There are a lot of advantages to them! In this case my brother was able to join us and we had no problem fitting all his stuff in our truck without things being too packed out. Plus if you are staying in a campsite for a few days at a time you can leave your tent deployed while you take your truck out to do other stuff.
@@mountainstoseaoverland9855 They really are, I used to live out in Washington state and we had a large herd of elk that would come into town once or twice a year for a few weeks. I'll have to see the herd here for sure.
Sweet little trailer setup. What kind of trailer do you have? Great channel by the way! I was looking for places to explore close to home (VA) and your videos are making today's workday a little easier. Keep up the great work!
If it's a hot day, they will spend most of the day in the woods out of sight. They are just about always out in the meadows just off the road early in the morning and late in the afternoon from at least April through October. You can be parked off the shoulder of the road in the valley with no elk in the meadows, and in the late afternoon they'll start coming out of the woods, often right past the parked cars. In a half hour or so, there will probably be 40 or 50 of them scattered in 2 or 3 different areas along the road. If it's a cool rainy day, you have a better chance of seeing them out in the meadows all day.
How did you get into the valley? The Rd you mentioned to leave the valley is the only way you in and out that I'm aware of. Crazy sketchy road, definitely nervous at times.
That road is the main way in. You could also come in via a 15-20 mile gravel road that connects with the Big Creek area of the park right at the NC/TN border. Unless you're coming from Big Creek (which is a pretty area with a very nice hike along a river to Midnight Hole and Mouse Creek Falls), you should come via exit 20 off I-40 and the sketchy gravel road you're referencing. I have done it many times and don't find it all intimidating, but some people do. I've had several people in the valley who have come in on that road ask me if there is another way out. Frankly, I like it that there's a rough road to get into this area of the park, or it would be completely overrun with visitors like Cades Cove.
cataloochee was not really abandoned.. there were 1,251 people living there until the department of the interior kick them all out to make the smoky mt park in the 30's. really is a sad story to many folks that live around here... (3:52 you say maggie but must have meant cataloochee) but, i do not mean to take away from your amazing family trip, fun adventure, and great times. thank you for posting great content and fun family overland trips !
I wondered about that as we walked through the houses and other buildings. At least it's a park now, and not the bottom of a lake or concrete jungle. You're right, I meant Cataloochee.
@@Tradcat.Hillbilly They brought some elk in from the Land Between the Lakes recreational area near the Kentucky/Tennessee border to reintroduce them to the GSMNP and they have flourished. The 2 most common places to see them are in Cataloochee, where they are usually in the meadows by the road early morning and late afternoon or all day on cool rainy days, and in a 2 or 3 mile area around Oconoluftee Village, which is very close to where the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with US 441, near Cherokee, NC. When the weather is hot, you will probably see few if any elk for most of the day as they retreat into the woods where it's shady. The best time to see the elk is during the rut at Cataloochee, which is from roughly mid August to early October. The mature bull elk will be bugling, keeping their harem in line, and potentially sparring with another bull for supremacy and the right to mate. If you're there a little after sunrise on a cool morning in late September or early October, you've also got a good chance of fog with beautiful morning light cutting through it and seeing steam come of the mouths of the elk when they bugle.
Well I just added this on my places to see in NC.
It's well worth the drive out there.
I'm looking into a expedition trailer like the one you have.
There are a lot of advantages to them! In this case my brother was able to join us and we had no problem fitting all his stuff in our truck without things being too packed out. Plus if you are staying in a campsite for a few days at a time you can leave your tent deployed while you take your truck out to do other stuff.
I was just there this week. It's amazing!!!
Thank you, Im going tomorrow Oct 12 with my wife and after see your vid IM SO EXCITED!! Again thank you!!
How did it go? It's really neat out there isn't it? I can't wait to return and bring my wife
@ 1:40 "DANGER Stay Back 50 Yards You Can Be Injured Or Killed"
@ 11:41 Why is it so difficult for adults to follow safety guidelines?
