Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Cades Cove

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Cades Cove

Roll through Cades Cove by bike to imagine life in the Smoky Mountains at a pace the settlers would appreciate.

Author:	cvb
Date:	21 Mar 2008 11:21:06 AM
Activity:	Bicycling ActivitySearchBicycling
State:	Tennessee (TN)
Distance:	30.81 mi (Change units)
Elevation:	Total Gain: 2971 ft Total Loss: 2972 ft Net Change: -1 ft
Difficulty:	5 / 10
Tags:	Townsend, Tennessee, Great Smoky
Rating:	Unrated Rate it

Cades Cove is striking in its pastoral beauty, and as a result it’s a popular destination in Great Smoky Mountains -- America's most visited national park. Our advice: ride early or take advantage of the park’s road closure schedule to avoid car traffic in the height of tourist season.

After leaving Townsend, this route climbs gradually for 6 miles to the rolling 11-mile one-way loop around the cove. The loop has a few short, sharp climbs that may slow you down, but why rush through these views? You’ll see plenty of historical buildings in the cove, and if you’re lucky, a black bear ducking into the trees or a deer grazing in the open glades.

-Mapped by Chris Vanden Bossche

Position Format:	Datum:

Tracks

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Cades Cove

Dist: 30.81 mi	Points: 477	Calories: none
Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

Distance	Instruction		Distance to next
0.00 mi	Start	Head east on US 321	Then go 0.41 mi
0.41 mi	Straight	Continue on TN 337/Smoky Mountains Hwy.	Then go 2.25 mi
2.65 mi	Turn Right	Cades Cove Rd.	Then go 8.69 mi
11.34 mi	Straight	Cades Cove Loop Rd.	Then go 7.62 mi
18.97 mi	Turn Right	Cades Cove Loop Rd.	Then go 1.44 mi
20.41 mi	Turn Left	Campground Dr.	Then go 0.23 mi
20.64 mi	Turn Right	Cades Cove Rd.	Then go 7.51 mi
28.15 mi	Turn Left	TN 337/Smoky Mountains Hwy.	Then go 2.35 mi
30.50 mi	Straight	Merge with US 321

Points of Interest

The start

Location: 35.679157°, -83.741655°
The small shopping center with an IGA grocery and other stores provides ample parking.

Photo 6

Location: Unknown
Deer in the cove

Little River Road Extension

Location: 35.659842°, -83.707173°
For an optional 35-mile extension, go right at this intersection and take the Little River Road to Sugarlands Visitor Center and back.

Laurel Creek on Cades Cove Road

Location: 35.651926°, -83.709641°
After the turn the road follows and crisscrosses Laurel Creek.

Steep Climb

Location: 35.625977°, -83.728180°
The ascent to Cades Cove is steady except for a steep pitch up and over a hill into the cove. Eight miles into the ride, the road pitches up steeply for a about a mile before the short descent into Cades Cove.

Cades Cove Loop

Location: 35.606580°, -83.776674°
Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to auto traffic on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10 a.m. during the summer. Check with the park for closure dates.