# Cades Cove Questions



## BamaBowHunter (Jun 26, 2014)

Looks like we're going to be heading to Gatlinburg in October this year. I really want to go to Cades Cove. I've never been and was looking for some advice. How long does it typically take to go through the park? Is a truck needed/recommended to make it through the park? Thanks for any advice from someone who has been!


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## Lindseys Grandpa (Jun 26, 2014)

A car will work fine. I would not go on a weekend in October . The traffic will be bumper to bumper and i have no idea how long it will take. The one time i tried it i used the 1st shortcut to leave and still took almost 2 hours. Anytime in Oct it can take a couple of hours or more but its worth it. Go to their website they have 2 mornings i think its Tuesday and Saturday that it's closed to auto traffic till ten just bike and walkers allowed.


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## Dana Young (Jun 26, 2014)

from gatlinburg all the way through, stopping and looking at all the old homeplaces and looking at the wildlife, etc plan on a full day. and be prepared to wait on stopped traffic all through the park.  just going around the loop without much stopping takes a couple of hours. The ride in from gatling burg takes about 45 min so give or take 4 hrs for a quick trip. It is well worth the time take apicknic lunch be there at daylight and stay till dark especially if your family likes exloring an antique settelment or just hiking.


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## 7Mag Hunter (Jun 26, 2014)

Dana Young said:


> from gatlinburg all the way through, stopping and looking at all the old homeplaces and looking at the wildlife, etc plan on a full day. and be prepared to wait on stopped traffic all through the park.  just going around the loop without much stopping takes a couple of hours. The ride in from gatling burg takes about 45 min so give or take 4 hrs for a quick trip. It is well worth the time take apicknic lunch be there at daylight and stay till dark especially if your family likes exloring an antique settelment or just hiking.





X-2....don't be in a hurry....We started going to Cades Cove 20+ yrs ago, but don't go as much these days...
Weekends are bumper to bumper, so be patient....
Plan all day and go in thru Severville and Maryville..Take
a lunch or use the picnic area and cook out,,,,Deer/Bear
turkeys everywhere....


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## ribber (Jun 26, 2014)

Cades Cove is one of my favorite places to visit. We try to go there every time we're in Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge.


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## M Sharpe (Jun 27, 2014)

Spend some time afoot there. Wildlife everywhere. Oh, and carry your camera!!


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## Sargent (Jun 27, 2014)

If you get a chance, go early in the morning.  Very early.

Seeing the sun peak into the cove is pretty amazing.


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## Ronnie T (Jul 1, 2014)

Once you turn onto the Cades cove road it will seem like 857 miles until you realize that you're finally at the cove.  It's very pretty there.  I went once.  Probably won't drive back there to see it again.
I've been to Pigeon Forge at least a dozen times.  Love it love it love it.


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## South Man (Jul 1, 2014)

We go every year. Went earlier in June and aaw a bear. We always enjoy our rides through the cove.


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## Bob Shaw (Jul 2, 2014)

Last time we were there, we saw 4 bears, a coyote, and a herd of deer... pretty neat. While there, if you wan t a less crowded area and some new sights, go to the Cataloochie Valley. It's in the extreme north-east part of the park. You get there off of US 276 a couple of miles north of Maggie Valley, watch for the signs. There's a little twisty windy road, that turns one-lane and dirt, that takes you in there. The road alone is an adventure. That valley is where they tried to resettle elk (well, actually did) into the park and if you're early in October, they may still be in the rut and bugling. And while you're there, don't miss Clingman's Dome. I hope you have a clear day.


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## Geffellz18 (Jul 2, 2014)

X-20 on cades cove. I've been fortunate to go several times when it wasn't too busy. Still took 2-3hrs with minimal stopping. Well worth the trip. 
X-2 on Catalooche valley. Pretty cool too, but would be another day away from Gatlinburg. Probably 1 1/2-2 hrs from Gatlinburg. Not as much possibility to actually see the wildlife, but very scenic. Went in on a road out of the cosby, tn area NE of Gatlinburg. Turned into a dirt/gravel one way road on some very steep hillside cliffs with few turnouts. Family was scared to death but I was loving the journey. Would love to drive that section again.
There's also a great loop trail road right in Gatlinburg that's very scenic too. About an hour trip total start to finish. 
Enjoy your trip!


