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All the United States North Carolina Maggie Valley Smoky Mountain Elk Fest

Smoky Mountain Elk Fest

An annual celebration of the region's successful elk reintroduction program.

Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Added By
Kerry Wolfe
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An elk herd in Cataloochee.   Will Thomas/cc by-sa 3.0
An elk herd in Cataloochee.   Will Thomas/cc by-sa 3.0
Elk are now thriving in Great Smoky Mountain National Park.   Thomas/cc by-sa 2.0
This elk bull is part of the herd transplanted to Cataloochee in 2001.   Ken Thomas/public domain
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About

Once a year, revelers flock to the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds for a day filled with live music, tasty food, and a host of seasonal activities. But this isn’t an ordinary festival. People aren’t here to peep foliage or pick apples—they’re here to celebrate elk.

An abundance of elk once wandered the mountains of Western North Carolina. But as the early United States grew, overhunting and habitat loss decimated the population. It’s believed the last elk to roam the state died in the late 1700s.

That is, until 2001. That's the year 52 elk were reintroduced into the Cataloochee Valley, part of a joint research effort by Great Smoky Mountain National Park officials and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. The initial herd, and their offspring, thrived. Not two decades later, more than 150 elk call the area home.

The Smoky Mountain Elk Fest celebrates this successful reintroduction. You won't find captive elk at the festival, but there are elk-themed events. Attendees can put their communication skills to the test at the elk bugling contest, or take a guided hike and learn about elk habitats. There’s also live music and storytelling, wildlife demonstrations, performances by dancers from the Cherokee Indian Reservation, and crafts for sale.

Proceeds from the festival go toward programs that protect and maintain the local elk population's habitats. Some unruly North Carolina ungulates have been known to wander into farmer’s fields or munch on apple trees located on private property. By making sure the mountains have enough cleared areas and proper vegetation, conservationists are better able to ensure elk stick to target territories and minimize human-wildlife conflicts. Strong, sustainable changes mean that these efforts will also have benefits for the region's other plants and animals.

Related Tags

Animals Wildlife Conservation Festivals National Parks Mountains Fauna

Know Before You Go

Admission to the festival is $5. It's a family-friendly annual event, and visitors of all ages are welcome. The festival is typically scheduled on a weekend in late August or early September. See the festival's website for information.

Community Contributors

Added By

Kerry Wolfe

Published

March 1, 2020

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Sources
  • https://visitncsmokies.com/smoky-mountain-elk-fest/
  • https://www.romanticasheville.com/elk-fest
  • https://www.southernliving.com/news/smoky-mountain-elk-fest-2019
  • https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/smoky-mountain-elk-fest-helps-fund-habitats/51-e663b773-1dec-45ff-be4a-ca1a25e73f72
  • https://www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/nature/elk.htm
Smoky Mountain Elk Fest
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds
3374 Soco Road
Maggie Valley, North Carolina
United States
35.515505, -83.084172
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Nearby Places

Dale’s Wheels Through Time

Maggie Valley, North Carolina

miles away

World Methodist Museum

Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

miles away

Mountain Farm Museum

Cherokee, North Carolina

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maggie Valley

Maggie Valley

North Carolina

Places 2

Nearby Places

Dale’s Wheels Through Time

Maggie Valley, North Carolina

miles away

World Methodist Museum

Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

miles away

Mountain Farm Museum

Cherokee, North Carolina

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Maggie Valley

Maggie Valley

North Carolina

Places 2

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