Cataloochee & Balsam Mountain Area

NPS Photo

Cataloochee is home to one of the park's two main elk herds and preserves rich cultural history nestled in a valley surrounded by rising mountains. The nearby Balsam Mountain area offers cooler temperatures with its high elevation and has beautiful views that overlook the valleys. The area includes a picnic area, two wooded campgrounds, scenic drives, and access to multiple trails.

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor Center & Campground Information

The closest NPS visitor center to Cataloochee & Balsam Mountain is Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

 

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Getting to Cataloochee

The entrance road to Cataloochee Valley is a winding, gravel road that has some steep drop offs with no guard rails. The road is narrow, so drivers may be required to stop or back up their vehicles to allow oncoming motorists to pass. Horse trailer traffic may be encountered on the road. Please use caution when driving on this road.

The most direct route into the valley is to take Cove Creek Road. To get to the valley from interstate I-40, exit at North Carolina exit #20 and travel 0.2 miles on route 276. Turn right onto Cove Creek Road and follow the signs 11 miles into the Cataloochee Valley. To get there from Oconaluftee or Cherokee, take the Blue Ridge Parkway to Highway 19. Follow 19 (toward Asheville) through Maggie Valley. Turn left onto Highway 276 N. Just before the entrance ramp to I-40 (but past gas station), turn left and follow the signs 11 more miles to Cataloochee. Using the Cove Creek Road route, motorists will be traveling on a gravel road for approximately 15 minutes.

A more scenic route (not recommended for RVs) is to take a long winding road, highway Route 32, from Cosby, TN to the Tennessee-North Carolina state border, where the road becomes gravel.