Oconaluftee Valley Overlook
This viewpoint overlooks the namesake valley.
Plan Around Oconaluftee Valley Overlook
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Oconaluftee Valley Overlook Details
As the name implies, this viewpoint overlooks the valley of the Oconaluftee River, whose waters are considered sacred by the Cherokee. John Jacob Mingus, the first European to settle in the lands now occupied by Great Smoky Mountains National Park, arrived in the valley in the 1790s. It's hard to imagine looking at it now, but the Oconaluftee River Valley was stripped of nearly all of its trees in the early part of the 20th century. Smokemont, at the north end of the valley, was the base camp for the Three M Lumber Co. and the Champion Fiber Co., which only halted lumbering here when the Great Smoky Mountains Park Commission bought the valley in the 1930s.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
Region
Newfound Gap Road
Nearby Parks Around Oconaluftee Valley Overlook
Compare nearby parks around Oconaluftee Valley Overlook when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Oconaluftee Valley Overlook
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Oconaluftee Valley Overlook while the map context is still fresh.
0.2 mi away
Indian Gap
Cherokee for centuries followed a trail through this pass.
0.7 mi away
Appalachian Trail
The 2,179-mile trail cuts through the Smoky Mountains.
0.7 mi away
Charlie's Bunion
Difficult ascents, sheer cliffs, and beautiful views of The Sawteeth.
0.7 mi away
Newfound Gap
This low point in the ridgeline stands at 5,048 feet.
