I feel like I should be writing about all the off the beaten track places in the park, places that don’t make it to every guidebook. But I just can’t help myself. I really love Cades Cove…along with every other person who has ever been to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I think if you could only visit one spot in the park, this place would give you a glimpse of everything the park has to offer – history, hiking, biking, wildlife, mountains, valleys, and scenic mountain views.  

Cades Code was settled by farmers before the land was acquired as part of the national park. Visitors can drive along the eleven-mile loop road, stopping along the way to visit all the historic sites. There are several homesteads, a church, a grist mill and a cantilever barn in the valley. Anyone with an interest in history and the life of the of the early settlers will enjoy the stops along the loop.  

There is something in Cades Cove for hikers and bikers, too. There are a number of hiking trails that originate from the Cades Cove loop including the Cades Cove Nature Trail and the hike to Abrams Falls. One of my very favorite times to visit Cades Cove is on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from the middle of May to mid-September. If you get there before ten in the morning, you’ll find the loop road closed to traffic. Only pedestrians and bikers are allowed on the loop road at this time.  

As an animal lover, I’m just like everyone else who flocks to Great Smoky Mountain National Park. I always want to know where I can see wildlife. One of the answers I hear most often is Cades Cove. Here visitors will find an abundance of wildlife – bear, deer, wild turkey, fox, and a variety of birds.  

 So, although it may be crowded, I would have to tell any visitor that a trip to the park would not be complete without a stop in Cades Cove.

Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons, and it’s one of the best times to visit the park. Mid- to late October is prime leaf peeping season in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Because of the diversity in trees growing in the park, visitors are treated to an especially glorious array of colors. The colors start changing at the highest elevations, and slowly make their way down through the mountains.

Keep in mind, if you’re planning a trip to take in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park fall scenery, you won’t be alone. The fall colors are a big draw, and some of the main roads and paths can get congested this time of year, especially Newfound Gap Road and the loop around Cades Cove.

The National Park service has some great ideas on their site for viewing the scenery while avoiding the heaviest crowds. These include the drives on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of their suggested hikes include the Appalachian Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail.