Soco Gap

Soco Gap is a mountain pass between the Plott Balsams to the south and the Great Balsam Mountains to the north. The gap is the eastern point of the Qualla Boundary, which marks the territory held as a land trust for the federally recognized Cherokee Indians">Cherokee language">Cherokee Indians. The gap separates Haywood and Jackson counties and separates the river basins to the French Broad River and the Little Tennessee River.
In Cherokee, the pass is known as Ahalunun'yi, meaning "Ambush Place" or Uni'halu'na, meaning "where they ambushed;" named after the occasion, probably in the mid-18th century, when the Cherokees ambushed a party of invading Shawnees, all of which were killed except for one, who was sent back to tell his people of the Cherokee victory.
U.S. Route 19 traverses through the gap, which connects Cherokee and Maggie Valley. The Blue Ridge Parkway also passes through the gap, providing scenic views along the adjacent ridge lines.