A Local’s Guide To Visiting The Most Popular Spot In The Smokies
Most visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park make it a point to drive the iconic 11-mile one-way Cades Cove Loop Road to view its interesting historic structures, beautiful scenery and wildlife, and hike some terrific trails.
Keep in mind that all of those visitors means that the one way (and one lane) Cades Cove Loop Road gets unbelievably congested.
As a local, I have specific tips for managing crowds and selecting the perfect things to do that will be fun for the whole family.
I’ve listed our favorite things to do in Cades Cove, the best hiking trails in the area, along with all the hacks and know-how accumulated over the years.
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About Cades Cove
Once a thriving community of over 600 people that farmed and raised cattle, Cades Cove residents were bought out by the federal government when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was formed in the early 1930s.
The park service preserved some of their cabins, barns, and even the grist mill starting in 1945, so much of it looks just like it did when the people left.
Nowadays you can drive the 11 mile, one way loop and stop at one of the 10 historic sites along the way, all of which are wonderfully preserved and restored early settler structures.
The park service kept the meadow in the center of Cades Cove instead of letting it reforest so you really get a feel for how the place looked in the late 1800s as a farming community.
Plus, the lack of dense forest means you have an unobstructed view of the ridge lines surrounding the cove, making for fantastic panoramic photos.
Tour Cades Cove Loop Road In The Smokies
Touring Cades Cove Loop Road can be a hit or miss experience depending upon the traffic conditions on the Loop Road. It can easily take an hour or more to drive the 11 miles around the cove (and that’s if you don’t stop anywhere).
If a bear or a couple of elk are hanging out near the road, forget doing anything else that day. You will be stuck there for hours as everyone grinds to halt to take photos. No joke, you can walk the loop faster than you can drive some afternoons.
That being said, it truly is a unique and special opportunity to tour the Cove and visit the historic sites found along it.
The kids will enjoy walking around the historic buildings to explore what life was like before electricity or heaven forbid, the internet.
You can even go upstairs in some of the cabins to explore the lofts where usually all the kids in the family would have slept together. (So many chances to remind them how good they have it now!)
You can pick up a brochure explaining the history of the cove and what to see on an auto tour at the ranger’s station by Cades Cove Campground or at the Visitor Center in the Cable Mill Historic Area.
I believe the booklet costs $1. Or you can buy it online.
How To Avoid The Crowds Of Cades Cove
Go Early Or Late When Visiting Cades Cove
The key to seeing and actually enjoying Cades Cove’s scenic splendor is figuring out how to avoid everyone else. And that happens when the road is closed to cars– before 8am everyday, or all day on Wednesdays from spring until late fall.
Or you can head to the Loop Road late in the afternoon/early evening when most people have returned back to their hotels. There is still traffic, just a lot less of it.
Another way to beat the crowds is to reserve a campsite at Cades Cove Campground. Camping here means you can easily take advantage of exploring the Loop Road early in the morning or at sunset.
See our The Ultimate Guide to Cades Cove Campground.
Take Advantage of Car-Free Wednesdays (Seasonally)
Take advantage of the park’s car free Wednesdays from May-September (check the website as specific dates change year to year.)
This is a great way to explore the entire 11 mile loop and its historic sites in detail. On foot or on pedal is by far the best way to enjoy the scenic splendor of Cades Cove.
You really get a sense of disconnecting and slowing down from modern life for a few hours.
It’s easy to find a peaceful corner at these car-free times and take a moment to soak up the pretty.
You can bike the entire 11 mile Loop Road or use the gravel lanes that cut through the middle of the valley to make either a 4 mile or an 8 mile long loop.
If you have young children, you can plop them in the stroller and walk the 4 mile loop if you aren’t up for the entire 11 miles.
It will take you maybe 60- 90 min to bike the whole 11 miles without stopping at any places (more like 90 at a leisurely pace and walking up some of the steeper hills).
So you can stop at most or all of the historic places to look around and still finish the loop easily in 3-5 hours.
