What is Cade’s Cove?
A cove is a relatively flat valley between mountains or ridges, according to the Smokey Mountains Association. Cade’s Cove is a perfect example of this definition. Located just 23 miles south and west of Gatlinburg, high in the Smokey Mountains Cade’s Cove takes you back in time to the early 1800′s when the cove was first inhabited. Cade’s Cove has been home to as many as 125 families since the first settlers came over the mountain on old Cherokee Indian trails about 1820. The main road you take into the cove from Gatlinburg didn’t even exist until 1934 when it was built by the park service. When you decide to take the windy mountain road to visit the cove take a picnic basket along with the thought that you are going to truly enjoy the relaxing atmosphere that Cade’s Cove has to offer. Cade’s Cove has hundreds of acres of mountain meadows surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the Great Smokey Mountains. These meadows gently slope downward toward the bottom of the
