Nantahala National Forest
Managed by United States Forest Service
1 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Sky Valley
Few parks or trails are on the map in Sky Valley
2% of Sky Valley’s land is conserved, about 35 acres. 6.2 miles of mapped trail cross Sky Valley, 2.0 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
2%
35 acres · of 3.0 sq mi of land
Trails
6.2 mi
2.0 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
4,088 ft
Alex Mountain
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Who protects it
35 conserved acres
2% of Sky Valley’s land. Who manages Sky Valley’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits19 ac
U.S. Forest Service16 ac
Conservation Easement · 19 acNational Forest · 16 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 19 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chattahoochee National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 15 | Open |
| Nantahala National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 1 | Open |
Things to do
1 places to go in Sky Valley
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Peaks in Sky Valley
Alex Mountain4,088 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail
Named trails
Unpaved · 1.1 mi
Mud Creek Falls Trail1.1 mi
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
4Tennis
2Pickleball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Sky Valley: April to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.0 | 10.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.3 | 11.2 | 10.3 | 9.8 |
| High (°F) | 48 | 52 | 59 | 68 | 75 | 81 | 83 | 82 | 77 | 68 | 58 | 51 |
| Rain (in) | 6.6 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 6.8 |
September is the driest month (5.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 6.8 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Sky Valley →
Questions about parks and trails in Sky Valley
Are dogs allowed on Sky Valley’s trails?
Nantahala National Forest doesn’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Sky Valley?
110,720 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Sky Valley or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 14 of them inside the city line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Sky Valley neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →