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GSMNP - Cades Cove Loop Road

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    • GSMNP - Cades Cove Loop Road

      This is a popular one way 11 mile loop that circles Cades Cove and has access to hiking trails. Reportedly (I don't think I've ever been here) it is bumper to bumper traffic.

      Thru the end of September the road will be closed to cars on Wednesdays and will be only be open to hikers and bicyclists.

      Sounds interesting for those closeby,

      nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cadescove.htm
      2,000 miler
    • They’ve been closing on Wednesdays during the warmer months for a while...7 years maybe (?).

      It’s a lot of fun but there’s just as much traffic driving up on a Wednesday as on a normal day, in fact there’s probably more traffic.

      I made the mistake of riding my bike from Townsend up to Cade’s Cove on a Wednesday, thinking traffic would be lighter...it sucked.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • When our daughter was in elementary school, 1993 if memory serves, we camped in the Cades Cove campground for about 5 days. Great time. We drove the Cades Cove loop several times. Once we went to the parking lot for the Abrams Fall trail and hiked it. Another time we just drove the loop watching for the wildlife; we saw deer and about 4-5 bears. There also was a concession where you could ride horses on a trail ride, my memory is that just my daughter and I did so and the husband declined.

      Even in 1993 there was a whole heck of a lot of traffic and you just needed to exercise a lot of patience. I think it's very cool that they are closing the loop road to traffic other than bikes and hikers.