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## Semi-Pro (Jul 12, 2014)

We go every year, saw 2 bear this year and 50+ deer, had some nice racks in full velvet. There is a nice waterfall about half way through. It is a 3 mile hike but well worth it. Abrams falls I believe. I usually start the loop at about 6pm If I have enough time I do it twice. I have walked the trails and around the woods and came up on huge deer bedded down in blowdowns and other things, they do not spook easily and you can get close. 10 yds from a bear this year and right under one in a tree.


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## TimBray (Jul 14, 2014)

If you are going in October, I would probably plan on going early in the morning (open from sunrise to sunset except for Sat. & Wed. for bike/foot traffic). Been a while but IIRC, you can spend 3 or so hrs. if you park and walk to the cabins, churches, etc.
Also, as mentioned, the Roaring Fork Motor Trail in Gatlinburg is also a great ride- basically the same thing as Cades Cove just on a smaller scale up the mountain.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/roaringfork.htm

Have fun.     

BTW, not sure how you are planning to go (we like to go over the mountains on 441) but sometimes 441 is closed above Cherokee due to weather, weather-related disaster (last time we went, a slide took out a good section of road), or simply maintenance. I would check before I left out unless you want to go into Cherokee anyway.


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## 4HAND (Aug 12, 2014)

Was in Cades Cove 2 weeks ago. We love it! We saw lots of deer , turkeys & several bears. We normally go in the morning & then grill lunch at the picnic area.


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## chocolate dog (Aug 12, 2014)

I love Cades Cove.  Been there MANY times and always look forward to going back.   












Cataloochee?  Forget that.  One time was enough.  That one lane dirt road is hideous.  The elk were out and bugling like crazy though.


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## misterpink (Aug 16, 2014)

We rode bicycles around the loop one time about 20 years ago.  it is a neat way to see the park if the weather isnt too hot or rainy.


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## 7Mag Hunter (Aug 22, 2014)

misterpink said:


> We rode bicycles around the loop one time about 20 years ago.  it is a neat way to see the park if the weather isnt too hot or rainy.




X-2...We have camped there several times, and biked the 
loop road just as the sun came up.....


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## Lilly001 (Aug 26, 2014)

If you have a reasonably capable 4wd you should try the jeep trail from Cades cove to US 129. I think it's called Parsons trail, or such. It's a great trail over the mountain ridge. Takes a couple hours if you don't stop. Then you can head back into NC through the "Tail of the Dragon". It's a stretch of US 129 with lots of switchbacks and motorcycles.


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## Dr. Strangelove (Aug 26, 2014)

Bob Shaw said:


> Last time we were there, we saw 4 bears, a coyote, and a herd of deer... pretty neat. While there, if you wan t a less crowded area and some new sights, go to the Cataloochie Valley. It's in the extreme north-east part of the park. You get there off of US 276 a couple of miles north of Maggie Valley, watch for the signs. There's a little twisty windy road, that turns one-lane and dirt, that takes you in there. The road alone is an adventure. That valley is where they tried to resettle elk (well, actually did) into the park and if you're early in October, they may still be in the rut and bugling. And while you're there, don't miss Clingman's Dome. I hope you have a clear day.



Cataloochie is awesome, I'm from the Asheville/Hendersonville area and we used to go when I was a kid (30+ years ago), before the Elk and all that.  It was a lot less crowded then.  The road isn't the greatest, but a normal car will do it, I wouldn't take a low-slung sports car though.  My grandmother, now passed, remembers when large parts of WNC were taken for National Parks.  I believe we may have had some family in Cataloochie, Bartons and Cunninghams. 

I actually drove home to Athens one Christmas on the forest service roads from Highlands/Cashiers down into the Warwoman road area, then home to Athens, took a while, but it was a blast.


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## 4HAND (Sep 4, 2014)

Lilly001 said:


> If you have a reasonably capable 4wd you should try the jeep trail from Cades cove to US 129. I think it's called Parsons trail, or such. It's a great trail over the mountain ridge. Takes a couple hours if you don't stop. Then you can head back into NC through the "Tail of the Dragon". It's a stretch of US 129 with lots of switchbacks and motorcycles.



We did this once , but will never do again. LOL. To top it off, my mother in law was with us!


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