Hi there!
Cades Cove Campground is a camping spot in the Smoky Mountains near scenic roads, hiking trails, waterfalls, and more!
Most people who visit Cades Cove will make a trip to Cades Cove as a day trip.
But if you want to take things more slowly, you may consider staying at Cades Cove Campground!
I went camping in Cades Cove, and here’s what you need to know, along with a bunch of my pictures!
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1. The Cades Cove Campground is located in the northwest area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Explore the map.
2. Cades Cove is one of the most popular areas of the national park.
And the main reason to go to the northwest area of the park is specifically for Cades Cove.
3. You’ll drive along a creek to get to the campground.
With one main road that goes to Cades Cove, you’ll be driving along Laurel Creek to get to Cades Cove.
Depending on where you’re coming from, you may also drive along Little River Road, like if you’re driving the scenic route from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove.
4. The campground is just minutes away from the start of the popular Cades Cove Loop Road.
The Cades Cove Loop Road is what makes Cades Cove popular. This is an 11-mile one way one lane road. This makes it a slow-going road as cars drive slowly slowly (and stop) around the loop to take in the scenery… and possibly some animals!
It’s not unusual to see bears when driving the Cades Cove Loop Road.
You can also make a stop to hike to the popular Cades Cove waterfalls along the way.
Aside from the nature and wildlife, it’s also a way to learn about the historical aspect of the Smoky Mountains. You can visit a historic Cades Cove cabin or 2, an old church or 2, and even a historic mill.
While most people drive the loop road, there are also tons of people who bike the Cades Cove loop road.
In 2020, there were car-free days (Wednesday), and the car-free days are the best days to bike around the Cades Cove Loop Road. You can bring your own bike, or there’s bike rental available near the campground. Although the bikes are in high demand especially the car-free mornings (aka bikes may not be available).
And, you can also park at the start of the Cades Cove Loop Road to go for an out-and-back walk. Or go a bit further and cut across Sparks Lane or Hyatt Lane to make a shorter loop around Cades Cove instead of the full loop road.
And so…
5. If you stay at the Cades Cove Campground, you can drive Cades Cove one day, bike it one day, and walk it one day!
They can all provide a different kind of experience!
6. If you stay at the Cades Cove Campground, you can catch the morning fog in Cades Cove and catch the sunset over the valley in Cades Cove!
Sure, you can see this as a day trip too if you stay in Cades Cove all day from dawn to dusk. But camping in Cades Cove gives you more opportunities!
7. If you stay at the Cades Cove Campground, you can start your day with a morning run or ride in Cades Cove every day, or end your day with an evening run or ride in Cades Cove every day!
8. The campground is for tent camping and RV camping.
And other types of camping!
9. The tent campsites come with a tent pad.
This will be flat gravel ground to set up your tent.
10. Cades Cove Campground is a mostly “rustic” campground.
11. There is no electricity at the campground.
The campsites of Cades Cove Campground are “non-electric” and there is no electricity at these campsites.
12. There are no showers at the campground.
There are no showers at Cades Cove Campground, or at any other campgrounds in the national park.
⛰🐻
13. There are regular bathrooms at the campground.
There are regular toilets at the campground, along with regular sinks, although there is no hot water. Cold water only.
14. There are faucets around the campground for drinking water.
15. There’s a dishwashing sink for campers.
It looks like a toilet, but it’s the “sink” to wash dishes in.
16. There is an RV dump station.
17. You can get ice and firewood from the Cades Cove campground store.
There is a Cades Cove campground store that sells ice and firewood, among other things. This is located near the campground office. You’ll see it when you check in.
Because of invasive species that could come with wood brought from elsewhere, it’s always best to buy your firewood locally.
Read about the firewood specifications for camping in the Smoky Mountains.
18. There are bears in Cades Cove.
Cades Cove is “bear habitat.”
About those bears. As mentioned, it is not unusual to see bears while driving the Cades Cove Loop Road.
It’s said that a fed bear is a dead bear. This means that once bears start to see humans as a source of food, they can become a threat to humans, and that means a potential threat to you!
Currently, bears in the Smoky Mountains are generally not seen as a threat to people. But it takes everyone, including all campers, to keep it like that and to keep everyone safe, while you’re camping, and to keep the campers that come after you safe!
When you check in, you’ll be given a copy of things to help keep bears away so be sure to read that.
