If you’re like us, one of our favorite places to spend time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is Cades Cove. With its closure through February 29 for tunnel work on Laurel Creek Road past Tremont Road, there may be guests who have planned a trip to the Smokies that are unaware of the closure and are scrambling for an alternate site to explore in place of Cades Cove.
Have no fear! The Smoky Mountains are full of places rich in both history and beauty to visit while Cades Cove is closed. Here’s a list of 10 alternate destinations with historic buildings that will be open, weather-permitting, during the Cades Cove closure:
-Sugarlands Visitor Center is a great place to begin any visit to the National Park. Make time to check out the exhibits, gift shop and the free 20 minute film about the Park showing every half hour. Behind the GSMNP’s Sugarlands Visitor Center is Fighting Creek Nature Trail leading to the historic John Ownby cabin. Inquire at the Information Desk about the map for the trails at Sugarlands and also about special events in the Park during your stay.
-Elkmont, once an elite vacation destination prior to the establishment of the National Park, is still a highlight at any time of the year. There are many sites and trails to explore at Elkmont, and those who love historic buildings will enjoy a stroll through Daisy Town, where some of the original vacation cabins have been or are in the process of being restored. Elkmont is also home to the Little River Trail, where you can still walk by the outside of the pink Spence Cabin and visit the back patio overlooking the river (please be aware that access to the grounds of the Spence Cabin is prohibited during special reserved functions). Be sure to stop for some photos at the famous “Troll Bridge”. Fun Fact: it is in this area that the phenomenon of the synchronous fireflies in the Smoky Mountains was first discovered. The Avent Cabin is also at Elkmont. Check with the Park if there are free guided walks of Elkmont during your visit.
-There are a host of places to visit along Newfound Gap Road from Gatlinburg to Cherokee. For a complete list, pick up the auto touring guide for $1 at a Park Visitor Center. A number of historic sites are found along this route, including the Rockefeller Memorial at Newfound Gap, where President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1940. As you approach Cherokee, you will find Oconaluftee “Luftee” Baptist Church at Smokemont, Mingus Mill and the Mountain Farm Museum at the GSMNP’s Oconaluftee Visitor Center. While bears may not be seen as frequently here as at Cades Cove, you are likely to see elk and wild turkeys in this area. This wonderful day trip not only gives spectacular mountain viewpoints, but also access to a historic church, a working grist mill, and a collection of historic buildings from throughout the Smokies that have been preserved at the Farm Museum.
-At Greenbrier, hike Porter’s Creek Trail to find the Messer Barn and the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club Cabin. You will pass by the stone walls and remains of the old Cantrell farm along the way. At approximately one mile into the trail, the side trail on the right leads to the barn and cabin.
-The Noah “Bud” Ogle Farmstead is located on Cherokee Orchard Road in Gatlinburg, just prior to the start of the (closed) Roaring Fork Motor Trail. Accessible year-round, the cabin and four-pen barn are just a short walk from the parking area. Along the self-guided nature trail at Ogle Place, you can visit the working tub mill and flume plumbing system. While Roaring Fork Motor Trail is closed during the winter, a short one-way, one mile driving loop to and from Ogle Place can still be enjoyed. Be on the alert for deer and bears in this area in season.
-At Metcalf Bottoms, a stroll up the Little Brier Gap Trail leads to the Little Greenbrier Schoolhouse and the Walker Sisters Cabin.
-{UPDATE: The GSMNP has announced that access roads to Cataloochee will be closed for repairs February 10 through May 20. } Though a considerable distance from Cades Cove, but perhaps the site that closest resembles it, is Cataloochee. According to the GSMNP, this is the best place in the Park to visit historic frame buildings from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Cataloochee Valley is home to 2 churches, a school, various homes and outdoor buildings, and an abundance of wildlife. While you may see bears here in season, you are more likely to see elk here than anywhere else in the Park.
Be aware that the main route leading into Cataloochee is narrow, steep, windy and unpaved. Note that there are other places with similar names (e.g., Cataloochee Ranch or Ski Area), so use Cataloochee Campground’s address for directions to avoid ending up elsewhere.
Outside the National Park
-In the heart of downtown Gatlinburg is the Martha Ogle cabin, built circa 1807. Check with the Gatlinburg Welcome Center for hours of operation.
-A Cades Cove aficionado is sure to enjoy a visit to the Cades Cove Museum in Maryville. http://www.cadescovepreservation.com/cctbmuseum.html
-The Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend is a museum with indoor exhibits and an outdoor 13-building Historic Village that will be of interest to anyone who loves the Smoky Mountains. There is a small entrance fee.
TIPS
As always, it’s a good idea to call in advance to double check hours of operation for museums, and also to inquire at a Park Visitor Center about openings and closures for sites within the Park. National Park road conditions are updated on the official twitter feed at https://twitter.com/SmokiesRoadsNPS. GPS and maps are not always reliable for addresses within the park, so verify locations on the official website for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park before you head out. The Smokies Guide newspaper can be picked up at any of the GSMNP's Visitor Centers. The Campground Store at Cades Cove will be closed, and there are no gas stations, restaurants and almost no cell service within the Park, so plan accordingly.
Wherever the mountains are calling you, have a safe and enjoyable time!
© 2020 Gatlinburg Dream
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