Cades Cove, a top destination in the Great Smoky Mountains, is worth visiting. Here's why

So many visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park ‒ especially the ones staying in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge ‒ ask themselves this: Is Cades Cove worth going to?

In one enthusiastic word: Yes!

Cades Cove, which is on the western side of the park near the entrance at Townsend, Tennessee, is unique geographically and historically. It's gorgeous any time of year because it is a meadow with sweeping views of the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains.

It's also a hotspot for Appalachian wildlife viewing.

Here's what to know about your visit to Cades Cove.

What is the Cades Cove Loop?

The Cades Cove Loop is an 11-mile, one-way drive that brings visitors are around the lowlands of Cades Cove and near several historic cabins, churches and cemeteries. There are several parking lots so visitors can pull off and explore.

The Cades Cove Visitors Center is about halfway through the drive near the historic Cable Mill site. Restrooms and a shop are located at the Visitors Center.

At the Cable Mill site, visitors can "learn about Southern Mountain life and culture, and see a gristmill (operates spring through fall), the Becky Cable house, and other historic structures."

What time does Cades Cove open?

Cades Cove hours are daylight every day. The loop road is open each morning at sunrise and closes each evening at sunset, according to the National Park. It is open all year.

How long does it take to go through Cades Cove?

That depends on a lot of factors, including how often you stop, how many cars are driving through with you and whether there are traffic jams due to animal viewing (it happens!).

When the park is not busy, plan at least two hours to go around the loop. When it is busy, traffic can be bumper-to-bumper. In that case, it will take you several hours to get through the loop. Open your windows, relax and enjoy the slow ride.

There are cutoffs if the traffic is too much for you, but it takes a while to get to those roads.

What is so special about Cades Cove?

Cades Cove is a mountain valley with gorgeous 360-degree views of the Smokies. With so many open spaces, it's a great place to take pictures of the topography, wildflowers and animals. It's a peaceful place with relatively flat roads compared to other rocky destinations in the park.

Cades Cove was a hunting ground for the Cherokee people, and it later became the home of hundreds of European settlers. It was a thriving community from the mid-1850s and beyond. Some even stayed after the national park was established.

Several of their cabins, churches and mills have been preserved. They are free to explore.

How much does it cost to go through Cades Cove?

The Cades Cove Loop is free, though you must display a $5 parking pass if you plan to stop for 15 minutes or more.

Daily and weekly parking tags are available online at recreation.gov and at machines on-site. The machines only take card payment.

There are donation boxes along the route to help the Friends of the Smokies nonprofit support organization.

How early should I get to Cades Cove?

If you are pressed for time or would rather see Cades Cove without the crowds, plan to get there early. It's great to visit in the golden evening hours, too, because there are fewer cars and more wildlife.

Summer weekends are definitely busy, so pack your patience.

What trails are in Cades Cove?

The hugely popular Abrams Fall Trail starts in Cades Cove. It's a 5-mile roundtrip hike to a significant waterfall.

The short Cades Cove Nature Trail is popular with families. It's an easy 2-mile trail.

Very long hikes to Thunderhead Mountain and Rocky Top also begin in Cades Cove.

Maps are available at visitors centers and at nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/maps.htm.

What is the best time to see black bears in Cades Cove?

The open areas of Cades Cove allow for excellent wildlife spotting, including turkeys, deer, coyote and, of course, black bears.

Bears are most active at dawn and dusk, according to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. But they can be spotted any time of day.

On especially hot days, they tend to lay low.

Wintertime bear hibernation can start as early as November and can last as late as May.

If you see a bear, do not approach it. If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior, you are too close. The bear could start to show aggressive behavior like make noises or swat the ground. If that happens, slowly walk away.

Do not under any circumstances feed wild animals or leave any food or wrappers behind.

When are Cades Cove vehicle-free days when I can ride my bike?

The 2023 Cade Cove vehicle-free days are Wednesdays from sunrise to sunset. Walkers and bicyclists are welcome.

Vehicle-free Wednesdays run through Sept. 27, 2023.

Parking is limited at the Cades Cove entrance.

Is Cades Cove worth the drive from Gatlinburg?

Cades Cove is about 35 miles from Gatlinburg. Since it's along a winding road, you should allow about an hour and a half to get there from Gatlinburg (or slightly more from Pigeon Forge).

It's worth the drive because the journey itself on Little River Gorge Road is gorgeous and Cades Cove is unlike any other section of the park.

Is there cell service in Cades Cove?

We'll be honest. Cell service is not great in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. That means you can't count on having access to your phone in Cades Cove, so have a plan.

Take screen shots of your trail maps if you're hiking, or try an app like AllTrails.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Cades Cove is worth visiting in Great Smoky Mountains. Here's why