Cades Cove Campground
The Quick Take
Cades Cove is the campground equivalent of a greatest hits album — it delivers exactly what most people want from a Smokies trip without pretending to be something it's not. You get one of the park's largest campgrounds tucked into the most visited valley in the most visited national park in America, which tells you everything about the trade-off: wildlife and scenery versus solitude. The loop road practically starts at your tent flap, meaning morning deer and black bear sightings happen before your coffee is ready. There are no showers and no hookups, so it splits the difference between roughing it and car camping comfort — flush toilets and potable water keep things civilized, but you will smell like campfire by day two. Choose Cades Cove if you want the iconic Smokies experience and do not mind sharing it with a few hundred of your closest friends.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 161 sites are reservable.
Book at Great Smoky Mountains LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups. Generators permitted during designated hours.
Accessibility
Accessible paths to restrooms and parking areas. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:Campfires are permitted only in fire rings.
- Generators:When Loop B is closed for the season, generators are allowed in Loop C, with restricted hours, UNTIL Loop B reopens.
Pro Tips
Loop A sites along the outer edge back up to forest and offer the most privacy — request these when booking on Recreation.gov. The inner loop sites feel like a parking lot by comparison, especially on summer weekends.
Drive the eleven-mile Cades Cove Loop Road before 8 AM to beat the traffic that regularly turns it into a three-hour crawl. Even better, come on a Wednesday morning in October when the road is closed to vehicles until 10 AM for cyclists and walkers only.
Bear canisters are not required here, but every site has food lockers — use them religiously. Cades Cove bears are some of the most food-conditioned in the park, and a cooler left on a picnic table is basically a dinner invitation. Store everything, including your toothpaste and sunscreen.
Photos
Warren BielenbergGetting There
Directions
From Maryville, TN: Take US-321 North (you'll actually be driving south!) from Maryville to Townsend, TN (about 22 miles). At the traffic light in Townsend, continue straight on TN-73 and follow signs to Cades Cove. From Pigeon Forge, TN: Take US-321 South (you'll be driving westerly) to Townsend, TN. Turn left (south) at Townsend onto TN-73. Follow signs to Cades Cove.
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