Our RV park in Waynesville was just a mile from the 10-mile roadway going into
Cataloochee Valley. a remote and picturesque valley, also the most likely place to see elk in Smoky Mountain National Park. Check-out time was 11am, so we left very early to do this short but very windy and narrow drive into Cataloochee and try to make it home in time to hook up and check out.
It was a very narrow dirt road - with lots of blind corners. Gary was very happy we didn't encounter many other vehicles on the road. Then, when we arrived in the valley, there's this nice, wide, two-lane paved road. Gary insisted - we took the wrong way in! Let's go back out the easy way, on this nice
paved road! Well, no, I was pretty sure from the map, there's only one way in, except for the
other way, which was longer, narrower, and windier according to descriptions on the national park website. He insisted I ask a ranger...so I did. Yup, we had taken the
easy road in. I had to wonder how those RV's in the campground made it on that road.
Was worth the drive! Lots of elk, historic buildings, and fall colors, in a magnificent setting.
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| When we took off, it was foggy - glad this lifted! |
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| Windy narrow road in - a very slow 10 miles |
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| A paved 2-lane road through the valley, and many elk in the meadow |
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| we weren't the only elk peepers |
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| wild turkey too |
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| a very big bull |
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| just some friendly sparring |
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| heading back out of the valley |
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| back on the windy road, and many cars coming in |
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| pretty fall colors on this narrow road |
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| made it back home just in time to check-out! |
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