Cades Cove Visitor Center

Cades Cove Visitor Center is a National Park Service information facility in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that provides maps, exhibits, and educational materials about the valley and its history. The location gives access to an 11-mile loop road with well-preserved historic buildings including log cabins, churches, and a working gristmill.

The land was originally used by Cherokee Indians as hunting territory before European settlers established their first permanent homes between 1818 and 1821 in the mountain-surrounded valley. This early settlement shaped the mountain culture and left behind the historic structures that remain today.

The center displays how early settlers lived in the Appalachian region, with exhibits about farming methods, religious practices, and daily routines of the mountain community. Visitors can learn about the traditional crafts and ways of life through photographs and objects from that era.

The best time to explore is in early morning or late afternoon when fewer people are around. Keep in mind the loop road closes to vehicles every Wednesday from May through September, which then opens the route for walkers and cyclists.

The center serves as an official stamping location for National Parks Passport collectors, allowing visitors to record their park visits. Some of the historic buildings along the loop date back to the early 1800s and have been fully preserved in place without relocation.