[2] The forest was used to shoot scenes from the 1992 film The Last of the Mohicans as well as the 2012 box office hit The Hunger Games.

[4][5] On February 12, 2019, the forest added 402 acres (163 ha) from Conserving Carolina, part of a section called the Continental Divide Tract that connects with other public lands.

Following this, on October 23, 2000, Governor Jim Hunt and the North Carolina Council of State voted to condemn the property.

[1] The forest is widely used for many recreational activities, including mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, swimming (where permitted), wading, and kayaking.

The Ridgeline trail is particularly noted for its long continuous, winding and uninterrupted run, with a mild downhill grade.