My Smoky Mountain Vacations

Ask visitors their favorite part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and most of them will say, "Cades Cove" . When I was a child my family and I spent untold weekends touring Cades Cove- and I never tired of visiting there. Rich in history, uniquely beautiful in every season, Cades Cove will make you feel as though you have stepped back in time to a simpler era.

 

The eleven mile one-way loop road takes visitors past a variety of natural and historic landscapes. The first half of the loop is characterized by a changing landscape of cleared fields and forests. A little over half way around you will arrive at the grist mill and Cades Cove visitors center. Take an hour or so to tour the visitors center and talk to the park rangers. They love to share area history with interested visitors. Past the mill along the loop you will find several farmsteads. These buildings were all moved to the Cades Cove loop from the surrounding area but they will give you a very real glimpse into what life was like for families in the Great Smoky Mountains. 

You can tour Cades Cove loop several different ways. Easiest and most popular is to drive around the loop in your vehicle. If you drive, try rolling down your windows (even in the summer!) to experience more of the sights and sounds. The loop is so much more interesting if you involve your senses. My preference is to tour Cades Cove on a bike. Although there are hills, even children can bike the eleven mile loop. Just plan to devote a full day to the adventure and pack a picnic lunch. There are picnic tables at the visitor's center, or you can picnic along the side of the road in a picturesque field. Another great way to experience Cades Cove is on horseback. The Cades Cove Riding Stables offers guided horseback tours for $20 an hour (weight restrictions and age limits apply). In addition to horses, the stables offer carriage rides and hayrides.

 

No matter how you choose to tour Cades Cove there are several points of interest you will want to explore. The trailhead to Abrahm's Falls is located about halfway around the loop, as well as a trail to a pioneer homestead. In addition to the visitor's center (complete with restrooms) and working grist mill there are picnic tables and open fields where you might choose to let the kids play. Before you enter the eleven mile loop there are more picnic tables along a mountain stream and a bicycle rental office.

 

If you intend to stop along the loop and explore you will easily be able to enjoy at least several hours in Cades Cove.