Enjoy The 4th of July on The Watauga Ranger District
Incident: National Rainbow Family Gathering Law Enforcement
Released: 6/27/2012
Enjoy the 4th of July Holiday on the Watauga Ranger District
UNICOI, TN - JUNE 25, 2012... US Forest Service officials at the Watauga Ranger District say they are preparing for another busy holiday in the Cherokee National Forest (Forest). Last year over 2 million people visited the Forest. People come from near and far to experience a variety of outdoor recreation activities including camping, picnicking, hiking, bike riding, water play, fishing and much more.
One of the busiest weekends is just around the corner - Independence Day. "We expect lots of visitors to enjoy 4th of July on the Forest," said Don Palmer, Watauga District Ranger. "The majority of our recreation sites and campgrounds will be at or near full capacity during the Holiday.
This summer Little Oak Campground on South Holston Lake is open and fully operational; construction and rehabilitation work is completed. The campground has received a face lift that I think will please our forest visitors."
Forest officials encourage visitors to use Highway 421 to access Little Oak Campground and Jacobs Creek Recreation Area, because Flatwoods Road, Forest Service Road 87, is very congested with vehicles and people. The 2012 National Rainbow Family of Living Light Gathering is concentrated on Flatwoods Road. The Rainbow Family gathers each year on a national forest. On June 10, 2012 the Forest became aware the Rainbow Family would conduct their national annual gathering on the Watauga Ranger District.
The annual national Rainbow Family gathering is advertised as being from July 1 through July 7 and can draw over 10,000 people. A National Incident Management Team is overseeing this event and is working closely with state and local agencies to keep the entire area safe and accessible.
As always when you are enjoying the great outdoors, please be aware of your surroundings and remember your safety is your responsibility. To learn more about recreation on the Watauga Ranger District call (423) 735-1500 or visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/cherokee/. For more information about the 2012 National Rainbow Family Gathering please call (423) 743-5925.
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