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The Tuckasegee River (variant spellings include Tuckaseegee and Tuckaseigee) flows entirely within western

Western North Carolina

Western North Carolina is the region of North Carolina which includes the Appalachian Mountains, thus it is often known geographically as the state's Mountain Region. It is sometimes included with upstate South Carolina as the "Western Carolinas", which is also counted as a single media market...

 North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

. It begins its course in Jackson County

Jackson County, North Carolina

Jackson County is a county located in the southwest of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 40,271. Since 1913 its county seat has been Sylva, replacing Webster.-History:...

 above Cullowhee

Cullowhee, North Carolina

Cullowhee is a census-designated place in Jackson County, North Carolina, United States. Cullowhee is best known for being the home of Western Carolina University . The population was 9,428 as of the 2010 census. The area known as Cullowhee has Western Carolina University, part of the UNC...

 at the confluence

Confluence

Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...

 of Panthertown and Greenland creeks. It flows in a northwesterly direction into Swain County

Swain County, North Carolina

Swain County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 12,968. Its county seat is Bryson City.Swain County is home of the Nantahala River . The Nantahala is one of the most popular whitewater rafting rivers in the nation...

 and through the center of Bryson City, North Carolina

Bryson City, North Carolina

Bryson City is a town in Swain County, North Carolina in the United States. The population was 1,353 as of 2009, a decrease of 4.1% since the 2000 census...

. The river passes around the Bryson City Island Park

Bryson City Island Park

The Bryson City Island Park is a small island located in Bryson City, North Carolina. It is surrounded by the Tuckasegee River and rests at the mouth of historic Deep Creek of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.- Location :...

, where it then enters Fontana Lake

Fontana Lake

Fontana Lake is a reservoir impounded by Fontana Dam on the Little Tennessee River located in Graham and Swain counties in North Carolina. The lake forms part of the southern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the northern border of part of the Nantahala National Forest. Depending on...

 and then the Little Tennessee River

Little Tennessee River

The Little Tennessee River is a tributary of the Tennessee River, approximately 135 miles long, in the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern United States.-Geography:...

.

The name Tuckasegee may be an anglicisation of the Cherokee word daksiyi—[takhšiyi] in the local Cherokee variety—‘Turtle Place.’ The river is dotted with stone fishing weirs most easily viewed when water levels are low.

Fishing, hiking and paddling are among the recreational opportunities along the river.