Cades Cove

Tennessee has many known attractions for the whole family to enjoy but one place most people forget about is beautiful Cades Cove.

Cades Cove is historic, beautiful and full of wildlife. Cades Cove is resting in a quiet spot just 31 miles from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Cades Cove is one of Tennessee’s most visited areas. People of all ages will enjoy the 11 mile ride through one of Tennessee’s most beautiful locations.

Cades Cove was originally known as ‘Kate’s Cove’, after an Indian chief’s wife. The Cherokee Indian nation benefited from the large wildlife and great hunting. Later, European settlers made it their home, cutting down trees and destroying some wildlife to make farms for their families. Many years later Cades Cove became part of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Cades Cove is still filled with abundant amounts of wildlife, but they are now protected from hunters.

The cove almost looks like it did in the 1800’s. The cove was once home to many settlers from Virginia, North Carolina and upper east Tennessee. Most of the original homes & churches are still standing. Most of the houses are located off of the loop on dirt roads. The churches are mainly on the loop. Some homes that are not standing left signs that they were there. There are standing chimneys, fences or landscape that makes it obvious that a house or building was once there.

Now, Cades Cove is opened to auto, bicycles, and foot traffic everyday of the year, starting at sun-up and ending at sun-down. However, in May through September every Wednesday and Saturday the park is only open for hikers and bicyclist from sun-up to 10 a.m. only. On those days auto traffic is admitted after 10 a.m. Plan your time to anywhere from one hour to three hours to ride through and even get out a look at all the amazing places inside Cades Cove. Bicycles can be rented for a small fee at the beginning of the ride at the visitors center.