To make things a bit easier, I am going to divide these posts into the different towns and sites that you can enjoy while visiting the Great Smoky Mountains. As I said before, I recommend staying in Townsend, Tennessee while visiting this park. The people of Townsend are friendly and the town is easy to navigate through. On the other hand, when you visit Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, you will find that the streets are crammed and it can take over half an hour to get down the street.
At the same time, staying inTownsend doesn’t mean giving up a great vacation or missing out on anything. In fact, Townsend is the gateway to Cades Cove. Cades cove is a wonderful family travel destination as it is rich in natural beauty and history. As you cruise down the 11 mile road, you will be enchanted by the mountains that surround you. In addition, wildlife abounds. On my first family vacation to the Smoky Mountains, we spotted over a dozen deer while driving through Cades Cove. On our second family vacation to the Smokies, we actually saw a mama black bear and her cubs. Some unwise travelers were getting out of there vehicles to try to get a closer look. While it should go without saying, be sure to never approach a bear - particularly a mama and her babies as they can be quite violent as they try to protect their cubs.
Cades Cove also has several trailheads. One of my favorites is Abrams Falls. The trail is listed as being moderately difficult, but my husband and I walked it with little problem with our 6 and 4 year old boys. When we returned three years later with our two year old twins, my husband ended up walking the trail with the two older boys (who were 9 and 7 at the time) because the twins were getting a bit cranky. At any rate, this trail offers a magnificent waterfall at the end that is well worth the trek.
In addition to the many scenic overlooks and the Abram Falls trail, there are several historical excursions you can take in Cades Cove as well. Many of the homes and buildings that were built in the 1800s still exist in the area. You will find several old churches that are still standing at Cades Cove, each of which has its own graveyard. If you look at the tombstones, you will find that some of the graves are relatively new as the decendents of those that once lived in the Cove are still permitted to be buried there. Your children will marvel at the Cable Mill Barn, which has an overhanging loft that looks like it will fall off at any time. The Cantilever barn is also a site to behold with its oversized top. You will even have the opportunity to see an old Cable Mill and Mill Flume. Take the time to discuss the mill with your children and explain how it helped supply energy to the mill.
If you find yourself entering Cades Cove and realize that you are not ready to start the 11 mile trip, which can take around an hour even if you don’t stop off to view the sites because of the traffic in front of you, you can take a quick exit on Sparks Lane. Sparks Lane is very near to the beginning of the loop and it allows you to cut straight through to the end of the loop. Just be sure to return later so you can enjoy this magnificent site.
In Townsend, you will also find Tuckaleechee Caverns. This cavern system offers stalagmites, stalactites, draperies, and more. The tour is a pleasant one that only takes about an hour to complete. The Big Room inside Tuckalechee Caverns is amazing and is the largest cavern room open to visitors in the Eastern United States. In addition, you will get to see a 200 foot waterfall in the caverns, a site that is not very common in cavern tours. We took this tour both times we went to the Smokies for a family vacation and we easily completed the tour, even when we had the twin two-year-olds in tow.
Foothills Parkway can also be accessed just outside of Townsend, Tennessee. Although the views are not as magnificent as what you will find in Cades Cove, it does offer some great overlooks that are made even more spectacular by the towns nestled in the valleys. In addition, this is not as popular of a tourist attraction, which means you won’t have to fight the traffic as much as you might in other areas of the park.
If you do decide to get a cabin or other accommodations in Townsend, you will find that there are several restaurants to select from. You will, however, find more choices in nearby Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge. Nonetheless, you can actually park at the restaurant of your choosing in Townsend and won’t have to pay for the luxury or walk a great distance just to get to the door. The town also offers a grocery store with prices that are not bloated, so you can stock up on cereal, snacks, or even steaks to cook on the grill if you get a cabin.
We’ll be staying in Townsend again when we visit the Smokies this October. If the town has lost its charm, I will be sure to let you know. But, somehow I doubt that it has!
