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| Accessibility | Backcountry | Biking | Camping |
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| Hiking | Horse Riding | Lodging | Pet Info |
| Size | Visitor Centers | Weather | Wedding Info |
Accessibility
Cades Cove is open sunrise to sunset, year-round, except during snow and ice removal. There are restrooms at all park visitor centers. A new fully accessible nature trail just south of Sugarlands Visitor Center on Newfound Gap Road is now open.
Ask at a visitor center for complete information.
Backcountry Camping
All backcountry campers need a free backcountry permit. They are available at most ranger stations and visitor centers. Anyone staying overnight in the backcountry must camp in a designated site or shelter. Over 100 sites and shelters are located in the park. Campers need reservations to stay in all 16 shelters and at 14 other sites. To reserve a site or shelter, call 423-436-1231. The reservation office is open seven days a week during business hours.
See the Backcountry Camping for details.
Biking
Bike riding is an increasingly popular method of touring the Cove. See Bicycles for more info.
Camping
Great Smoky Mountain camping is primitive by design. Ten campgrounds operate in the Park. Besides sites nestled in the woods and along rivers, all campgrounds provide cold running water and flush toilets. No hook-ups are available in the Park.
See the Camping Page for details.
Emergency Services
First aid is available in the Park. Numerous medical facilities, including clinics and hospitals, are near the Park. See Emergency Medical Services for more info.
Fees
Entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free. Due to deed restrictions imposed when the Park was established, there are no entrance fees.
Activity Fee - Front Country Camping -$12-20 a day. See the Camping Page for details.
Permits - Backcountry Camping Permit - are free but required for staying overnight in the backcountry. See Backcountry Info for details.
Fishing
Anglers 13 years and older (16 and older in North Carolina) need a valid Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license to fish in the Park. The Park does not sell licenses. Check with local chambers of commerce for purchase information. No trout stamp is needed. See Fishing Guide for details.
Food and Supplies
Limited food and supplies are available in the Park. There is a small campground store at Cades Cove. LeConte Lodge serves meals to overnight guests. Gateway communities around the Park provide food services and supplies. The Cades Cove Campground Store offers seasonal limited grocery, deli, and souvenir services as well as bicycle and helmet rentals. As the name implies, the store is located next to the campground at the entrance of Cades Cove.
Hiking
More than 850 miles of hiking trails traverse the Great Smoky Mountains. They range from easy to difficult and provide half hour walks to week-long backpacking trips. The Appalachian Trail runs for 70 miles along the park's top ridge. Pets are not allowed on any trails except for the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail. Backcountry camping requires a permit.
For more information, see the Hiking Page.
Horse Riding Information
See Horse Riding for more information.
Lodging
Le Conte Lodge (accessible by trail only) provides the only lodging in the park. Rooms often fill a year in advance. It is perched atop 6,593-foot Mt. Le Conte, the third highest peak in the park. It is opened from mid-March to mid-November. Reservations are required. write Le Conte Lodge, 250 Apple Valley Road, Sevierville, TN 37862. Also, ten campgrounds operate in the Park.
See the Lodging Page or Camping Page for more information.
Pet Info
Pets are not allowed on any trails except for the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail. In developed areas they must be on a leash at all times
Size
Acreage - as of September 23, 2000
Federal Land - 520,976.63
Non-Federal Land - 644.52
Gross Area Acres - 521,621.15
Visitor Centers
Click here for information on Visitor Centers.
Weather
Prepare for changing conditions. The Cades Cove annually receives about 55 inches annual precipitation. Much of this falls in winter and spring. Summer rains often come as afternoon thunderstorms. Snow can fall anytime between late December and early March. Annual snowfall averages 18 inches.
Spring
March has the most changeable weather; snow can fall on any other day, especially at the higher elevations. Backpackers are often caught off guard when a sunny day in the 70�'s F is followed by a wet, bitterly cold one. By mid-to-late April, the weather is milder.
Summer
By mid-June, heat, haze, and humidity are the norm. Most precipitation occurs as afternoon thundershowers.
Autumn
In mid-September, a pattern of warm, sunny days and crisp, clear nights often begins. However, cool, rainy days also occur. Dustings of snow may fall at the higher elevations in November.
Winter
Days during this fickle season can be sunny and 70� F or snowy with highs in the 20�s. In the low elevations, snows of one inch or more occur one to five times a year. At Newfound Gap, 69 inches fall on the average. Lows of -20� F are possible in the high country.
See the Weather Page for current conditions, forecasts and other weather data.
Weddings & Special Services Permits
Weddings and other special events require a permit and must follow specific guidelines. Requests for services in Cades Cove should be sent to:
Cades Cove District Ranger/ Attn: Permit Applications
10042 Campground Drive
Townsend TN 37882
Phone: 865-448-4108 or 865-436-1275
Fax: 865-448-4117.
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