Cherokee, North Carolina
Cherokee is a community of 2,059 people in Jackson County, North Carolina.
Why visit Cherokee
Townapedia lists 20 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 43 places to eat, 38 places to stay and 17 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Unto These Hills Outdoor Drama, Mingo Falls, Oconaluftee Indian Village and Mountain Farm Museum.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Cherokee
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cherokee
Cherokee (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩ, romanized: Tsalagi) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Swain and Jackson counties in Western North Carolina, United States, within the Qualla Boundary land trust. Cherokee is located in the Oconaluftee River Valley around the intersection of U.S. Routes 19 and 441. As of the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 2,195. It is the capital of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, one of three recognized Cherokee tribes and the only one in North Carolina.
From the Wikipedia article Cherokee, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do17
Mingo Falls
Waterfall · 3.5 mi
Waterfall in Eastern Cherokee Reservation, Cherokee, North Carolina
Cherokee Bear Zoo
Zoo and aquarium · 1.2 mi
1204 Tsalagi Road, Cherokee
Cherokee Bear Zoo and Exotic Animals
Zoo and aquarium · 1.1 mi
119 Whitewater Drive, Cherokee
5 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks20
Oconaluftee Indian Village
Museum · 1.2 mi
Replica Native American settlement
218 Drama Road, Cherokee
Museum of the Cherokee People
Museum · 0.9 mi
Museum, archive organization in Cherokee, North Carolina, United States
Mandara Spa Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
Monument and historic site · 1.2 mi
777 Casino Drive, Cherokee
8 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
Restaurants and cafes43
Granny's Kitchen
Restaurant · 1.3 mi
1098 Paint Town Road ᎠᏂᏬᏗ ᎦᏅᏅ, Cherokee
Tu-Sa 07:00-10:30,11:00-20:00; Su 07:00-10:30,11:00-19:00
BJ's Diner
Diner · American · 0.8 mi
840 Tsali Boulevard, Cherokee
Grounded Coffee Shop & Food Factory
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Sandwich · 1.1 mi
1185 Tsalagi Road, Cherokee
Peter's Pancakes & Waffles
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
1384 Tsali Boulevard
Mo-Su 06:30-14:00
Qualla Java
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.3 mi
938 Tsalagi Road, Cherokee
Carolina Coney's & Cream
Ice cream · 1.3 mi
940 Tsalagi Road, Cherokee
Frontier Pancake House
Restaurant · 1.2 mi
352 Paint Town Road ᎠᏂᏬᏗ ᎦᏅᏅ, Cherokee
31 more on the map.
History
Cherokee is the capital of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and part of the traditional homelands of the Cherokee people. In the 1870s, the Eastern Band purchased the land for what is called the "Qualla Boundary". To continue the heritage of the Cherokee in the town, several signs for Cherokee's streets and buildings are written in both Cherokee syllabary and English. As a census-designated place (CDP), Cherokee overlaps most or part of three of the seven communities of the Qualla Boundary: Painttown, Wolftown, and Yellowhill.
From the History section of Cherokee, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay38
Churches and places of worship18
Oconaluftee Baptist Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
Cherokee Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.3 mi
812 Tsalagi Road ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏅᏅ, Cherokee
Macedonia Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 2.9 mi
1181 Wolfetown Road ᏩᏲᎯ ᏫᎦᏅᏅ, Cherokee
Rock Springs Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.3 mi
129 Old Gap Road ᎤᏪᏘ ᎤᏓᏴᎳᏛᎢ ᎦᏅᏅ, Cherokee
Shopping29
Gas and EV charging8
Schools, colleges and libraries8
Cherokee Central Elementary School
School · 1.8 mi
130 Ravensford Drive, Cherokee
Healthcare2
Map of Cherokee
191 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 26°F | 4.7 in | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 51°F | 29°F | 5.0 in | 0.9 in |
| Mar | 59°F | 34°F | 5.8 in | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 42°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 51°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 43°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 33°F | 4.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 49°F | 29°F | 5.7 in | 2.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Cherokee (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Jackson County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-08: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Angel Medical Center Heliport (93NC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Bryson City 9 mi southwest, about 15 min by car
- Waynesville 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Canton 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
- Sevierville 32 mi northwest, about 51 min by car
- Brevard 36 mi southeast, about 58 min by car
- Andrews 36 mi southwest, about 57 min by car
- Seymour 38 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
- Asheville 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Maryville 42 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Knoxville 49 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- CherokeeMainStreet, Jan Kronsell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 10, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 07, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 06, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Bat Creek Stone at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, Cherokee NC, HuMcCulloch, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 08, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 02, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 11, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 03, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 04, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 09, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 01, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Museum of the Cherokee Indian - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch 05, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Cherokee - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Harrah's Cherokee lobby 2014, Jared, CC BY 2.0
- Harrah's Cherokee lobby 2014 2, Jared, CC BY 2.0
- Cherokee Baptist Church, Cherokee, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oconaluftee (Smokemont) Baptist Church, Cherokee, NC, Warren LeMay, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blowgun demonstration in Oconaluftee Indian Village, Cherokee, North Carolina, Jan Kronsell, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Mingo Falls 2009, Kaldari, Public domain
- Tremella mesenterica 106596931, Melissa McMasters, CC BY 4.0
- Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
- Mimizane 225, Mimizane Jr., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fading Away (Explore) - Flickr - Olin Gilbert, Olin Gilbert from U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- ISS048-E-48173 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-105836 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS062-E-118115 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS059-E-86208 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Chlorociboria aeruginascens 106597620, Melissa McMasters, CC BY 4.0
- Plicaturopsis crispa 106597573, Melissa McMasters, CC BY 4.0
- Lactifluus corrugis 218852552, ladyjanaye, CC BY 4.0
- Wood fence (Unsplash), Erda Estremera erdaest, CC0
- 2017-05-17 15 12 16 View north at the south end of the Blue Ridge Parkway at Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, within Swain County, North Carolina, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2017-05-17 15 11 32 View north at the south end of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, within Swain County, North Carolina, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blue Ridge Parkway-27527-2, Ken Thomas, Public domain
- Seven Clans Lane - October 2023 - Sarah Stierch, Missvain, CC BY 4.0
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