Panthertown Valley is a treasured public, backcountry area and black bear sanctuary. Its 6,311 acres are located in the Nantahala National Forest, between Lake Toxaway and Cashiers. Panthertown is located on ancestral lands of the Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee East) and potentially other tribes, so its lands are rich with history. Unlike a National or State Park, which may offer some frontcountry amenities and experiences, Panthertown is entirely wild and unforgiving, offering more than 30 miles of designated trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, as well as camping, fishing, and climbing. Many of the trails are old logging roads leading to waterfalls, bogs, and spectacular valley and cliff-face overlooks.