WildlifeHidden gem
Cataloochee Valley
Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Remote valley with free-roaming elk and old homesteads, on the quiet NC side of the Smokies.
- Cost
- Free
- Time to allow
- 3 hours
Reached by a winding gravel-and-paved road, Cataloochee is much quieter than Cades Cove. Elk graze in the meadows at dawn and dusk. Old church and school buildings dot the valley.
Good to know
- Road is narrow and winding, go slow
- Elk are wild, keep your distance
- Cell service is nil
- Best time
- Dawn or dusk
- Getting there
- Narrow paved/gravel mountain road, avoid large RVs
- Vehicles
- Fine in any car
The location is approximate. Check the official website before you go.
Data: Roadtrip. Things change: check opening times, prices and rules before you go.
Know what the drive costs
Roadtrip works out the fuel or charging cost of any drive for your exact car, finds the cheapest stations on the way, and plans the stops.
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