There are lots of places to view the August 21st eclipse if you don’t mind heavy traffic and being crowded among hundreds or thousands of other viewers.
But if you’re looking for a more meaningful and private experience, join Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley for a once-in-a-lifetime mountaintop celebration.
The experience begins around noon in a meadow a mile high on Fie Top Mountain, where we’ll share a chuckwagon cookout and listen to stories from Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach as we wait for darkness to fall. Arneach learned his first legends from two storytelling uncles. He tells his tales in a style that’s humorous, informative and deeply moving. Joining Arneach will be master fiddler Roger Howell, playing mountain tunes. Howell is well known for preserving our region’s musical traditions. He’s been profiled in the documentary A Mighty Fine Memory: Stories and Tunes from the Fiddler of Banjo Branch.
Around 2:36 pm, as the moon obscures 99.89% of the sun, the mountaintops of Cataloochee will be in virtually total darkness. We’ll experience the moments before, during, and after the eclipse with 360 degrees of open, unobstructed views.
This special event will be limited to guests at the Ranch and no more than 100 outside attendees, on a space-available basis. Tickets are $150 per person, and include special glasses for viewing the eclipse.
Make it a full vacation with an overnight stay at the Ranch, and save on the eclipse tickets. Stay Monday night and you’ll save 50% on the eclipse celebration. Stay Monday and Tuesday nights you’ll save 75%. Stay three nights, and the eclipse celebration is free. For reservations or information, call (828) 926-1401.
Cataloochee Ranch has welcomed vacationers from North Carolina and beyond for more than 80 years. Generations of families have returned to this spectacular setting for horseback riding, mountain hiking, a trout pond on site, wagon rides, and more. Day trips include an opportunity to see wild elk.
Evenings at the Ranch are filled with music, singing, storytelling, and other entertainments with a mountain flair. Guests can enjoy individual rooms or Smoky Mountain cabins to call their own. The Ranch’s new chef, C.J. Reum, is classically trained in French techniques, but also skilled in Mediterranean and new Southern cuisine.
See photos and learn more at www.cataloocheeranch.com.