Map of Cherokee CDP, North Carolina

Cherokee /ˈtʃɛrəkˌiː/ (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.

The community also serves as a tourist destination, with numerous campgrounds, motels, and hotels serving visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with a major entrance to the park lying within the community. Cherokee serves as the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Oconaluftee River serves as a major water sports destination, and the Oconaluftee Indian Village, a living-history museum, hosts the popular outdoor drama Unto These Hills.

Cherokee CDP overview:
Name:	Cherokee CDP
LSAD Code:	57
LSAD Description:	CDP (suffix)
State:	North Carolina
County:	Jackson County, Swain County
Elevation:	1,991 ft (607 m)
Total Area:	12.07 sq mi (31.26 km²)
Land Area:	12.07 sq mi (31.26 km²)
Water Area:	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Total Population:	2,195
Population Density:	181.84/sq mi (70.21/km²)
ZIP code:	28719
Area code:	828
FIPS code:	3712140
Website:	visitcherokeenc.com

Online Interactive Map

Cherokee online map. Source: Basemap layers from Google Map, Open Street Map (OSM), Arcgisonline, Wmflabs. Boundary Data from Database of Global Administrative Areas.

Cherokee location map. Where is Cherokee CDP?

Cherokee location on the U.S. Map. Where is Cherokee CDP. — Cherokee location on the U.S. Map.

Cherokee location on the North Carolina map. Where is Cherokee CDP. — Location of Cherokee in North Carolina.

History

Cherokee is the capital of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation 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.

Cherokee Road Map

Cherokee city Satellite Map

Geography

Cherokee town and its surrounding Qualla Boundary is in the very mountainous Swain and Jackson counties. The highest elevation is 6,643-foot (2,025 m) Clingman’s Dome at the border with Tennessee. Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Oconaluftee River flows through downtown Cherokee.