Brief History and Directions to Cades Cove From Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Wears Valley

Cades Cove is the most peaceful space you’ll ever experience within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cove is a bit of a melting pot where you can do a variety of activities here. Activities include horseback riding, picnicking, hiking, waterfall watching, biking, auto-touring Cades Cove Loop Road, exploring historical structures, wildlife watching, landscape and wildlife photography, and more!

Please note that travel times to Cades Cove will vary depending on your starting location. Keep in mind that our cabins in Wears Valley will offer you the shortest drive time to Townsend where the entrance to Cades Cove is located. 

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Brief History Of Cades Cove

Cades Cove is a lush valley in the heart of Great Smoky Mountains National Park that is filled with preserved and protected land. This land is home to active wildlife and several historic landmarks that are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Loop will give you a glimpse of pioneer life and the start of the settlement era in the Smokies where mountain life was tough but rewarding. Exploring these homesteads, mills, churches, farms, and cemeteries will give you a glimpse of why our ancestors chose to have a life here and why they fought so hard to survive in it.

Directions

The drive to Cades Cove is as rewarding as Cades Cove itself, no matter which path you decide to take. We have two different driving options for you depending on your Heartland cabin location. If you are staying in Wears Valley, follow along with the Pigeon Forge set of directions as they call for traveling through Wears Valley. Choosing a cabin in Wears Valley will dramatically reduce your travel time by at least 15 minutes. Wears Valley is also the more peaceful and quiet (untouched) residential area of the Smoky Mountains and offers a much slower pace.

From Pigeon Forge:

From downtown Pigeon Forge, you will want to locate traffic light #3, Wears Valley Road. Take Wears Valley Road (US-321 S/Wears Valley Road) to E Lamar Alexander Parkway located in Townsend. At this intersection, take a left onto E Lamar Alexander Parkway. Continue to Townsend Entrance Rd, then take a slight right onto Old State Hwy 73 Scenic. Turn right onto Laurel Creek Rd, and follow to the Cades Cove Loop Road entrance. From your starting point, it should be about a 32-mile drive.

From Gatlinburg:

Follow the Gatlinburg Parkway to traffic light #10 and follow straight through into the National Park. Once you reach the Sugarlands Visitor Center (on your right), turn right onto Little River Road. Follow this road until you reach a dead end at the entrance point of Cades Cove Loop Road (there will be signage for directions). This set of directions should also be about a 32-mile drive.

Cades Cove Loop Road

Long ago, Cades Cove Loop Road was a simple, two-way dirt path. Today, it is an 11-mile one-way paved road that loops from start to finish. If you have any questions before you begin your auto-tour, feel free to make a pit stop at the orientation shelter where a helpful group of park rangers and Cades Cove staff are stationed. They can help fill you in on do’s and don’ts and even where the public restrooms are.

Notes to Remember:

• Fill up your gas tank, bring a map just in case, and have food and water handy in case you plan to stay for a picnic or visit longer than expected.
• Keep a safe distance from all creatures, especially bears!
• Leave no trace.
• Please refrain from honking or revving engines. Noises such as these disturb wildlife as well as visitors.
• Cades Cove Loop Road is open daily from Sunrise to Sunset.

Hey, wait a second before you go! Be sure to check our Current Cabin Specials, Deals, and Discounts to see if your stay qualifies for a special discount! Book your cabin in Gatlinburg with Heartland Rentals for a memorable moment in the mountains.