Cades Cove
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
Tucked away in the Tennessee portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the valley of Cades Cove is one of the park’s most-loved destinations thanks to its scenic beauty, cultural heritage, and plentiful wildlife. Once a Cherokee hunting ground, the area is home to white-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes, and wild turkeys.
An 11-mile (18-kilometer), 1-way loop road encircles Cades Cove and pullouts offer motorists the opportunity to enjoy the scenery or spot wildlife—an audio tour can fill you in on the area’s history as you drive. You can also walk or cycle the loop road by renting bicycles in the park or by booking a bike tour. Other highlights include well-preserved 19th-century cabins, three churches, a working grist mill and barns and log cabins. Several hiking trails, including one to Abrams Falls, begin at Cades Cove.
An alternative to driving the loop, where traffic can be bumper-to-bumper during peak season, is to book a bus tour departing from Pigeon Forge.
Entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.
Cell service is unreliable: Bring a paper map rather than relying on your phone.
Visitors can find restrooms and a bookstore at the visitor center, located half-way around the loop road in the Cable Mill historic area.
Year-round camping is available in Cades Cove Campground.
The only driving entrance directly onto the Cades Cove Loop is from Laurel Creek Road—phone GPS systems often provide conflicting information, so grab a free paper map from the visitor center. From Gatlinburg, follow the Parkway to the park’s entrance. When you pass the Sugarlands Visitor Center on your right, make a right onto Little River Road and continue to Laurel Creek Road.
The loop is open from sunrise to sunset daily and the park is open 24 hours a day all year round. The Great Smoky Mountains is one of the US’ most-visited national parks, so you’ll want to get there early to beat the crowds. Plus, keep in mind that between early May and late September the road is closed to cars on Wednesdays.
Thickly forested, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is largely a tricky place to spot wildlife, with the exception of open areas including Cades Cove. Mornings and evenings are typically the best times to see white-tailed deer, elk, black bears, raccoons, turkeys, and woodchucks. Also, wildlife is more visible during the winter when many trees are bare.
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