Cabins USA Logo
Loading Page
RESERVATIONS
(800) 583-6168
Cabins USA Availability Search Icon Availability Search Small Icon


Cades Cove, TN Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Area Info : Smoky Mountains : What To See : Historic Places : What To See in Cades Cove

Cades Cove, TNThere is much to see and do Cades Cove, TN.

This picturesque spot attracts a lot of attention. In fact, Cades Cove is probably the most visited sight in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

So what makes this picturesque valley such a must-see destination in the Smokies?

Come take a drive around the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road today and discover a true gem of Appalachia culture and scenic beauty!

Here's a preview of what you can see during a visit to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains:

History of Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains

Long before Europeans came to the area, this large valley was a seasonal Cherokee hunting ground knows as Tsiya'hi, "Otter Place."

The first permanent European settlers in Cades Cove were John and Lucretia Oliver. After struggling through the winter of 1818-19, they made their home here thanks to the help of the Cherokee who provided them with dried pumpkin and an abandoned hut.

Perhaps in gratitude, the Olivers named the valley after a local Cherokee leader known as Chief Kade. Over time, the valley attracted more and more settlers and its population grew to over 600 people by the 1850s.

From serving as a stop on the Underground Railroad to religious schisms, Cades Cove's fascinating past is filled with many twists and turns. In the Civil War, Cades Cove was the sight of guerilla warfare between pro-union and pro-confederacy bushwhackers. Like many remote communities in Appalachia, this isolated valley was a haven for moonshines.

When the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was established in the 1930s, the valley was squarely within the park's boundaries. While most residents sold their land to the Government, many others attempted to negotiate lifetime leases or resist in other ways.

For example, the Primitive Baptist Congregation of Cades Cove kept attending services in defiance of orders from the National Park Service well into the 1960s.

The best way to explore Cades Cove's history is to stop by the preserved structures along the 11-mile loop road that winds through the valley.

  • The John Oliver Cabin- The residence of the first European settlers of Cades Cove, TN
  •  The Primitive Baptist Church- Find the first residents of Cades Cove in this cemetery.
  • The Cades Cove Methodist Church, constructed in 1902. Methodists were active in the cove as early as the 1820s, and built their first meeting house in 1840.
  • The Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church- A church formed from a small faction of Cades Cove Baptists in 1839 who had broken off from the main church Baptist church.
  •  The Myers Barn
  •  The Elijah Oliver Place- The homestead of the son of John Oliver.
  • The John Cable Grist Mill- a true Cades Cove icon
  •  The Becky Cable House- According to family legend, the spinster who lived here refused to marry after her father broke off one of her youthful romances.
  •  The Henry Whitehead Cabin - The homestead of the family of two influential figures in the Cades Cove's moonshine trade.
  • The Dan Lawson Place - The residence of the valley's wealthiest residents.
  • The Tipton Place - Homestead of the descendants of Revolutionary War veteran William "Fighting Billy" Tipton.
  • The Carter Shields Cabin - a rustic log Cades Cove cabin built in the 1880s.

Wildlife Viewing

Cades Cove is also an excellent place to view wildlife in the national park. While much of the Smokies are filled with dense forest, the park service periodically mows the valley of Cades Cove to preserve its farmland character.

The result? Not only do the abundant grasslands in Cades Cove attract loads of deer, turkey, and birds of prey, but the valley visitors to see animals that would otherwise be obscured by the forest.

As one of the lower elevation regions of the national park, the valley also attracts native black bears. If you want to see a bear during your trip to the Smokies, an early morning trip to Cades Cove is probably your best chance to view these fascinating creatures.

Guests driving Cades Cove Loop Road should expect slower traffic in peak tourist season due to frequent photo stops.

Fun Things To Do in Cades Cove

There's more to do in Cades Cove, TN than to just tour the scenic Cades Cove Loop Road. Numerous Cades Cove hiking trails originate in the area, including the extremely popular five-mile roundtrip trail to Abrams Falls, the highest volume waterfall in the national park.

Longer hikes to Thunderhead Mountain and Rocky Top (probably the most famous mountain top "down in the Tennessee Hills") also start in Cades Cove.

View From Rocky Top Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The short Cades Cave Nature Trail offers a beginner-friendly hiking experience as well. The Gregory's Ridge Trail brings hikers up to Gregory's Bald, a destination famous for panoramic views and blooming flame azaleas. 

Those looking to enjoy Cades Cave bicycling will be pleased to now that only bicycle and foot traffic are allowed on the loop road until 10:00 a.m. every Saturday and Wednesday morning. If you don't have your own bike, there is a bike rental shop in the Cades Cove visitor center.

Various services including horseback riding, hayrides, and carriage rides are offered by Cades Cove Riding Stables to make your Cades Cove experience even more unique.

A visitor center and restrooms are located half-way around the loop road at the Cable Mill Historic area.

Visit Cades Cove while Staying in Your Very Own Cabin Rental

Though Cades Cove cabins provide a romantic look at 19th century cabin living, those visiting the Smokies may want the modern amenities featured in Cabins USA's cabin rentals in Wears Valley, which offer everything to feel right at home, scenic views, and a convenient location.

Contact:


865-436-1200

Written by Brittany Tipton   2014-08-27">

historic placeshistoric places landmarks to see in the smoky mountainshistorical siteslandmarksoutdoor adventuressmoky mountainswhat to see

Please Note: Cabins USA LLC's, hereinafter referred to as Cabins USA, area information, area events, and blog pages are provided as a public service. Cabins USA does not endorse any of the products, vendors, consultants, or businesses referenced in these web pages. Any mention of vendors, products, businesses, or services on the Cabins USA web site is for informational purposes only. Users of this web site are responsible for checking the accuracy, completeness, currency and/or suitability of all information. The inclusion of this information does not imply endorsement by Cabins USA. Furthermore, specific questions regarding any content should be directed to the appropriate organization and not necessarily to Cabins USA.

Cabins USA Official Logo
star star star star star
2140 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN  37863
(865) 429-4121

VLS #157
Pigeon Forge Cabins
Guest Reservations
(800) 583-6168
2 Night Minimum
Amenities
Property Types



Cities






Resorts / Areas
















































Cabins USA Help Icon
Copyright 2013-2024, Cabins USA LLC, Pigeon Forge, TN

Welcome to Cabins USA! We hope you enjoy your stay with us and look forward to helping you make incredible vacation memories. To help you navigate your Guest User account, we've provided a helpful guide to walk you through the process.

Creating an Account

Creating a guest account is as simple as submitting your email and creating a password. Keep in mind the email used to create your guest account must match the email provided on your reservation.

If a different email is on your reservation, you'll need to create a guest account with that email to manage the reservation.

When finished, an email will be sent to confirm your email address. Follow the steps in the email to complete the creation of your account.

Note: If you need to change the email address on your reservation, please contact the reservations office for further assistance.

Managing Your Account

Once your account is created, you can start managing your reservations. Your guest reservations will show as follows:

Click on the view button to get more details about each reservation. Within the reservation, you'll be able to do three things, which are:

Submit a Trouble Ticket

Click the report issue button for maintenance needs or other concerns during your stay. Briefly describe your issue, provide contact information, and submit up to 3 photos detailing your situation if applicable.

Submit Cancellation Request

This must be done before check-in and per our policies. Within the request, provide a reason for cancellation and click submit. After submitting your request, one of our reservationists must complete the cancellation process before your reservation is canceled.

Make a Payment

For future stays with a balance open, you can make credit card payments from $50 up to the total cost of the reservation.

Additional Information

If you have a future reservation and haven't completed the Express Check-In, please send your confirmation number and email used for the reservation to reservations@cabinsusa.com to request an invitation to complete the process.

After you've signed all reservation documents and paid the balance in full, you'll receive an email with your active stay information 8 hours prior to arrival, which includes the following:

Note: If the reservation documents have not been signed electronically and/or the balance has not been paid three days prior to arrival via the credit card on file, you must check in at our 2140 Parkway office. Our office hours are currently 8:00am - 10:00pm, Monday thru Sunday.

Contact Us

Didn't find the information you needed? Contact Us for further assistance with your reservation or guest account.

Thank you for choosing us for your Smoky Mountain vacation! We look forward to helping you make your dream vacation a reality!

Warm regards,

Cabins USA

Interested in receiving our newsletter? Simply provide your full name and email address in these fields to begin receiving information. By doing so, you can learn about special promotions and events in the Smoky Mountains!

We respect our customer's privacy and feel it is disrespectful to bombard anyone with emails. We treat all information that customers share with us as private and confidential. Cabins USA never shares this information with third party sites.

Arrival Date: Mandatory, select or enter date you will arrive (MM/DD/YYYY)

Nights: Mandatory, select or enter the number of Nights you will be staying with us

Promotional Code: Must enter a valid code

Optional Search Items: (Amenties, Cities, etc)
Below are several boxes in which you can either select from a drop down list or click on a check box to the left of an item to select.

Changing the contents of any drop down list or selecting/deselecting a check box will broaden or narrow the number of properties displayed by your search. You don't have to wait until the search completes to select/deselect items for your perfect search.

You must hit the SEARCH button to start your first search. It is unnecessary to hit the SEARCH button after doing your first search, unless you changed to another web page, changed the Arrival Date or number of Nights.

Add to Favorites: As you visit individual property pages or pages with listings of several properties on them, you have the option to click on the "+ Favorites" for each particular property, which automatically adds the property to your list of Favorites for consideration. The number next to the Favorites tab, left sidebar, will increase up to 99 possible Favorites. When ready, click on the Favorites tab to view a list of your selected Favorites.

Remove from Favorites: You may de-select (remove) properties from your Favorites you no longer wish to consider by either clicking on the minus icon to the right or by clicking on the "- Favorites" displayed on property list pages and each property details page for properties listed in your Favorites.

Compare Favorites: Click in the check boxes to the left of the property name, in your Favorites, you wish to compare. No more than 3 boxes may be selected at one time. When ready, hit the Compare button for a comparison of the 3 selected properties.

Follow the above "Remove from Favorites" instructions to remove a property from the comparison and your Favorites.

To add another property from your Favorites list for comparison, click the check box to the left of the property name in your Favorites and hit the Compare button.

Repeat the above steps to find your ultimate vacation accommodations. Need assistance or have questions, please give us a call so we may better serve you!

View List: Displays a full list of all your Favorites with some details.

Remove All: Clears all properties from your Favorites so you may start over.