Start mid-morning after a hearty breakfast, pack a lunch to enjoy at the far side of the cove, and you will still be done by early afternoon.
For more information on biking Cades Cove Loop, see our blog Your Guide To Biking Cades Cove in the Smokies. It tells you everything you need to know about biking the loop with kids.
The Best Stop On Cades Cove Loop Road
The Visitor Center is located in the Cable Mill Historic Area at the opposite end of the loop from the campground. If you only make one stop, this is a good one because there is a lot to see here.
A historic grist mill, smokehouse, and two barns are in the Cable Mill Historic Area as well as the Becky Cable house, which was one of the largest and fanciest houses in the cove.
The grist mill is a working mill and has frequent demonstrations. The kids like the long flume that brings water to the wheel from the creek.
You’ll find decent restrooms next to the parking area for the Cable Mill Historic Area and the Visitor Center has a book store/ gift shop.
You will find lots of great books about the cove and the Smokies in general, especially a few excellent but harder-to-find, locally published books. The kids corner is well stocked too.
If you have time, the kids may want to participate in a Ranger Program or complete their Junior Ranger Badge here.
You can also get water bottles and a few pre-packaged snacks like trail mix at the Visitor Center but they otherwise don’t carry much in the way of food so don’t plan on this as anything but an emergency option for hungry kiddos.
Hit The Less Crowded Places On Cades Cove Loop Road
All of the historic sites are interesting, but if you are looking to explore in a little bit of peace and quiet, stick to the ones not directly on the road like #2- Primitive Baptist Church, #5- Elijah Oliver Cabin, and #7- Henry Whitehead Cabin.
Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove -
Quiet road leading to the Primitive Baptist Church
#10 -Carter Shields Cabin is another favorite although it is right on the Loop Road. Not many people stop at this little place though, because it is the last one on the loop and they tend to be over it by that time.
The John Oliver Cabin #1 is a little away from the road, but since it is the first place people come to when beginning the loop, everyone usually stops here. It is beautiful but tends to be crowded.
Take advantage of camping here and walk over late one afternoon from the campground or arrive early evening. (See “Hikes” below).
Carter Shields cabin is one of the historic cabins that have been preserved in the park. 
The John Oliver Cabin is lots of fun for the kids to explore inside and out
Hiking Trails Near Cades Cove
Nature Trail In Cades Cove Campground
Cades Cove has a cute little nature trail off of C loop in the Cades Cove Campground.
Anthony Creek Trail
Actually starting from the picnic area adjacent to the campground, Anthony Creek Trail is one of our favorites in the park.
Wide and fairly flat for the first 1.5 miles, it is an easy enough trail even for small children although it does have several single-log bridges.
You can hike its entire 3.5 mile length to where it intersects with Bote Mountain Trail or you can turn right at 1.7 miles onto Russell Field and hike up this steep trail to the Appalachian Trail (3.5 miles). Both are great trails through dense forest.
Hiking In The Smokys has a good description of Anthony Creek Trail to Russell Field as well as a description of Anthony Creek Trail to Bote Mountain (to Spence Field).
The trailhead for Anthony Creek is in the picnic area.
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Anthony Creek is a beautiful hike in the fall. 
Anthony Creek Trailhead
Rich Mountain Trail
The trailhead is located at the beginning of the one-way section of the Cades Cove Loop Road, near the parking area that is just before the gates that close the Loop Road at night.
You can hike the relatively flat, 1.4 mile long section to the John Oliver Cabin which is a fun way to visit this cabin.
If your family is up for a longer and more strenuous hike, then do the an 8.5 mile loop (go Rich Mountain to Indian Grave Gap Trail to Crooked Arm Ridge Trail) which takes you up to the ridge looking over Cades Cove and back down again to the trailhead.
Hiking In The Smokys also has a detailed description of Rich Mountain- Indian Grave Gap- Crooked Arm.
