A valley that serves up an incredible outdoor adventure with hiking, fishing, water play, history and camping.

The Cataloochee Valley is a shining gem in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Once a thriving settlement, it was bought out by the park service in the early 1900s. Some houses, churches, schools, and other structures have been preserved to give you a glimpse into what life was like for the settlers of the Valley.

It is so easy to spend an entire day in the Valley. Hiking trails circle the area, picnic spots abound, fly fishing has never been better, kids love to wade through the creeks and throw rocks to see who can make the bigger splash. One of our favorite things to do is set up a picnic in the loft of the big barn and watch the Elk graze their way through the meadow as the sunsets. Although you can drive the length of the Valley along the one-lane dirt road, we prefer to slow down and take our bikes for a spin or put our little guy in the hiking pack and take the pups for a walk.

Cataloochee also has a campground (spots available by reservation) and many backcountry camping spots scattered throughout the park. There are fully plumbed bathrooms at the campground (opened seasonally) and more primitive bathrooms near the old schoolhouse (open year-round).

Getting to Cataloochee from Asheville will take you a little over an hour but it’s worth the drive. From Asheville take 40 west until you reach exit 20, US 276. Turn right off the exit and as soon as you go under the overpass take your first right onto Cove Creek Road. Follow Cove Creek Rd for 11 miles into the Valley. Cove Creek Road will turn into a one-lane gravel road with steep drop-offs and no guard rails, use caution around blind curves and be prepared to pull over into one of the many pull-offs to allow cars going the opposite direction to pass. The adventure is worth it!