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Cataloochee, North Carolina

Top Spots in and near Cataloochee

  • Waynesville, North Carolina

    Explore Cataloochee Valley

    5.0
    History, solitude and wildlife abound in this quiet corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but getting here is not easy. Take the scenic route via Cove Creek Road from Cosby, TN. Drive 40 miles along the twisting, gravel road to Cataloochee, NC. The scenery along the way is outstanding, b...
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  • Maggie Valley, United States

    Hemphill Bald

    Hemphill Bald is a quintessential Smoky Mountains vantage point and this moderate loop trail leading to it takes you through beautiful forest and rolling hills. This area is incredible in all seasons - wildflowers in the spring, colorful leaves in the fall, and with bare trees in the winter, the ...
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  • Clyde, North Carolina

    Photograph the Smokies from Buzzards Roost

    This is an awesome place to check out if you are driving Interstate 40 or if you are visiting the area for awhile. The access point for Buzzards Roost is located on the same exit as the well known Max Patch Mountain, just in the other direction. Once off the exit, you will travel down a gravel Fo...
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  • Newport, North Carolina

    Hike to Mt. Sterling's Fire Tower

    4.0
    12 mi / 4200 ft gain
    On your way in, stop at the ranger station parking lot to use the outhouses and grab a map for $1. Once at the Baxter Creek trailhead you have two options: 1. The Out and Back (12.2 miles) 2. The Loop (17 miles)Out and Back: Start on the Baxter Creek Trail and continue up for 6.1 miles until you...
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  • Newport, North Carolina

    Hike to Mouse Creek Falls

    5.0
    4.2 mi / 605 ft gain
    Follow Big Creek Trail on a moderate climb to this 45-foot waterfall. Around 1.3 miles in, you will begin to hike alongside Big Creek, and shortly afterwards you will pass Midnight Hole, a particularly deep pool. There are a number of other small falls en route. In spring you should see a number ...
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  • Clyde, North Carolina

    Hike to Little Fall Branch falls

    0.3 mi / 300 ft gain
    The trailhead to this hike is easy to find but the gps is hard to match so it might try to take you through the middle of the trees but its easy to follow the road. The best way to get here is to go off of I-40 at the Harmon Den exit and then go up the road towards Max Patch. To get to the trailh...
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  • Cosby, Tennessee

    Hike to the Mount Cammerer Lookout Tower

    4.5
    10.99 mi / 3040 ft gain
    Most visitors have a vision of how they'd like to see Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it typically involves climbing to the top of a mountain like 4,928-foot Mount Cammerer. This is a very strenuous hike involving a breathtaking amount of elevation gain along the rugged Low Gap and Appal...
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  • Cosby, Tennessee

    Hike to Hen Wallow Falls in Great Smoky Mountains NP

    5.0
    4.57 mi
    Start your adventure by parking in the Cosby Picnic Area Parking Lot near the entrance of the Cosby Campground. (127 Cosby Picnic Area Rd, Cosby, TN 37722.) Then backtrack through the parking lot about 100 yards until you see the sign marking the start of Gabes Mountain Trail.  The trek to Hen W...
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  • Maggie Valley, North Carolina

    Soco Falls

    5.0
    0.09 mi / 0 ft gain
    This double waterfall is located a mile and half off of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Cherokee Indian Reservation. From the parking area, it's a short walk down a well-established trail to the viewing area of the falls. For an even closer view of the falls, you can follow a roped, steep path dow...
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  • Bureau of Indian Affairs Highway 506, North Carolina

    Barrett Knob Fire Tower

    5.0
    1.21 mi / 400 ft gain
    Your hike will start at the base of the Blue Ridge Parkway just a few miles from the start in Cherokee. The trail starts right off of the parkway in a very small easy to miss dirt road. There is a small area to park that then you start your hike up the dirt road right after the gate. The hike to ...
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  • Del Rio, Tennessee

    Max Patch Mountain

    5.0
    1.51 mi / 315 ft gain
    Max Patch Mountain was once cleared for pasture land, leaving an expansive flat summit that now serves as the ideal location for a picnic hike, flying a kite, or laying in the sun surrounded by the Great Smoky Mountains. With little elevation gain and a short distance it is also very family (and ...
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  • Hartford, Tennessee

    Whitewater Rafting the Pigeon River

    5.0
    The Pigeon River is a dam controlled river that winds its way through North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee just outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The river provides beautiful views as one paddles along via raft or kayak.  Cutting through portions of the Pisgah and Cherokee National For...
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  • Sylva, North Carolina

    Abandoned Cessna 414A at Waterrock Knob

    3.7
    1.72 mi / 430 ft gain
    This is an AWESOME day hike for anyone looking to get outside for a few hours and see some special views of the blue ridges, as well as check out the abandoned plane crash of a Cessna 414A that happened back in 1983. The remains of the plane are still scattered along the hillside making it a supe...
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  • Sylva, North Carolina

    Waterrock Knob Trail

    5.0
    1 mi / 407 ft gain
    The trail begins paved and quickly climbs up into a heavily forested area. Once at a 1/4 of a mile in, you will come to a nice overlook that will give you your first real good view of the surrounding mountains. The trail then continues on, though now unpaved, with great views off to your left as ...
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  • Cherokee, North Carolina

    Mingo Falls

    4.2
    0.22 mi / 148 ft gain
    Although it is not much of a hike at just 0.3 miles, it is accessible to people of all fitness levels.  A climb up a series of stairs leads you to a trail overlooking Mingo creek.  You will then find a 20 foot wide bridge which serves as the viewing platform of the falls.   If you care to advent...
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  • Cosby, Tennessee

    Maddron Bald - Albright Grove Loop

    6.72 mi / 1500 ft gain
    Hidden in the eastern reaches of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Cosby region receives a fraction of the visitation of Gatlinburg or Cherokee. This section of the park preserves some of the best deciduous old-growth forest in the eastern United States. Individual tulip trees and eastern ...
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Camping and Lodging in Cataloochee

Cataloochee Campground
Cataloochee, North Carolina

Cataloochee Campground

Cataloochee Group Camp
Waynesville, North Carolina

Cataloochee Group Camp

Cataloochee Horse Camp
Waynesville, North Carolina

Cataloochee Horse Camp

Round Bottom Horse Camp
Cherokee, North Carolina

Round Bottom Horse Camp

Balsam Mountain Campground
Cherokee, North Carolina

Balsam Mountain Campground

Big Creek Group Camp
Newport, North Carolina

Big Creek Group Camp

Guides, Insights and Stories from Cataloochee

The 5 Best Fall Hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains

The 5 Best Fall Hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Christian Murillo

6 Inspiring Photos from the Smoky Mountains

6 Inspiring Photos from the Smoky Mountains

Nick Spicer

Indulge in Adventure at this Base Camp Near the Great Smoky Mountains

Indulge in Adventure at this Base Camp Near the Great Smoky Mountains

The Outbound Collective

20 Must-Do Hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

20 Must-Do Hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Outbound Collective

The Smokies Are Still Alive!

The Smokies Are Still Alive!

Merritt McKinney