The most visited area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is 4,000-acre Cades Cove valley, which features preserved pioneer homesteads, historical churches, an old mill, hiking trails, a 161-site campground and an abundance of wildlife. The one-way, 11-mile Cades Cove loop takes approximately 45 minutes by car. A self-guided tour book can be found at the entrance to Cades Cove, which is located near Townsend, Tennessee, in the Northwest section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Near the Abrams Falls parking area, visitors can view a typical Smoky Mountain homestead, complete with a barn, smokehouse, blacksmith shop and corncrib.
Take a scenic, 5-mile roundtrip hike along the Abrams Falls Trail. Farther down lies the John P. Cable Mill, which was built in 1868 and still operates from mid-April through October. Animals that call Cades Cove home include black bears, deer, foxes, wild turkey and raccoons. Dawn and dusk are the best times to catch a glimpse of wildlife in Cades Cove.
Note: Cades Cove is closed to motor traffic on Saturdays and Wednesdays until 10 AM from May to September, giving bicyclists and pedestrians free reign of the road. Bike rentals are available from April through October and again in December. Or you can opt for a horseback riding adventure through the park at Cades Cove Riding Stables. Cades Cove also offers hayrides during evenings from May through October.
