Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Maggie Valley is a town of 2,112 people in Haywood County, North Carolina.
Why visit Maggie Valley
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 2 parks and trails, 16 places to eat, 27 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cataloochee Ski Area, Ghost Town in the Sky and Wheels Through Time Motorcycle Museum.
Weather in Maggie Valley
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Maggie Valley
Maggie Valley is a town in Haywood County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,687 at the 2020 census. A popular tourist destination, it is home to Cataloochee Ski Area and the former Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park. Maggie Valley is part of the Asheville metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Maggie Valley, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Cataloochee Ski Area
Ski area · 3.0 mi
Ski area in North Carolina, United States
Ghost Town in the Sky
Monument and historic site · 2.3 mi
Amusement park
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes16
J Arthur's Restaurant
Bar and pub · 1.3 mi
2843 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Tu-Su 16:00-20:00
Brickhouse Burgers & Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.9 mi
3914 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Frankie's Italian Trattoria
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.0 mi
1037 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Carver's Maggie Valley Restaurant Since 1952
Restaurant · 1.2 mi
2804 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Country Vittles Family Style Restaurant
Restaurant · 1.6 mi
3589 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Legends Sports Bar And Grill
Bar and pub · 1.8 mi
3865 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Maggie Valley Sandwich Shop
Restaurant · 1.3 mi
2914 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Organic Beans Coffee Co
Cafe · 1.6 mi
3680 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Pop's Butts On The Creek LLC
Restaurant · 0.7 mi
1584 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Salty Dog's Seafood & Grill
Restaurant · 1.6 mi
3567 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
4 more on the map.
History
Before European colonization, what is now Maggie Valley was inhabited by the Cherokee people and other indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The Cherokee in western North Carolina are known as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, a federally recognized tribe.
When John Sidney Setzer's daughter Maggie was ten years old, he asked the Postmaster General for permission to establish a post office for the area. He had to prove the need for one, and once he did, he submitted four names: Cora, Mettie and Maggie (his three daughters), and Jonathan (the name of the creek running through the community). The name Maggie was selected and the post office opened May 10, 1904. Maggie was thirteen years old at the time and she helped run the post office until she married Ira Plyant and moved away in 1907. "Miss Maggie" has acted as the town's "goodwill ambassador" since 1985, when Jeannie Reninger became the first to play the role. She wears a yellow bonnet, green shirt, yellow apron and red skirt, all of which appear in the image the town trademarked in 2000.
When area businesses began promoting the area as a tourist destination in 1949, they encouraged the use of the name "Maggie Valley". Ghost Town in the Sky, a popular Wild West theme park from 1961 to 2003, helped establish the name by calling itself "Ghost Town in Maggie Valley".
From the History section of Maggie Valley, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay27
Comfort Inn near Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Motel and hotel · 1.4 mi
3282 Soco Road, Maggie Valley
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Maggie Valley
67 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Haywood County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-09-28: Tropical Storm Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2021-09-08: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred (Hurricane)
- 2020-08-02: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Barker Private STOL Airport (53NR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 24 miles away.
- Waynesville 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Lake Junaluska 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Clyde 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Canton 13 mi east, about 20 min by car
- Cherokee 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Cullowhee 16 mi southwest, about 26 min by car
- Bryson City 23 mi west, about 36 min by car
- Bent Creek 25 mi east, about 40 min by car
- Brevard 27 mi southeast, about 43 min by car
- Asheville 29 mi east, about 46 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- St. Margaret of Scotland Church, justinknabb, CC BY-SA 2.0
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