NC National Park Cataloochee (great Smoky National Park)

A remote campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Seeing the rest of the park will require some driving so if you go here you probably will stay in the Cove. The Valleys in this part of the Appalachians are called coves. The famous in the Great Smoky Mountains is Cades Cove. While it is beautiful, it is horribly crowded with tourists that are staying outside the park. Cataloochee is a smaller version minus the crowds and Bear Jams. To get to the campground, you will get of I-40 at Exit 20. You will see a sign telling you where to turn to get to Cataloochee, it is not far from the Interstate at all. Full Disclosure this is a winding, narrow road with lots of switch backs and 3 miles will be gravel. The gravel section is actually the middle part of the road (I've also wondered why) and is hard packed. It is also wider than the paved portion as you are going in. When you get to the end of the gravel you will take a left and be back on pavement. The campground will be on your left just as you get to flat part of the cove. You can reserve these sites. The restroom is near the entrance but if you get on one the back side you will be closer to the river.

The are a lot hiking trails in here. My favorite is the Boogerman Trail which has some beautiful old growth trees which are pretty rare here. The Boogerman would not sell his land to the lumber companies. There is a church and a few houses to show how people used live in here. The next cove is Little Cataloochee and the two were divided in loyalties during the Civil War. This is the area 20 years ago where Elk were reintroduced into the Park. After 6:00 you can see them grazing in the fields nearby. The males usually are near the church while you have to go past the wooden bridge to see the females. This area is closed after 8:00 pm so even if you are nearby, you can come down here to see them, just make you plan for this 2 hour window. They move with the shadows and after a while they are pretty close to the road. No big deal if you live out West maybe, but here in the South this would be the only place to see them for quite some distance. The original 20 came from the Land Between the Lakes and now there are well over 100. Carefully look in the barns as the elk have figured out they are good places to escape the heat.

Nearby is another area called Big Creek. Unfortunately, the campground is a walk in only, but if you want to go to a great swimming hole park at the picnic ground. Walk up the trail to Midnight Hole (Go to YouTube to see videos of it.) Great place to swim after a 1.5 mile hike. You are also near some White Water Rafting too.

 

And the fireflies are extraordinary in May!

 

I've seen the fireflies here and at Balsam Mountain without the crazy crowds you have over at Elkmont.