The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is located two miles north of Cherokee, North Carolina just inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on US-441. The visitor center features a museum showcasing the life of Native Americans and European settlers in Western North Carolina's history. Festivals and ranger-led demonstrations are provided throughout the year.
Parking and public transportation at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Parking at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center is available at no charge.
Best and worst time to go to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is open year-round; however, due to inclement weather during the winter months, the roads are often closed. Check the website for The Great Smoky Mountains National Park for information on closures.
Admission to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
There is no admission fee for the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, museum or outdoor farm. Most of the annual events are free and open to the public.
Must see/do at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
The Oconaluftee Visitor Center also offers an outdoor Mountain Farm Museum where visitors can view historic log buildings that would have been used during settlement times. Structures include a farmhouse, barn, smokehouse, applehouse, and corn cribs.
Other places to visit near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
Guests can visit nearby Cherokee, North Carolina, to gamble at local casinos, visit area campgrounds or waterfalls, and shop for Native American souvenirs at village stores. The center is also located near miles of area hiking trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Insider tip for visitors to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center
In addition to the indoor museum and outdoor farm, the Oconaluftee Visitor Center offers a riverside walking trail for visitors to take a stroll and view area wildflowers. Guests have also reported sighting elk on the trail.
Author's bio: Carolyn B. Fraiser is a freelance journalist, photographer, and publications specialist in Asheville, North Carolina. Follow her on Twitter @carolynbfraiser.
