When 5 Elk calves came running out of the high grass at the Oconaluftee Visitor center and circled the herd in a full gallop, I was hooked. The Park had reintroduced Elk to the Park in 2001, and now the herd that has come to Oconaluftee numbers 25.
Only through hard work and changes in the Park’s management plan will the herd be able to grow to number as many as 100.
These Elk are a sight to see and thousands of visitors a year experience these Elk.
I have been researching these Elk for a year now and tell my story on this website:
GreatSmokiesElk.com I am hoping to enlist an organization’s support to further the expansion of the herd and ensure its sustainability.
BTW: I was involved in the Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County fight to stop the Road to Nowhere and met a few NPCA people in the process. We won! Thanks NCPA for your help.
Sincerely,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the country's most popular national park sites. It offers postcard-perfect views and plentiful wildlife.
State(s): North Carolina Tennessee,
Established: 1926
“For future generations.”
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Greetings from Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Mid-October, 2023—colors between Cherokee and Gatlinburg
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Greetings from Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Even before my family and I reached the Smokies, I was in awe of the scenery around me. Tennessee’s vibrant forests framed the road on either side, and we drove along a glimmering creek that threaded through the trees. Later, after hiking up to Clingmans Dome, we watched the fog…
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