The Wayah District (  Wayah means "wolf" in Cherokee) is centrally located in the Nantahala National Forest. It's 134,000 acres are adjacent to the Cherokee Indian Reservation in the north and extend all the way down to the Georgia border on the south.   Within these boundaries you will find the Nantahala River Gorge, with its opportunities for whitewater rafting and kayaking; two famous national trails, the Appalachian Trail and the Bartram Trail. which meet on Wayah Bald; the Standing Indian Basin and the Southern Nantahala Wilderness Area.
The 25,515 acre Southern Nantahala Wilderness Area, created in 1984, is managed by the Nantahala  National Forest (North Carolina) and by the Chattahoochee National Forest (Georgia). Elevations here range from 2,400 feet to 5,499 feet on Standing Indian Mountain with numerous peaks higher than 4,000 feet..  The terrain, cut by streams is steep and rugged.  The forest is dense but there are grass-heath balds along many of the high ridges.  All of the developed trails are rated "more difficult" to "most  difficult".  The Georgia portion of the wilderness has no developed trails.  However, old roadbeds, which have been closed to vehicles, are suitable for hiking.  Many of these roads connect to trails in North Carolina.
Standing Indian Basin is a horse-shoe shaped  drainage basin for the Nantahala and Blue Ridge Mountains and is rimmed by several peaks (Albert Mountain Big Blunt, Little Bald, Standing Indian Mountain) There is an abundance of wildlife and recreational opportunities here, particularly hiking.  The nicely landscaped Standing Indian Campground, which is open all year, has camping sites, picnic areas, water and sanitary facitities.  The Nantahala River, which flows right through the campground, offers fine trout fishing.  No reservations are required except at the adjoining Kimsey Group Camp. 
Hikers and backpackers will find a special parking area at the Backcountry Information Center on F.R. 67, less than a half-mile from the campground and the picnic area gate.  The Appalachian Trail curves around the south and east ridge of the basin with various trails ascending off of it.  Trail heads can also be found all along F.R. 67, including the John Wasilik Memorial Poplar Trail that takes you to the second-largest yellow poplar in the United States.
The Big Indian Loop is a good horseback riding trail-----also shared with hikers, hunters and fishermen.  It begins at a wildlife field off F.R. 67 about 4 miles beyond the Backcountry Information Station and meanders through rhododendron and birch thickets with views of Big Indian Creek. 
You may want to climb Standing Indian Mountain.  Take the Kimsey Creek Trail that begins at the Backcountry Information Station of F.R. 67, and follow the blue blazes to the road bridge in the campground.  After crossing the bridge, take the Park Creek Trail to the first blue-blazed trail leading to the left.  This is the Kemsey Creek Trail, a moderately difficult trail that follows Kemsey Creek upstream, crossing it several times.  Along the way, you will go through three wildlife fields where you can see deer, grouse etc.  When it ends at Deep Gap, you can turn left on the Appalachian Trail and continue a little more than 2 miles to Standing Indian Mountain, backtrack or return down hill on the rather strenuous Lower Ridge Trail.  You can also drive to Deep Gap on F.R. 71, thereby cutting the hiking distance to the summit to just more than 2 miles.
Among the other interesting hiking possibilities are trails to both Mooney Falls and Big Laurel Falls, which can also be reached from F.R. 67.  The 9-mile stretch of the Nantahala River that runs from Beechertown to Fontana Lake is nationally known as a world-class whitewater river.
Area businesses situated along US 19 offer a variety of services, including outfitting and guides, boat rentals, instuctional clinics, restaurants, and overnight accomodations.  Visitors can drive through the Coweeta Experimental Forest to see forest management practices in silverculture, hydrology, and engineering. The station office is open M-F 7:30 AM until 4 PM.  It is on U.S. highway 441, south of Murphy.  You may obtain a self-guiding brochure from the office.Murphy North Carolina Your Mountain View Specialist Coldwell Banker High Country Realty               866-835-8500         866-835-8500 or               321-279-1049         321-279-1049 Jack Shingler.