Cant wait to go there !!!! Thank You !
It's best in the fall during the rut. Enjoy!
Great video!!!
Just seen these elk today for bythe first time sooo dope
Wow, I didn't even know there were elk here in NC. I need to stop by there at some point
They are such an impressive sight, and so good to see the herd thriving now in NC!
@@mountainstoseaoverland9855 They really are, I used to live out in Washington state and we had a large herd of elk that would come into town once or twice a year for a few weeks. I'll have to see the herd here for sure.
Maybe NC is moving toward herds that are that well off that we would start seeing them move through the rest of the state. They are beautiful animals.
Sweet little trailer setup. What kind of trailer do you have? Great channel by the way! I was looking for places to explore close to home (VA) and your videos are making today's workday a little easier. Keep up the great work!
Cherokee nc has them seen them on the parkway going to tenn
Credulous
i went there today didn’t see a single elk
If it's a hot day, they will spend most of the day in the woods out of sight. They are just about always out in the meadows just off the road early in the morning and late in the afternoon from at least April through October. You can be parked off the shoulder of the road in the valley with no elk in the meadows, and in the late afternoon they'll start coming out of the woods, often right past the parked cars. In a half hour or so, there will probably be 40 or 50 of them scattered in 2 or 3 different areas along the road. If it's a cool rainy day, you have a better chance of seeing them out in the meadows all day.
How did you get into the valley? The Rd you mentioned to leave the valley is the only way you in and out that I'm aware of. Crazy sketchy road, definitely nervous at times.
I 4o take Maggie valley exit to Cherokee
That road is the main way in. You could also come in via a 15-20 mile gravel road that connects with the Big Creek area of the park right at the NC/TN border. Unless you're coming from Big Creek (which is a pretty area with a very nice hike along a river to Midnight Hole and Mouse Creek Falls), you should come via exit 20 off I-40 and the sketchy gravel road you're referencing. I have done it many times and don't find it all intimidating, but some people do. I've had several people in the valley who have come in on that road ask me if there is another way out. Frankly, I like it that there's a rough road to get into this area of the park, or it would be completely overrun with visitors like Cades Cove.
cataloochee was not really abandoned.. there were 1,251 people living there until the department of the interior kick them all out to make the smoky mt park in the 30's. really is a sad story to many folks that live around here... (3:52 you say maggie but must have meant cataloochee)
but, i do not mean to take away from your amazing family trip, fun adventure, and great times. thank you for posting great content and fun family overland trips !
I wondered about that as we walked through the houses and other buildings. At least it's a park now, and not the bottom of a lake or concrete jungle. You're right, I meant Cataloochee.
Since when do we have elk in NC?
Well they were native but people hunted them out of nc. They were re introduced about 19-20 years ago. (2001)
There have been elk for a long time now, there protected of coarse though
@@Tradcat.Hillbilly They brought some elk in from the Land Between the Lakes recreational area near the Kentucky/Tennessee border to reintroduce them to the GSMNP and they have flourished. The 2 most common places to see them are in Cataloochee, where they are usually in the meadows by the road early morning and late afternoon or all day on cool rainy days, and in a 2 or 3 mile area around Oconoluftee Village, which is very close to where the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway intersects with US 441, near Cherokee, NC. When the weather is hot, you will probably see few if any elk for most of the day as they retreat into the woods where it's shady. The best time to see the elk is during the rut at Cataloochee, which is from roughly mid August to early October. The mature bull elk will be bugling, keeping their harem in line, and potentially sparring with another bull for supremacy and the right to mate. If you're there a little after sunrise on a cool morning in late September or early October, you've also got a good chance of fog with beautiful morning light cutting through it and seeing steam come of the mouths of the elk when they bugle.
Man can’t wait! A few more years and us round here in nc will prolly get to participate in draw hunts for these beautifully majestic animals.