The drive was a bit of a challenge (somewhat of a recurring theme in the Appalachians) but oh, what a reward at the end.  The Cataloochee Valley is a remote section on the eastern side of the Great Smoky Mountains.  Reds, oranges and yellows draped across the mountains sides looking like dancing flames in the bright sun.   Awesome.

Then we got to meet some of the famous locals, a bull Elk with a trophy rack and his harem.  They posed a little and the bull stared down a couple younger males but mostly they just went about noshing down on whatever they could find to fatten up for winter.  They wandered to within about 50 yards of us.

A bit further along we found another bull, eight or ten cows and two first-fall babies.  One even still had its spots.  More posing and noshing and some napping in the sun.  There were even a couple bugles from this fellow.  It makes the place feel a little more complete.

About 50 Elk from Colorado and Canada were reintroduced in this valley of the Park starting in 2002.  There are about 150 of them now.  It looks like the valley suits them.