Oconoluftee Visitor Center 
Lake Ocoee at Sunset
Elk, Whitewater, Sunsets and More!
What is so great about Murphy, NC is that it sits on the border of Tennessee and Georgia and affords a limitless supply of outdoor activities. Here are our highlights from our 14 day stay in this magical area.
Sunset on Lake Ocoee
One evening while traveling along Highway 64 looking for a sunset on Lake Ocoee, Mike spotted these cypress trees and his creative juices got to flowing and this was the result of waiting for the magic to happen along the side of the road.
Lake Ocoee at Sunset
Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Located on US 441 two miles north of Cherokee at the Park entrance, the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is the Park’s main welcome and information center for the North Carolina side. You can always find (except on Christmas) a knowledgeable, helpful park ranger and/or volunteers to answer questions and assist. There is a very nice gift store offering a broad selection of guides, maps, and other souvenirs, some from local artisans.
Mountain Farm Museum
This jewel allows you to step back in time as you walk through and explore a farmstead that has been assembled from relocating buildings from throughout the park. The farmstead includes a farmhouse, barn, apple house, springhouse, and a working blacksmith shop to get a sense of how families may have lived 100 years ago. Most of the structures were built in the late 19th century and were moved here in the 1950s. The Davis House offers a rare chance to view a log house built from chestnut wood before the chestnut blight decimated the American Chestnut in our forests during the 1930s and early 1940s.
Walking Trails
Two excellent walking trails start from the vicinity.
- The Oconaluftee River Trail follows its namesake stream for and easy (stroller accessible) 1.5 miles to Cherokee.
- Mingus Creek Trail is a moderate 5.9 mile out/back hike that climbs past old farms to the Smokies high country before turning around and ending back where you started.
Elk Herd
The elk were re-introduced into the National Park in 2001 and 2002. For the first few years, elk watching meant driving deep into the Cataloochee area of the park, about 1.5 hours from Bryson City. But over the past decade, the herd has grown and spread into other parts of the park.
The large field adjacent to the Visitor Center is a prime location for the herd to graze either early morning or late afternoon.
On two separate occasions we had the luck of witnessing these majestic animals in their natural habitat.
Our first sighting happened one late afternoon when, while touring the Homestead Museum, we spotted a lone bull elk in the field. He was continuously calling/bugling (we believe) to locate other elk. We heard faint replies from somewhere off in the distance. This huge creature walked through the field into the farmstead and through the creek into the adjoining woods. This sighting took about 30 – 45 minutes and we were just in awe.
Our second sighting was another evening around 4 PM as we parked at the visitor center. It started with a larger male entering the field followed by a herd of females and youngsters.
It continued with two other large males entering into the field and chases and bellowing ensuing but no fighting. WHEW.
It was all so surreal. The cars clogged the roads and rangers and volunteers rushed into action to control the crowds and to keep the elk from crossing the road.
NOTE: Always be respectful and give them their space. This is important to keep them alive as well as for your own well-being. They will charge you and have been know to ram vehicles.
Mingus Mill
Just up the road from the visitor center is Mingus Mill. A working grist mill.
Waterfalls!
The options are almost limitless! When you read articles geared toward the best waterfalls near Murphy, North Carolina the few that we visited almost always make the list and here are our reviews:
Mingo Falls
Mingo Falls is on the Cherokee Indian Reservation (Qualla Boundary), just outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 120 feet tall, the waterfall is one of the tallest in the southern Appalachians. The hike to the waterfall is any easy 0.4 miles in length, but is considered moderate in difficulty, mainly because of the 140 steps up and rooty and rocky terrain as you near the falls.
Conasauga Falls
Located on the edge of the Cherokee National Forest in southeastern Tennessee, just off the Cherohala Skyway near Tellico Plains is the mighty and beautiful Conasauga Falls.
The road leading to the trailhead is narrow, partly paved, with large amounts of the asphalt having been washed away….. so it can be an experience just to get there. Our Subaru Outback did a fine job of navigating the bumpy road.
We really like the adventure of getting to the trail head, the 1.3 mile hike was pleasant and easy enough and the falls were beautiful.
Falls Branch Trail
In the same area as Conasauga Falls, you will find Falls Branch Trail on the Cherohala Skyway at a trailhead marked by a sign indicating West Rattlesnake. The parking area is marked by a low stone wall.
This is a 3 mile moderate out/back hike through a forest. Once you get near the falls the terrain becomes a bit tricky with rocks, roots and mud. All typical terrain for a waterfall hike. We both enjoyed the shaded hike on a warm day and we thought the falls were beautiful.
The drive along the Cherohala Skyway was beautiful, the parking was easy-peasy, the hike was easy enough and pleasant through the forest and the falls were breathtaking.
Hikes
Wayah Bald Tower
Wayah Bald Tower is a historic lookout tower in North Carolina (near Franklin) that sits atop Wayah Bald at 5,342 feet. The decommissioned stone lookout tower is a popular stop along the popular Bartram Trail, and it’s also an important landmark along the Appalachian Trail.
You can reach Wayah Bald Tower while hiking or by taking a short walk from your car in the parking lot. The fact that you can drive up to this lookout tower is why it’s so appealing.
