Unicoi Turnpike Trail

Unicoi Turnpike Trail. A Path Through time. The path now known as the Unicoi Turnpike Trail has existed for over 1,000 years. The earliest European maps of the area note the trail as a connector between Cherokee Territories and the coastal ports at Charleston and Savannah. In 1756, British soldiers hauled weapons and supplies across the trail to establish Fort Loudoun. In the early 1800’s the trail was converted into a toll road and turnpike. In 1838 over 3,000 Cherokees traveled over the Unicoi Turnpike during the Trail of Tears., 1. Fort Loudoun , 2. Tellico Blockhouse , 3. Sequoyah Birthplace Museum , 4. Chota and Tanasi Memorials , 5. Tellico Plains , 6. Charles Hall Museum , 7. Coker Creek , 8. Unicoi Gap , 9. Joe Brown Highway , 10. Murphy , 11. Cherokee County Historical Museum , 12. Belltown (Cane Creek) Massacre , 13. Trail of Tears , 14. Hiking Trail, Exploring an Ancient Path , We invite you to travel through layers of history as you trace the Unicoi Turnpike Trail in Tennessee and North Carolina. Historic sites and museums along the way will illustrate the role this important transportation route played in our nation's history. A two and one half mile section of the original roadbed at Coker Creek is open for hiking.