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John Oliver Cabin- You can reach it from the Rich Mountain Trail near the campground 
Rich Mountain Trail is just beyond the parking area at the beginning of Cades Cove Loop Road.
Abrams Falls Trail
One of the most popular trails in the park, Abrams Falls is a lovely hike that is 5.2 miles round-trip and is only moderately difficult so definitely a possibility for most families.
Because it is so popular, I would absolutely plan on doing this first thing in the morning as the parking area can quickly fill up in the summer or on fall weekends.
I last did this hike on a car-free Wednesday, biking to the trailhead off the Loop Road, doing the hike, and then biking back to my car at the picnic area.
If you are up for it, this is a pretty perfect way to spend a day. I started at 830 am and was finished by 1 pm. The hike took me 2.5 hours with a lunch stop at the falls.
As always, we love the description of Abrams Falls Trail in the blog Hiking In The Smokys.
Gregory Bald Trail
This is a strenuous hike but absolutely worth it especially in mid to late June when the azaleas atop the bald burst into flame.
At 11.3 miles round-trip and 3000 ft of elevation gain, this hike is not for small kids or anybody without some hiking experience. But for those up to it, this is one of the best hikes in the Smokies.
The trailhead is at the end of Forge Creek Rd, which is the short road heading due south from Loop Road near the Cable Mill Historic Area.
Gregory Bald Trail (via Gregory Ridge Trail) in Hiking In The Smokys is our go-to description.
Horseback Riding In Cades Cove
Cades Cove Riding Stables has guided trail rides, carriage rides, and even hay rides for all kinds of riders, kids to grandparents. They are located just across the road from the Cades Cove Campground. Open at 9am.
Trail Rides
Trail rides are an hour long and cost $35 per person ages 13 and older ($25 for ages 6-12). You have to be at least 4 ft tall, 6 years old, and under 250 pounds.
Helmets are required for kids under 16 and strongly recommended for everyone else (they are provided free of charge).
Carriage Rides
The carriage rides are 30 -45 min and cost $15 per person ages 13 and up ($10 per person ages 2-12). The trail rides and carriage rides use their own trail from the stables that eventually meets up with Anthony Creek Trail.
It is a pretty ride, but not terribly exciting. The cowboys do their best though to make it entertaining, and some of them are quite the comedians. The carriage rides are a very popular option for younger kids.
Hayrides
The hayrides are truck pulled and go around the Loop Road so they can take 1-3 hours depending on traffic.
They are the same price as the carriage rides and leave at scheduled times 3-4 times a day depending on the season. See the website for details.
The stables are open 9-430 everyday March- Nov and are generally first-come, first-served.
Splashing Around In Abrams Creek At The Picnic Area
Enjoy Abrams Creek from the Cades Cove Picnic Area. Abrams Creek is a year-round creek and is always refreshingly brisk- just deep enough to sit down in spots but not deep enough for swimming.
It is the perfect place for kids to rock hop and splash on hot summer days and an excellent place to enjoy a picnic.
Take a long bike ride or hike in the morning and then spend the afternoon at the creek. It is the closest you’ll get to a bath if camping at Cades Cove anyway!
See More Insider Tips For Visiting The Smokies
Favorite Hikes With Kids In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park
What Is The Best Campground In The Smoky Mountains?
Exploring Townsend: A Local’s Guide To Fun
Check out our Smokies page to see all of our favorite places in the park we love so much – best hikes, favorite campgrounds, biking Cades Cove, lodging, and more.
Planning A Family Vacation To The Smokies? See Our Local’s Guide To The Smokies
If you want more info about the Tennessee side of the Smokies and especially about our favorite family-friendly trails, check out our Great Smoky Mountains National Park Guidebook available on Amazon.
It lists recommended lodging options if you are not camping as well as activities and restaurants in nearby Townsend, TN.
We give you a detailed, 5 day itinerary that hits the highlights of the park while missing the crowds and introduces you to the Smokies we know and love as locals.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Kids: A Local’s Guide— Buy on Amazon
