Elk Sighting: Where to View in the Smokies

By visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), you have an opportunity to see elk.  Elk roamed eastern North America until extensive hunting significantly reduced the population.  Thankfully the GSMNP re-introduced elk into the park in 2001.

Elk size and movement make watching them so impressive.  Elk are one of the largest land mammals in North America, reaching up to nine feet tall if including antlers.  Antlers can weigh up to 40 pounds.  Only the male elk or bull have antlers.  These bulls can weigh up to 700 pounds.  The bulls bugle loudly during the mating season of fall and aggressively guard their harem of female elk known as cows.

Looking to impress your loved one with the thrill of sighting elk in the Smoky Mountains?  A few facts about elk will help you increase your odds:

1) Timing is everything.  Elk fall into the category of crepuscular animals, meaning that they are active primarily during twilight (periods of dawn and dusk).  It's no wonder the two times I've spotted elk in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was during dusk.  I had passed by the same field earlier during the day and saw no elk.

2.  Location is important.  Elk prefer woodlands and avoid dense forest.  Elk feed on grasses.  Natural predators include black bear which can be found in the forest.  It's no wonder the two times I've spotted elk in the GSMNP was in the woodlands near the Oconaluftee Visitors Center in Cherokee.

Most websites will direct you to Cataloochee Valley in the GSMNP to see elk.  My tip - take a chance at seeing them near the Oconaluftee Visitors Center instead.  If you don't see elk, you can still tour the mountain farm and enjoy the views.  It saves you from a drive that sounds difficult.  Here's the Cataloochee Valley directions according to the GSMNP:  "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...A more scenic rout (not recommended for RVs) is to take a long winding road, highway 32, from Crosby, TN to the Tennessee-North Carolina state border, where the road becomes gravel.  It twists and winds into Cataloochee.  (This route is not recommended if your passengers are prone to car sickness."