While visiting Cades Cove on your next trip to the Smokies, you may get lucky enough to experience one of the special events in the area! With everything from the only organized footrace in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to vehicle-free Wednesdays on the famous Cades Cove Loop Road, these events offer great ways to enjoy this beautiful area of the park! Here are 4 fun Cades Cove events that take place throughout the year:
1. Cades Cove Loop Lope
The Cades Cove Loop Lope is an organized run around Cades Cove in November that benefits the Friends of the Smokies, a non-profit organization that assists the National Park Service in preserving and protecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As the only organized footrace in the park, the event opens up over 700 spots for runners to participate in either a 5K or a 10-mile course. All funds raised benefit park projects and programs such as historic preservation, wildlife conservation, native plant and grassland restoration, and much more!
2. Old Timer’s Day
Another one of the fun Cades Cove events that take place throughout the year is Old Timer’s Day, which is held on the third weekend of September. This free event takes place in the Cable Mill Visitor Center area and offers a unique opportunity to learn some first-hand history about the area! Former Cades Cove residents, their descendants, and others from nearby towns in the Smokies are on hand to tell stories and reminisce about their past in the Cove. This day-long event of music and discussion also features historic exhibits and photographs of homesteads that populated the area.
3. Vehicle-Free Wednesdays on Cades Cove Loop Road
If you are lucky enough to be visiting Cades Cove on a Wednesday from early May to late September, you can take advantage of vehicle-free Wednesdays on Cades Cove Loop Road!
This provides an opportunity for pedestrians and cyclists to enjoy Cades Cove without motorists. Keep in mind that children under 16 are required by law to wear a helmet, but it is recommended that everyone wear one. Here are some of the other tips on how to safely enjoy vehicle-free Wednesdays on Cades Cove Loop Road.
4. Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage
The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is a popular annual non-profit event in April that features professionally guided walks, exhibits, and other learning opportunities to explore the region’s rich natural and cultural resources! While the programs take place throughout the Smokies, there are many that take place in the Cades Cove area. You can sign up for programs on a wide variety of topics, including park history, art and photography, mammals, insects, medicinal plants, and of course, wildflowers!
If your vacation plans don’t line up with any of these Cades Cove events, there is no need to worry - you’ll find plenty of reasons to experience the beauty of the Cove at any time of year! Just check out these amazing things to do in Cades Cove TN that you don’t want to miss!
