Elk in the Smoky Mountains?

Bull Elk at Oconaluftee Visitor Center

​Yep, that’s right!  As part of the National Park Service’s mission to preserve animals on its land, elk were reintroduced in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2001.  The herd started with 25 elk that were brought in from the Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky, and then again in 2002, another 27 elk were added from the same location.  These two stockings started the initial herd in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  The elk were initially released into the Cataloochee area in NC, and have since expanded their range.  You can still visit them in the Cataloochee valley, but you can also see them near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center just outside of Cherokee, NC.  Although it is not exactly close to Pigeon Forge, being a littler over an hour’s drive, it is worth it to see these magnificent animals. The drive takes you on US-441 which is the road between Gatlinburg and Cherokee that takes you over the range of the Smoky Mountains.  There are numerous overlooks along the way and also a spur leading to Clingman’s Dome.  The drive in and of itself is a sight to behold.

The best time to view the elk in the Smokies is the first couple of hours after sunrise and the last couple of hours before sunset.  There is usually an assortment of cows, calfs and bulls in the fields off of US-441 near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.  September and October are an especially good time to view the elk due to the elk rut occurring at that time.  You will be able to see and hear the bull elks bugling during this time.  You can also watch the dominant bull run off lesser bulls from his haram of cows.  You do have to be careful this time of year as the bulls can be very aggressive.  If you keep a safe distance, there are usually no problems, but every year someone tries to get too close or a vehicle stops too close to a bull and then the bull charges.  I saw a truck get smashed by an elk last year when the driver stopped his truck just 10 feet from the dominant bull.

It is nice that there are places to view these spectacular animals without having to travel out west.  There are a few other places in the eastern US where you can see elk such as Kentucky and Pennsylvania but the herd in NC is relatively close to the Pigeon Forge area, being just over an hour away.  In addition to seeing elk, there are several others sites of interest along the way.  Right behind the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is the Mountain Farm Museum.  Just a few miles from there is Mingus Mill which is an historic, still operating, water powered mill.  Then you also have Cherokee, NC, which is only about 2 miles from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.  ​

Bull Elk with Cow

So if you are staying at one of the cabins that Peaceful Cabin Rentals has to offer, consider taking a drive over the mountain range to check out these magnificent elk.