Oconaluftee Archeological District | |
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Oconaluftee-river1.jpg) View of the Oconaluftee River within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park | |
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| Nearest city | Cherokee, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°30′56″N 83°18′19″W / 35.51556°N 83.30528°W |
| Area | 383 acres (155 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001715[1] |
| Added to NRHP | February 19, 1982 |
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The Oconaluftee is the valley of the Oconaluftee River in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. Formerly the site of a Cherokee village and an Appalachian community, the valley is now North Carolina's main entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Oconaluftee gradually broadens from Smokemont in the north to the southern tip of the Qualla Boundary. The Qualla Boundary, commonly referred to as Cherokee, North Carolina, comprises the bulk of a federal trust that serves as a reserve for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
The National Park Service lands in Oconaluftee are home to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Mingus Mill, and the Mountain Farm Museum. Much of the area is part of the Oconaluftee Archaeological District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.