Smoky Mountains & Cades Cove

To fully experience the grandeur of Townsend, one only has to venture into the GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK. At 500,000 acres, it's the largest piece of wilderness east of the Mississippi. 800 miles of trails are packed with over 1,400 species of flowering plants, including 150 tree species, over 50 species of ferns, 71 mammals, 35 amphibians and at least 235 birds. And be on the lookout for black bears. Hundreds of them can be seen throughout the park daily!

Without leaving your car, you may drive the 11-mile, one-way, paved Loop Road in Cades Cove. Deer, bear and wild turkey are frequently seen on this drive. Also along the way: churches and cemeteries which once served residents of the cove, the Cable Mill area, and several pioneer cabins and houses.

Cades Cove lies peacefully in a tranquil valley. Its open fields stretch between 5,500-foot mountain peaks. Home to a fully operational grist mill with a working waterwheel and historic structures, there's over 1,500 kinds of flowering plants, deer and hundreds of black bears that live in the park. View the sights on our 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road. Wednesdays and Saturdays from early May to late September the road is closed to motor vehicles until 10:00 a.m., allowing a safe, quiet experience for bicyclists, pedestrians, and the adventurist on horseback. Summer programs include apple butter making and performances in the amphitheater. Come by the Cades Cove Visitors Center, on Loop Road, for more information.

As you enter Cades Cove, you may stop and purchase a copy of the auto tour booklet published by the Great Smoky Mountains Association. It's available in a stand by the roadside at the beginning of the loop road and also at the Ranger Station. Cost $1.00.