Best Things to Do in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains

Cades Cove is practically synonymous with the Great Smoky Mountains. It is the most visited section of the most visited national park in America! The 11-mile scenic loop around the cove is not to be missed.

Read on to discover the nine best things to do in Cades Cove.

What's Inside This Post...

An Overview of Cades Cove

Cades Cove is an 11-mile loop around a cove on the west side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a beautiful area, but it is much more than that. There is a surprise around every turn, both natural and historical.

Dive Into the History of Cades Cove

Old, abandoned grist mill in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains

The first settlers arrived in Cades Cove from Europe in the 1820s. Prior to this time, the Cherokee Indians used the area as a hunting ground.

The settlers built cabins, barns, churches, and eventually schoolhouses. Many of these structures remain today, though they are no longer used. Most are open to the public. Stop in for a look at life 200 years ago.

Pro Tip – At the entrance to Cades Cove is an Info Center where you can pick up a guidebook to the scenic loop. It will give you some great info about each of the historic structures.

Pro Tip – Be sure to stop at the Visitors Center halfway through the scenic loop. It includes several interesting historic buildings that you will enjoy exploring, plus ranger talks and…wild turkeys!

Take in the Views

Cades Cove meadow backed by the Great Smoky Mountains

As the name suggests, Cades Cove is a cove, surrounded by the Smoky Mountains. The valley is 4,000 acres, and there are amazing views to be seen at every turn.

Each season has something to offer. Spring and summer are the time to see wildflowers blooming. Fall colors are nothing less than spectacular. And winter, when there is snow on the ground, may be the best of all!

There are several areas throughout the drive where you can park and get all the great photos you want.

Be on the Lookout for Wildlife

A black bear laying in a green, grassy field

“Lions and tigers and bears..oh my!”

Okay, there are no lions or tigers in Cades Cove, but the odds of seeing bears are pretty good. Keep your eyes open, because they may be anywhere – ambling through a meadow, crossing the road, asleep in a tree, etc…

Other animals you may see are deer, elk, foxes, coyotes, and the occasional snake. (Click here for our blog posts “Cades Cove Bears – How to Spot Them” and “27 Animals to Look For in the Smoky Mountains“.)

It should go without saying to keep a safe distance from wild animals because they are…wild, and they are…animals. For your own safety and theirs, give them their space.

Go For a Hike

Hiker crossing a log bridge over a small creek

While Cades Cove is known mostly as a scenic drive, there are a surprising number of hiking trails here. The best known is probably Abrams Falls trail, which leads to our favorite waterfall in the entire park. (See below.) But there are several others, including…

Chase a Waterfall

Abrams Falls bordered by mountain laurels and trees on one side and rock face on the other

Abrams Falls may be the most beautiful spot in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We have hiked to it several times. The hike is 5.0 miles roundtrip. It’s rated “Moderate” by AllTrails, and it’s worth every step.

The waterfall is 25′ high, with a large volume of water flowing down over multiple steps. In their excellent book “Waterfalls of the Smokies”, authors Hal Hubbs, Charles Maynard, and David Morris describe it this way: “…Abrams Falls plunges into a large pool with the volume of a small river rather than a creek…”

The pool at the base of the falls is LARGE, approaching 10,000 square feet! But swimming here is dangerous, due to the current produced by the falls.

Pro Tip – Look at the above photo of Abrams Falls. Do you see the large boulder on the left side of the base of the falls? It is easy to climb out to it to get next to the falls. Just be careful – the rocks are SLIPPERY.

Pro Tip – As of the publishing date of this post, Abrams Falls Trail is CLOSED due to fallen trees from a storm, making the trail impassable. Contact NPS.gov or stop at a visitors center in the park (not the Cades Cove Visitors Center – it is past Abrams Falls) before starting on this hike.

Channel Your Inner “Ansel Adams”

Bell tower in a historic church in Cades Cove

BRING. YOUR. CAMERA.

There are so many photo opps in Cades Cove. Historic buildings. Mountain meadows. Flowers. Wildlife. Waterfalls. And with pull-out parking areas throughout the drive, it’s easy to stop to get that special photo!

Pro Tip – Why not sign up for a photo tour with a professional photographer? Give www.sprucephototours.com. a try!

Take the Road Less Traveled

Gravel road between two fields leading off into the distance

We have a Jeep and a Subaru, so we take every opportunity to get off the pavement and explore. Cades Cove offers a couple of gravel roads that allow you to do just that. And the good news – these roads are well-maintained. Your vehicle will get dirty but will have no difficulty navigating these “roads less traveled”.

