Cades Cove Campground

Great Smoky Mountains’ most scenic valley — wildlife and pioneer history

Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN, TN

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (4102 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Cades Cove is the most visited area in the most visited national park in the US — and for good reason. The campground sits at the entrance to a stunning 11-mile one-way loop road through an open valley ringed by mountains, with some of the best wildlife viewing east of the Rockies (black bears, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys daily). 159 sites in a wooded setting near Abrams Creek. The valley preserves 19th-century Appalachian homesteads and mills. Year-round access makes this a four-season dest

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Flush Toilets, Potable Water, Fire Rings, Dump Station, Camp Store (seasonal), Bike Rentals (seasonal), Cades Cove Loop Road Access, Pet Friendly (leash), Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cades-cove-smoky-mountains to be notified when sites open up.

The best wildlife viewing in the eastern US — the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop road through an open Appalachian valley with black bears, white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys reliably visible daily. The valley preserves 19th-century homesteads and mills.

The Abrams Falls trail (5 mi RT from the campground) passes through old-growth forest to one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Smokies. Start before 8am and you’ll likely have the trail to yourself. By 10am it’s crowded.

What is new at Cades Cove Campground: Cades Cove campground now fully reservable on Recreation.gov.

Wildlife alert: Black bears highly active in Cades Cove. Maintain 50-yard distance always. Elk bulls during September rut are dangerously aggressive — maintain 50-yard distance.

Fire rules: Campfires in provided fire grates only. Tennessee fire restrictions apply in dry periods. Check nps.gov/grsm.

Things to do near Cades Cove Campground: Cades Cove Loop Road at dawn — wildlife at highest activity, no crowds. Abrams Falls (5 mi RT) — leave before 8am to beat the day-trippers. Wednesday morning bicycle loop — closed to cars until 10am on Wednesdays and Saturdays in summer.

Insider tips for Cades Cove Campground: Arrive Sunday or Monday for the best weekday experience The campground store rents bikes — cycling the loop on Wednesday mornings is the definitive experience Sites along Abrams Creek (sites 1–25) have creek sounds and less road noise

Skip Cades Cove Campground if: You’re going on a summer Saturday expecting a peaceful drive — the loop road backs up for miles on peak weekends.

Best time to visit Cades Cove Campground: Sep–Nov — Elk rut, fall foliage peak, bear activity before hibernation.. Mar–Apr — Spring wildflowers, bears emerging from dens, migratory birds arriving..

Common issues at Cades Cove Campground: Traffic on the loop road can be severe on summer weekends. Drive the loop at sunrise (7–9am) before day-trippers arrive.

What campers say about Cades Cove Campground: "Black bear in the meadow 50 feet from the road, cubs in the tree above her. We sat there for 45 minutes." — Recreation.gov reviewer "Wednesday mornings the loop is bicycle-only until 10am. Best experience in the park." — Recreation.gov reviewer

Nearby campgrounds: Cades Cove Group (Gatlinburg, TN), Abram’S Creek Campground (Gatlinburg, TN), Look Rock Campground (Townsend, TN), Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion (GATLINBURG, TN).