The Smoky Mountains is one of the most magnificent areas, with beautiful rolling mountains, large forests, and a lot of wildlife. One place in the Smoky Mountains that is the most beautiful and full of the most wildlife is the Cades Cove area. Cades Cove is full of beauty and many great things to do. What many people don’t realize is that these things don’t go away just because the colder weather rolls in. To help you during your trip to Cades Cove in winter, here are some things that you need to do during your visit.
1. Hiking
People travel from all over the country to hike in the Smoky Mountains and for a good reason. The Smoky Mountains are home to over 100 hiking trails and the best of these trails are located in Cades Cove. Cades Cove hiking is full of great adventure, you can hike to the top of mountains or hike up to beautiful waterfalls. When you go hiking in winter, these mountains will be covered in a beautiful layer of snow, while the waterfalls will freeze over making for some of the most breathtaking sights that you will have ever experienced.
Learn more about Cades Cove hiking here.
2. Learn About Local History
Before the Smoky Mountains became a national park, it was home to many Native Americans, settlers and loggers that lived off the land. These people are now an important part of our history as a country. What makes Cades Cove so special is that it is home to the widest variety of historic buildings of any area in the national park. During your visit to Cades Cove in winter, you can tour through the homes, churches, and barns that the people before us left behind. While you tour through these historic buildings, you will learn more about the people that walked in your steps before you. This is also a great opportunity to educate your family about the history of our country.
3. View Wildlife
The Smoky Mountains are home a wide variety of animals that you will run across during your visit to the area, especially in Cades Cove in winter. Some of the animals that you will run across during your visit to Cades Cove include, white-tailed deer, coyotes and turkeys, along with various other types of animals.
Check out our 6 Essential Tips for Cades Cove Wildlife Viewing to help you with your wildlife viewing.
4. Enjoy the Snowy Views
What makes winter in the Smoky Mountains so amazing is that though you are in Tennessee you get to experience the wonders of snow. Throughout the winter, the mountain tops are covered in a beautiful layer of snow. During your visit to Cades Cove, you will get to experience and view this snow for yourself from some of the most beautiful snow covered mountain views in the country.
For more wonderful things to do during your visit to Cades Cove check out our blog: 6 Amazing Things to Do in Cades Cove That You Don’t Want to Miss.