Of course, the stunning views that await are the best reason to visit.
Huckleberry Knob for Sunrise
We woke up at 4:30 AM, drove the 1+ hour to the trail, hiked the one-mile to the Huckleberry Knob in the dark to be thwarted by fog! We waited and waited and waited in the cold, misty air and it was only getting worse. Well …. you win some – some you don’t. We later learned in a random conversation with someone that was on the Cherohala Skyway that the fog never lifted until 11 AM.
All in all, it was a very neat experience. We are looking forward to someday returning and catching that perfect sunrise on Huckleberry Knob.
Paddle Adventures
Nantahala River
Located near Bryson City, NC, the whitewater fun offered on the (lower) Nantahala River is one of our favorites offering Class I – III rapids!
We’ve done this adventure many different ways over the years. Probably the most fun and exciting is the small hardbody whitewater kayaks but for ease of hauling around in the RV, the inflatable 2-person kayak makes the most sense now.
There are many options for rentals but (in our opinion) the most convenient is the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center). It’s main campus is located right along the river at the pull-out point at the intersection of the Appalachian Trail and the Nantahala River, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains. They have a outfitting store, a restaurant, a camp store, an outside bar & grill for enjoying a brew watching other kayakers finish up their adventure.
Hiawassee River Float Trip
This was a very pleasant gentle float trip from Powerhouse Boat Ramp near Reliance to Hwy 411 Boat Ramp. An approximate 12 mile float with gentle ripples.
Since this is a one-way trip and because we were doing it during the week and not during peak season, our shuttle options were very limited so we opted to do our own “shuttle” service. This is tedious and time- consuming but it really was our only option since we weren’t to familiar with the area or the hitching a ride situation.
First of all, I followed Mike on the Yamaha to our take-out point, then we took the Crosstrek to the put-in. Once we floated for 4’ish hours and arrived at the take-out, Mike takes the Yamaha the 30 minute drive to the put-in, picks up the Crosstrek, drives it back to me and we load up the gear, then we have to drive back to pick up the Yamaha and then drive home. It’s not ideal but it works.
If this is your type of adventure there are a couple of different rental companies you can opt to go with. Woods Outdoor Adventures is one.
Lake Santeelah Paddle
Part of the Nantahala National Forest, this recreational lake consists of 3,000 acres of open water in the midst of green mountain slopes, and is ideal for a relaxing paddle trip. Because of it’s size, we stay to the shoreline enjoying an approximate 10 mile paddle among the mountains. We chose a weekday so we saw very little boat traffic which is perfect for us. If the lake is busy with motorboaters it can be problematic for kayakers.
Out of the Ordinary
Watching Kayakers on the Nantahala Cascades
Although we ❤️ whitewater adventures this particular day we were just spectators 😳. Here are the facts. *Note, this is NOT the lower section that is available year round to paddle and is considered Class I – III.
The Nantahala Cascades are considered to be a classic southeastern example of Class V whitewater. The roadside location makes hiking after a bad swim relatively easy, and the scheduled releases* allow paddlers to plan in advance.
*Scheduled releases happen several times a year and are coordinated between Duke Energy and the American Whitewater and our affiliate clubs.
These extra water releases creates bigger water so while each individual rapid is more or less Class IV, their stacked nature bumps the river’s rating into Class V. Short and steep, the cascades drop 210 feet per mile over the .7-mile segment. Concrete landings with stairs and railing have been installed at various points along the river to improve access, and multiple pullouts along the road allow spectators to watch and boaters to scout.
Many people choose to put in just above a rapid named The Horns of God. If The Horns of God look intimidating, it may be best to change your mindset from “paddler” to “spectator.”
The following pictures highlight the experienced kayakers who made it looks easy! But my heart was still racing just watching them.
Alpaca Tour
An Alpaca Tour This has become a popular attraction these last several years. Who doesn’t love a cute, fuzzy Alpaca? We’ve done a few tours but by far the best we’ve ever experienced is through Shaka Alpaca Farm in Murphy. They protect the well being of their chickens, goats and Alpaca all while providing you with education and a hands on experience where you can feed and walk an alpaca the 0.5 mile trek around the perimeter of the farm. Unfortunately, we just learned they are no longer open to the public or offering tours. If this type of adventure interest you, check around, there are other options. Just be sure to check to ensure they are protecting the well-being of the animals.
Oconaluftee Indian Village
The Oconaluftee Indian Village tour. For $16 per person you are transported back in time as your tour guide explains the old ways and a craftsman demonstrates. We also able listened to two different lectures. We enjoyed our second visit to the village in 20 years.
We give these adventures a……
Dream Big, Travel Far, Live Well…
What’s Next?
We moved to Lake Toxaway, a quaint little town in western North Carolina situated between Cashiers and Brevard. Our next post will dive into our adventures on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, Dupont State Recreational Forest and much more.
Enjoying our Photography?
If you enjoy our photography, you can view and purchase from our Fine Art America site. Please check us out for featured nature photography from Florida to the Pacific Northwest.
Nspired Adventures 