Among the things that are noted are to be sure to take care to pick up after yourself after you eat. You want to avoid leaving food in your tent, and be sure to store all food in your car. This also means it would be better if you didn’t eat inside your tent at all.
Another thing is to also try not to keep scented items inside your tent. Scented items can even include things like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and sunscreen.
Before you go camping, you can read up on bears in the Smoky Mountains.
19. There’s a “bear-proof” garbage dumpster for campers.
You will see bear-proof dumpsters and trash cans in the Cades Cove area, and all over the park.
20. There’s the Cades Cove picnic area near the campground
There’s a picnic area located in the Cades Cove area. After you finishing up Cades Cove Loop Road, you can eat your picnic lunch at the Cades Cove picnic area if you want a change in scenery from eating at your campsite!
And finally…
21. What to do as a day trip (or half day trip) from Cades Cove Campground
Well, you can make many trips to explore Cades Cove Loop Road!
But aside from that, how far are other things from Cades Cove?
- Trail to Laurel Falls – 40 minute drive
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail – 1 hour drive
- Scenic drive to Gatlinburg – 1 hour drive
- Trail to Alum Cave Bluffs – 1 to 1.5 hour drive
- Trail to Clingman’s Dome summit – Probably close to 2 hours drive
- Mingus Mill – Probably close to 2 hours drive
For more activities, see the best of the Smoky Mountains.
Read the reviews of the Cades Cove campground.
How to make camping reservations at Cades Cove Campground
The official website for making a Great Smoky Mountains National Park camping reservation through the National Park Service NPS is recreation.gov.
You can type in Cades Cove Campground for the search, and then go from there.
You’ll be able to find an updated campground map too.
You can also see the individual campsites that are available. If you click on an individual campsite, it will also give you the basics of the campsite. If you have flexible dates, you can also search the availability by date. This can also help you determine if you should book soon or not, based on the availability of the campsites. You can also see how close a campsite is to the nearest bathroom.
There are also Cades Cove Campground reviews you can read on the camping reservation website.
Cades Cove Campground map
Cost of camping at Cades Cove campground
The cost of camping at Cades Cove campground is around $25 per night. See here for updated camping fees.
There is NO entry fee for Great Smoky Mountains National Park! This is kind of unusual for a national park.
Checking in to your campsite
Then, once you arrive in the Cades Cove area, you’ll stop by the campground office to check in and get your camping permit!
Then off you go to find your campsite!
And that’s a bit about camping at Cades Cove campground!
See more about great things in Cades Cove TN:
Also see about driving the scenic route from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove (or driving the opposite way).
And for more camping in the Smoky Mountains, also see:
- Things to do near Elkmont Campground
- Things to do near Smokemont Campground
- Things to do near Cosby Campground
HAPPY CAMPING IN CADES COVE!
Here are more ideas for a few days in the Smoky Mountains!
More of the best things that the Smoky Mountains is known for is hiking!If you're looking for just one solid day hike in the Smoky Mountains, there's the Mount LeConte hike. Most often this is done as a day hike, but you can also stay overnight near the Mount LeConte summit! There is the LeConte Lodge, which claims to be the highest guest lodge in the eastern part of the United States! (It does book up!)
There are also lots more hikes that come with mountain views. See more about some of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains.
There are also a lot of hikes to waterfalls. See more about the best waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains.
You can also go camping in the mountains. See more about the best campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. (No showers in the national park, though!)
Cost to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There is no national park entry fee for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but as of 2023, there is a parking fee.You'll need a parking pass when you go to the Smoky Mountains.
You can wait until you arrive to buy the parking pass, or you can buy it online before you go at recreation.gov.
Depending on how many days you will be in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the cost of parking will be $5 or $15 per vehicle.
Plan out your time in the Smoky Mountains!
Some of the best known things in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove, and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail!For Clingmans Dome, you can get great views from the parking lot, or you can hike up to the highest point in the Smoky Mountains! (No matter what, you do need weather on your side, though! For me, 3rd time was the charm at Clingmans Dome!) See more about Clingmans Dome.
For Cades Cove, it's all about the slow-going Cades Cove Loop Road! You can drive it, bike it, or walk it! You can make stops to walk inside historic cabins, see a historic mill, and even do a waterfall hike! See more about Cades Cove.
The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is also a slow-going road that you drive and make stops along the way, including quiet stops along a creek or waterfalls hikes. See more about the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.