Camping in the Smokies

Cataloochee Campground is only the first attractive spot you'll see in this valley of meadows, streams, mountains, and history. The celebrated fishing waters of Cataloochee Creek form one border of the campground, while a small feeder stream forms the other. In between is an attractive flat, canopied with stately white pines and dotted with campsites.

The campground has ideal summer weather: warm days and cool nights. An elevation of 2,600 feet is fairly high for a valley campground with a stream the size of Cataloochee Creek. Cataloochee uses the basic campground design: campsites splintering off a loop road. Six of the sites lie along Cataloochee Creek. A few others border the small feeder stream. All the campsites are roomy and placed where the Pines allow. An erratic understory of hemlock and rhododendron leaves site privacy to the luck of which site you draw. The campground host is situated at the campground's entrance for your safety and convenience. Be forewarned: bears are sighted yearly at this campground, so properly store your food and keep the wild in the Smoky Mountain bears.

Most RV campers shy away from this campground because the park service does not recommend that RVs make the long drive over rough gravel roads. Cataloochee does fill up on summer weekends, yet with only 27 sites it doesn't seem overly crowded. A comfort station is located at the head of the campground next to the campground host. It has flush toilets for each sex and a cold water faucet that pours into a large sink. Another water spigot is at the other end of the campground.

With all there is to do, you probably will only be at the campground to rest from perusing the park. The first order of business is an auto tour of Cataloochee Valley. Get the handy park service pamphlet and gain a feel of the area. An old church, a school, and numerous homesites are a delight to explore. Informative displays explain further about life long ago in this part of the world.

Cataloochee Valley is a hiker's paradise. Take the 7.4-mile undulating Boogerman Trail that loops among old-growth hemlocks and tulip trees while passing through different vegetation zones. Old homesites add a touch of human history; numerous footbridges make exploring this watery mountainland fun and easy on the feet. Or take the Little Cataloochee Trail to Little Cataloochee Church. Set in the backwoods, the church was built in 1890 and is still used today. Other signs of man you'll see are a ramshackle cabin, chimneys, fence posts, and rock walls.

The Cataloochee Divide Trail starts at 4,000 feet and rambles along the ridgeline border that straddles Maggie and Cataloochee valleys. To the north is the rugged green expanse of the national park and to the south are the developed areas along U.S. 19. Grassy knolls along the way make good viewing and relaxing spots.

Using the Rough Fork, Caldwell Fork, and Fork Ridge trails, you can make another loop. Pass the fields of the Woody Place, then climb Fork Ridge, descend to Caldwell Fork, and climb Fork Ridge yet again to experience the literal highs and lows of hiking.

The meadows of Cataloochee Valley are an ideal setting for a picnic. Decide on your favorite view and lay down your blanket. Nearby shady streams will serenade you as you look up at the wooded ridges that line the valley Deer and other critters feed at the edges of the fields. Dusk is an ideal time to see Cataloochee's wildlife.

Summer weather had finally hit during our campground venture. The air had a lazy, hazy feel as we toured the valley's historic structures. I fished away the afternoon, catching a few rainbows downstream from the campground. After grilling hamburgers for supper, we walked up the Rough Fork Trail to the Woody Place. The homestead looked picturesque as the late-evening sunlight filtered through the nearby forest. As we came back to the trailhead, deer browsed in the Cataloochee meadow. We knew we had come to the right place. So will you.

To get there, from Canton drive 11 miles west on 1-40 to Exit 20, then drive west on NC 276. Follow it a short distance, then turn right on Cove Creek Road, which you follow nearly 6 miles to enter the park. Two miles beyond the park boundary, turn left onto the paved Cataloochee Road and follow it 3 miles. The campground will be on your left.

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