Elk have returned to the Great Smoky Mountains, with sightings reported on both sides of the park this summer.
GATLINBURG, Tenn. (Smokies.LIVE Adventure Center) — Let’s bugle for joy! This year marks 25 years since elk were reintroduced to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, bringing one of the region’s largest native mammals back to the Smokies.
According to the National Park Service, elk were once native to the Southern Appalachian Mountains. However, unregulated hunting led to their disappearance from North Carolina by the late 1700s and Tennessee by the mid-1800s.
As part of the National Park Service’s effort to preserve and restore native plants and animals, 52 elk were reintroduced to the Smokies.
The first 25 elk were released in Cataloochee Valley on Feb. 2, 2001. Another 27 were added to the herd in 2002.
A quarter-century later, the herd has grown to approximately 270 elk in Western North Carolina.
Elk are best known for their presence in Cataloochee Valley and the Oconaluftee area, but visitors don’t necessarily have to cross into North Carolina to see them.
Elk have also been spotted on the Tennessee side of the Smokies this summer, giving visitors another chance to catch a glimpse of these impressive animals in their historic range.
The National Park Service reminds visitors that elk are wild animals and should always be given plenty of space. Never approach, feed or attempt to touch an elk, especially during the fall rut when bulls can become particularly aggressive.
Elk are the largest animals in the Smokies. Bull elk can weigh up to about 900 pounds, while cows can reach approximately 600 pounds.
Over the past 25 years, the returning elk have once again become an iconic part of the Great Smoky Mountains landscape, roaming through fields, valleys and forests much like they did centuries ago.
So if you’re exploring the Smokies this summer, keep your eyes open — you never know when you might spot one of these magnificent animals.
🎺 Happy 25th anniversary to the Smokies elk!
Learn more about elk in Great Smoky Mountains National Park from the National Park Service:
National Park Service — Elk in the Smokies
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