If there is one place in the Smoky Mountains that everybody talks about, it is Cades Cove. It was obviously an absolute must on our list. This area features spectacular views of the valley along with some excellent opportunities to see wildlife. Another big attraction is the houses from when the original settlers used to live here. Cades Cove only has a one way single lane loop, and it starts getting congested pretty early. So, we decided to wake up super early. We watched sunrise at an overlook, and arrived at Cades Cove shortly after the gates opened.

Make sure to have your camera ready as soon get to the loop. You never know when you might see something cool. Right at the entrance, we were welcomed by a sighting of a black bear! Even though there are thousands of black bears in the Smokies, actually getting to see one is pretty lucky. Bears are very elusive and solitary creatures that like staying away from humans. This time however, keen eyes of a tourist caught two black bears walking about 100 feet up a hill from the main road. We didn’t have our camera ready to capture a good photo but boy was it a cool experience to see couple of wild black bears walking in the woods.

The first house that we came across was The John Oliver Place. It is very fitting that this is the first stop along the Cades Cove loop because John and Lurany Oliver were the first European settlers in the area way back in the 1820s. At that time, there was a lot of friction between the European settlers and the Natives. However, in the case of the Olivers, the natives actually helped them survive their first winter. It was a cool crisp Tennessee morning, and we loved being able to walk through the house and explore the grounds while imagining what their live must have been like. It took a lot of hard work to settle here, but the beauty and nature must have made it worth it.

The house is a short walk from the parking area, and on the way back to our car we were greeted with a gorgeous view of the valley covered in thick morning fog. It was mesmerizing watching the fog slowly getting pushed by a gentle breeze along the valley floor.

Our next stop was the Methodist Church. The interesting feature of this church was the two front entrance doors. During this time period, Methodists believed that men and women needed to enter separately and sit on their own sides inside the church. The church itself was definitely worth a short peak inside, but I think the real attraction was the cemetery behind it. It was so serene, and there was all sorts of wildlife roaming around including white-tailed deer and squirrels.

Next up on the Cades Cove loop was the Elijah Olive Place, and it was probably my favorite stop. I loved how it wasn’t right on the road and was instead a super easy ~0.5 mile walk to the cabin. The really cool part thought is that is wasn’t just a cabin. There was also a smokehouse, corn crib, spring house, and a barn. Another interesting part was that the cabin had a “Stranger’s Room” off the front porch. Supposedly Elijah (and the other settlers) were very hospitable, and they would let travelers stay at their home for a night. It’s good to know that southern hospitality existed even back in the 1800s!

Between stopping to see houses and churches, there were plenty of spots to pull off and just admire the nature. My favorite pull off had sweeping views of the valley with mountains in the background. It couldn’t get more perfect. Clouds were dotting the sky and the sunshine felt amazing with a hint of coolness in the air. We even saw a few couples getting their wedding and engagement photos taken.

 Roughly half way along the loop, we were itching for a change in pace. We had been in the car for far too long and had stopped at sooo many buildings. It was time to go on a nice hike. Abrams Falls is one of the most popular hikes you can do at Cades Cove. The round trip trail distance is about 5 miles and is officially rated moderate. However, the path constantly switches between steep uphills and downhills, the breeze had completely stopped, and the heat of the day had set in. That combined with little sleep and sore knees, we would rate this is moderate to difficult hike. It should have been a red flag when we saw multiple groups panting for water as they were finishing the trail.

The hike ends at the beautiful Abram Falls. Although Abrams Falls is only 20 feet high, the large volume of water rushing over the cliff more than makes up for its lack of height. In fact, Abrams Falls is the most voluminous waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We found a perfect rock to sit on and enjoy our granola bars, chicken salad with crackers, and clementines. The sound of rushing water and the peacefulness of it all made this a very worthwhile hike.

Our next stop was the Cades Cove Visitor Center. It had a gift shop and restrooms, but like the rest of Cades Cove, the main attraction was the old structures. One of the neatest buildings was Cable Mill. In the 1800s, this mill provided a way for the locals to turn their corn and wheat crops into flour for making bread. What was cool was that the mill is still working and has several demos throughout the day. And we were lucky enough to catch the end of the last demo for the day. It was quite mesmerizing watching a giant wheel turning due to the force of water striking its top. The wheel would then drive a runner stone placed only a few inches from a stationary stone. It was in this gap where the corn or wheat would be fed and ground.

After the visitor center, we were pretty pooped. Even though it was only mid afternoon, it had been a long day full of walking, driving, hiking, and exploring old buildings. The views along the road were just as stunning as before. I didn’t have the energy to keep stopping at all the pull offs though, so we just took it in while driving.

We did make on last stop along the Cades Cove loop though. We stopped at the Tipton Place Homestead which was a really pretty two story cabin. There was also a barn, corn crib, and a few other structures that were interesting to look at. I’m really glad we stopped, but at this point, a cabin is a cabin. Am I right?

Cades Cove is a must for anyone visiting The Great Smoky Mountains, and it was one of my favorite days. It definitely requires at least a full day to explore. But, if we were to do it again, I think we would split it into 2 days. There were so many cabins, churches, barns, and mills that they all started looking the same towards the end. I wish we could have gone back another day to fully appreciate the buildings on the the 2nd half of the loop. I also wish we had been able to spend more time at the pull offs overlooking the valley. It is such a stunning cove rich with history.