Cades Cove Loop Tour

Plan your visit near sunrise to avoid the crowds and capture the beauty of this historic settlement. Compass & Key recommends driving or cycling the loop to make the best use of time as you stop at the various sites. Or, if you're a cyclist, visit on Sunday or Wednesday morning before 10am when the loop is car-free. 

Distance: 11-mile one-way loop - recommend driving or biking

Time: 3-6 hours, depending on how many historic sites you visit

Starting Point: Cades Cove Loop Road (one-way loop)

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Cades Cove

Located about an hour's drive from Gatlinburg, try to arrive early to beat the crowds (it's open sunrise to sunset) but note that car traffic is not allowed until 10am on Sundays and Wednesdays from May through September. Pick up the inexpensive self-guided booklet at the entrance to the road and you're on your way!

Cades Cove

This broad valley is home to the widest variety of historic buildings in the park, as well as providing the best opportunity to view wildlife including deer, black bear, coyote, turkey and other animals. European settlers first arrived around 1820 and began building log homes, barns and smokehouses while clearing land for farming the rich and fertile land.

Cades Cove

Cades Cove was home to 685 families by 1850. The John P. Cable Grist Mill, shown here, was among several water-powered mills serving residents. You'll find it behind the Cades Cove Visitors Center, located around the midway point of the loop. Take time to park the car periodically as you loop Cades Cove to try and imagine families living and working the land in the 19th and early 20th centuries. 

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To save this hike and our other recommended hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visit our curated list on AllTrails, where you can learn about other trails in the park and create your own lists to reference through their mobile app.