Nantahala Gorge, photographed by George Masa in the early 1930s. The Appalachian Trail crosses the Nantahala River in the Gorge, before climbing back up to a series of 5,000 foot summits on either side of the river.

The Wayah Gap Shelter in the Nantahala Mountains, in the spring of 1961. The current shelter at this location (now known as the Wayah Shelter) is a more recent structure. The original shelter, pictured here, is a typical three-sided log structure with a dirt floor and a fireplace in front. The trash can in the foreground was typical at many back country shelters until the 1970s, when the trash cans were removed and hikers were expected to pack out what they packed in.

A hand drawn map of Wayah Bald by George Masa in 1932 offers an interesting window into the Trail in this region in its earliest days.

The Cable Gap Shelter was built in 1939, by a crew from the Civilian Conservation Corps. It is located near Fontana Dam in the Nantahala National Forest. It is one of the oldest trail shelters in the southern half of the Trail.