OCONALUFTEE: Cherokee for "town by the river", Oconaluftee has been home to both Native Americans, soldiers, and settlers. Today, it houses one of the Park's visitor centers, marks the end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and a few of our most unique history hikes. (Learn More.)
WHY GO?: If you love history, you'll find it here. The Oconaluftee Valley once sheltered the Cherokee Indians, General Rutherford's army in 1776, several settlements in the early 1800s, and eventually the National Park. Explore an operational grist mill, the remnants of the CCC camps that were responsible for building much of the Park during the Great Depression, and uncover a few ghosts and legends during your visit.
TOURS: We offer a variety of nature walks and history hikes from Oconaluftee daily. These tours include: Ghosts & Legends, Fall Colors, and the Smoky Mountains Nature Hike.
GETTING THERE: Close to Cherokee (3 to 6 miles), Bryson City, NC (15 miles), Blue Ridge Parkway (1 mile), Sylva, NC (17 miles), and a short drive over the mountains from Gatlinburg (20 miles).
DIRECTIONS: Looking for directions to Oconaluftee? Just remember that all of our trips REQUIRE reservations. So, please call (828) 488-6688 to make reservations. Directions to the tour will be provided. Lost your directions? No problem. Just give us a call. We'll be more than happy to point you in the right direction.
MORE LOCATIONS: We offer eight points of departure throughout the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. (See all of our locations.)
TOUR DESCRIPTION: Take a spine-tingling stroll into the Great Smoky Mountains for an evening of ghosts, legends, and folklore. The Smokys are known for their pitch-black nights, ghostly shadows, and nocturnal creatures. Visit abandoned tunnels, haunted graveyards, and the ruins of settlements long forgotten.
Tales of murder and mayhem may frighten the faint of heart. Hear the accounts of those whose lives live on only in legend. Listen closely to the stories of mysterious events that have been handed down generation after generation, living on through local folklore.
Tours depart as the forest blackens. Don’t miss this frightening visit into the unknown.
Two and a half hours of easy walking with several stops for water and story telling along the way. Tours go as fast as the slowest guest and rarely cover more than 3 miles.
AVERAGE GROUP SIZE: 6 to 12 people per guide. Large private groups may exceed 12 people and may require more than one guide.
DEPARTURES: Monday thru Sunday. Tours depart at 8:00 pm.
COST: $36 for each adult. $22 for each child (10 years of age and younger)
NEED TO KNOW: All tours are led by
experienced local guides who are knowledgeable about the local ghost stories, legends and folklore. Reservations are required. No experience is necessary. All ages are welcome.
LOCATIONS: This tour is offered at the following locations:
Road to Nowhere
Oconaluftee
MORE TOURS: We offer a wide variety of nature walks and history hikes for all ages and experience levels. (See all of our tours.)
MORE THAN A WALK IN THE WOODS: Think of our tours as an all access behind the scenes pass to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You'll learn to see life in the park in ways you never imagined. Old rocky paths become roads into the past, leafy trails connect you to the canopy above, and streams take you high into the peaks where storm clouds bring sustenance to over 100,000 creatures living all around you.
What was once a simple walk in the park is now an enlightening, awe inspiring experience for the whole family.
LEAVE YOUR STRESS BEHIND: Our trips offer a no hassle, no stress, alternative to exploring the Park. Our guides know where to go, how long it will take to get there and back, and what to do if something goes wrong. All you have to do is show up, and we'll take care of the rest.
SAFETY FIRST: You're three miles into the wilderness and your daughter trips and hurts her leg. What would you do. A sudden fall can quickly become life threatening. Our guides are certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR. They are trained to handle safety situations that may seem insignificant in your backyard, but may be life threatening in the wilderness. While on one of our tours you'll be in good hands every step of the way.
MAP? WHAT MAP?: Every year unsuspecting visitors to the Park get distracted while on the trail and end up lost. It happens. There are more than 800 miles of trails in the park, and many trails look the same. We spend everyday out there in the wilderness. We know the trails backwards and forwards. So, go head. It's okay. When you're on a tour with us, focus on the things around you. We'll take care of reaching the destination and returning you, safely, to the trail head.
YOUR INTERACTIVE GUIDEBOOK: Leave those dusty guide books at home or -- even better -- on the shelf. You'd need a library full of books to rival the knowledge our guides carry with them on every trip. That's right. Our guides know the history, culture, wildlife, plants, and Park history inside and out. Want to know who once prepared dinner over that crumbling fireplace? Just ask. What about that bird or how all these trails were built and how they are maintained today. Just ask. Just about every fact you can think of is walking right their beside you. So, don't be shy. If you have a question, all you have to do is ask.