Rich Mountain Road – Our favorite “Jeepin’ road” in the park! Keep your eyes open, because it’s easy to miss. It begins just past the entrance to Hyatt Lane – it will be on your right. Rich Mountain Road will take you to Townsend, TN, just north of the park boundary. , It’s one-way, leading out of the park, so you cannot use it to enter (or reenter) the park.
Parson Branch Road – Parson Branch Road begins just past the Cades Cove Visitor Center and takes you approximately 13 miles to Highway 129 in North Carolina. (Be aware that this is not a short trip!) Parsons Branch is one-way, so when you reach Hwy 129 you will have to go left, around the southern end of the park, and reenter via Cherokee, or go right and reenter through Townsend, TN.
Sparks Lane – Sparks Lane is just a gravel connector road. It runs north/south, from the north branch of the loop road to the south branch. It’s just a short distance past the entrance to Cades Cove.
Hyatt Lane – Like Sparks Lane, Hyatt Lane is a connector road running north/south, from the north branch of the loop road to the south branch. It is just past the Cades Cove Methodist Church, on your left. Hyatt Lane will cut off the far west side of the drive.

Do Cades Cove on Two Wheels

Two cyclists admiring the view of the mountains from a hilltop

Slow your roll! Why not do the loop on a bicycle? Or better yet, an electric bike!

There are several places to rent bikes and/or ebikes, including Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental, located in the Cades Cove Campground, just before the entrance to the cove.

The loop will take most folks 3-4 hours to complete (including breaks, exploring, and photo opps), which is almost the same as if you were driving your car.

Pro Tip – Wednesdays are especially good for biking because motor vehicles are not allowed in Cades Cove on Wednesdays, May-September.

Pro Tip – It is strongly recommended that you wear a helmet for your own safety. No one wants a concussion experience on their trip to the Great Smoky Mountains!

Take in the Sunset

What could be more beautiful, or romantic, than the sun setting over the Smoky Mountains?

Cades Cove is open every day, from sunrise to sunset. Why not get to the cove early to enjoy the sunrise, or come later and stay until sunset?

Don’t forget to bring your camera!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to Cades Cove?

Cades Cove is approximately 28 miles from Gatlinburg, TN. Drive time, depending on the traffic, is about an hour.

From Gatlinburg, drive southwest on Highway 441 (Parkway) for about 2.5 miles, then turn right on Fighting Creek Rd at the Sugarlands Visitors Center. Fighting Creek Rd will quickly become Little River Gorge Rd. Follow Little River Gorge Rd for 17 miles, where it will become Laurel Creek Rd. Continue straight for another 7.5 miles and you’ll be at the entrance to Cades Cove.

(Click on the map to enlarge the image.)

Map showing directions from Gatlinburg to the entrance of Cades Cove

If you’re beginning in Pigeon Forge, TN, Cades Cove is 26 miles away, a little less than an hour’s drive, depending on traffic. Follow Parkway, the main road through Pigeon Forge, to Wears Valley Road, and turn left. Drive 15 miles on Wears Valley Road/Hwy 321 to E Lamar Alexander Parkway and turn left.

Drive 2.2 miles and you’ll be at the “triangle”. Turn right on Laurel Creek Road, drive 7.5 miles and you’ll be at the entrance to Cades Cove.

(Click anywhere on the map below to enlarge the image.)

Map giving directions from Pigeon Forge, TN to Cades Cove

Is Cades Cove worth it?

If you like meadows, mountains, wildflowers, wild animals, history, and waterfalls, then “Yes, it is definitely worth it!”

Then why do some people not enjoy it?

Depending on the traffic, the drive around Cades Cove can take 3-4 hours. You’ll enjoy it more if you make frequent stops to explore, and go at a time that is less crowded.

What about restrooms?

Restrooms can be found in the Cades Cove Campground, just outside the entrance to Cades Cove. There are also restrooms at the Cades Cove Visitors Center, a little over halfway around the loop.

The Verdict – Ultimate Guide – 9 Best Things to Do in Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains

Cades Cove could almost be considered mandatory for visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains. We don’t disagree with that sentiment.

Our advice – begin early in the day before the crowds descend on the cove. Use this guide so you don’t miss a thing. Bring your camera – you’ll be glad you did. Take your time. Bring along snacks and drinks.

And make some happy memories!

Three photos - Gateway Arch, Rocky Mountains in the clouds, and Indian Flats waterfall