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kim delozier
Retired chief wildlife biologist for the national park; now manager of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation’s conservation program
“I remember the first time I drove up and saw free-ranging elk in the Cataloochee Valley after our
successful reintroduction program. Elk hadn’t lived in the Smokies for 200 years. Many people thought it
would never happen—but we did it.”
Cataloochee
“Go to Cataloochee to see the elk in the fall, during the breeding season—
it’s just a great window to nature.”
Information: 865-436-1200; nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/elk.htm
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Foothills Parkway West
“This 18-mile scenic drive is officially part of the national park but it lies just outside the park’s main boundaries, along its western edge. ... The road follows a ridgeline, which offers a distinct advantage over most other scenic drives in the park because you can enjoy marvelous views looking out of either side of the car windows. At about the halfway point ... [follow] the signs across the road to the Look Rock observation tower ... at the end of a half-mile trail.” [From “Smokies Hidden Gems,” March/April 2015]
moky Mountain Treasures