Excerpted from Smoky Mountain Hiking and Camping by Lee Barnes

Cataloochee Valley, located on the southeastern end of the Park is far from the main tourist traffic and is only accessible along a fairly narrow gravel road that is not recommended for RV's. The easiest access is from the intersection of I-40 and NC 276, northeast of Maggie Valley, North Carolina.

Follow Cove Creek Road (County Road 1395) to the Park's boundary at Cove Creek Gap (where it turns to gravel) and continue 4 miles to a paved road that leads to the primitive Cataloochee Campground and Ranger Station. The gravel Cataloochee-Big Creek Road continues along the eastern edge of the Park to the Big Creek Area and access to I-40 at the Waterville Exit.

Camping is available at Cataloochee Campground, which is frequently filled on weekends. This small, but very pleasant, campground contains 30 sites, making it an excellent base camp for day hiking. The nearest private campgrounds are along Jonathan Creek (NC 276) and in Maggie Valley.

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