The next day was sunnier. We broke camp early and headed for Cataloochie Campground. Getting to Cataloochie is half the fun. Leaving Smokemont Campground, we drove south on 441 to the south terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We drove north to the Socco Road access, where we exited the Blue Ridge Parkway and continued east on 19 into Maggie Valley. There we headed north on one narrow twisting country road after another, steadily gaining elevation and following Rough Creek much of the way. Then came the really fun part. Leaving Rough Creek behind, we drove onto Ranger Station Road, which led to Cataloochie Entrance Road. Where on a very steep grade we ran out of pavement. For several miles it was a gravel road twisting up to a mountaintop and over, to descend on the other side in the same twisting way. It was great fun. Of course, even though the road was gravel and clung to sheer drops, it was designed wide enough to handle campers. We just took it slowly and enjoyed the sights. After descending for a couple miles on the other side, the pavement returned and we had easy passage the rest of the way to Cataloochie Campground.
Naturally, we went for a short hike to settle our nerves.
Back from our hike, we encountered the campground pet.
Not really a pet. Whenever the resident ranger saw the moose he chased it away. But it always came back. It knew where to find an easy meal. The next day we drove around the valley.
We parked the motor home and hiked a trail that led us to restored buildings. The valley used to be a secluded community.
More log bridges, although none as challenging as the one I had found at Smokemont Campground.
As you can tell in this photo, we were on a multi-use trail. A log bridge for hikers, a ford for horses.
This log bridge was impressively long.
Eventually, we came to the structures.
Which were open for inspection.
On to other buildings.
Other more distant old buildings we drove to see.
After 2 nights, we were ready to move on. There is a road in Chataloochie heading north through the park, the Old Chataloochie Turnpike, although to call it a turnpike is a major misnomer. I took this years ago the first time we visited Chataloochie. It was a narrow twisting washed-out gravel road, which most of the time had no gravel and seriously canted to downhill. It was a beautiful drive, which should be restricted to 4-wheel drives. I was in a sedan that time, and it was rough going. I certainly wasn’t about to try it in the motor home. Well, I was willing to try it, but my wife put her foot down. She well-remembered that road. So we went out the same way we went in. Which also was a lot of fun.
NEXT LOCATION: Cosby Campground, Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
From the North Rim 