Stopping Traffic

Mid-October is magical in Cherokee, located in the far western tip of North Carolina. The days dawn with cool crisp air that lead to warm afternoons and evenings that are best spent beside a fire pit. Shades of burnt orange, fiery red, brown and green overwhelm every mountain view as the leaves do their annual colorful transformation.

A sharp-sighted visitor is lucky to spot a wild turkey, black bear, bobcat or, more likely, a white-tail deer while traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway. The most magical creature of all, however, are not as elusive. The elk that live near the Oconaluftee Visitors Center know they are celebrities and are on view for those traveling through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Just as October is prime leaf-viewing time in the mountains, it is also the rut for elk, which is an ideal time to for viewing and for hearing the bugle call.

Passengers in cars, trucks, bicycles and the occasional RV line the sides of Newfound Gap Road to get a glimpse of the herd of elk that live in the area. The elk pay little attention to the humans that line the edges of their pasture. Living in a national park has led them to not fear the humans that once hunted them to extinction in Western NC. This herd of elk are part of a reintroduction program started 20 years ago to successfully bring elk back to the mountains.

While all the elk might be celebrities, it is the superstar of the herd that brings the crowds. The 700-pound dominant bull elk stands nine feet tall with eight-point antlers that can weigh up to 40 pounds. He keeps a watchful eye on his herd of cows and calves. A mix of patience and the luck of being in the right spot at the right time could lead to hearing the bull give his bugle. The sound of the elk leads one to think of the mountains before people. A time before highways, hotels and souvenirs. For a moment it is nature that has given you a great gift.

Capturing a photo of the elk is an exercise in patience. While the elk are readily in view, they mostly ignore the human paparazzi and certainly will not pose for a photo. I traveled with my old Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT and a zoom lens. At first, I was annoyed by the crowds gathered to view the elk and get in the way of the picture I was after of the bull. But I have come to realize that the people and the cars tell an important part of the story. Right now, there exists a harmony between us and the elk.

As reintroduction continues and elk become even more plentiful their status as protected may change. Like the turkey, bobcat, bear and deer, the elk might develop a fear of their human visitors. But for now, their majesty is on full display at the Gateway of the Smoky Mountains and the experience is worth the trip.

A few tips if you plan to make a visit to the elk part of your mountain trip.

1. Elk are more likely to be out in the morning or at dusk. Plan your day around when you are most likely to see them.

2. Expect a lot of other visitors to be viewing the elk. Practice patience while waiting in traffic and for a parking spot.

3. Bring your zoom lens. The elk are about the distance from you as outfielders are to home plate on a baseball field.

4. Talk to the guides at the park. I was given a tip from one guide about a nearby field that also had a herd of elk. It was at this field that I was lucky enough to hear the bugle call.

5. Take time to just observe. While I was there, I saw the bull keeping his cows close to the herd and run off other males trying to get too close.