DAY!! We'd have been better off to have ridden down the Blue Ridge Parkway or Newfound Gap Rd in the Great Smoky Mtns Nat'l Park!! Will NEVER waste the time on this over-rated, grown-up, ragged-looking "Scenic...