Travel through Wears Valley to Townsend on a guided tour in a Pink Jeep. Explore Cades Cove, see historic structures, and learn about the pioneer life.

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Full description
Discover the idyllic valley of Cades Cove, the most visited area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on a guided tour. Spot wildlife such as black bears, white-tailed deer, coyotes, and wild turkey as you explore the valley in a heated Pink Jeep Wrangler.

Depart from Pigeon Forge and travel through Wears Valley to Townsend, known as the Peaceful Side of the Smokies. Ride in a custom-built Panorama Van with 360-degree views. Upon entering the picturesque valley of Cades Cove, step back in time amidst a backdrop of lush, rolling meadows and carefully restored 18th- and 19th-century structures.

Follow the gently winding Cades Cove Loop and learn about the area’s long, rich history from your local guide. Stop at several early structures, such as the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church, the Methodist Church, or the Missionary Baptist Church.

Halfway through the Loop, stop at the Cades Cove Visitor Center and historic Cable Mill area. The Visitor Center features exhibits showcasing Southern-mountain lifestyle, a gift shop, bookstore, and restrooms. The Cades Cove Historical Grist Mill, built in 1867 by John P. Cable, sits on its original site.

Several other historic buildings have been relocated here from elsewhere in the park. The water-powered grist mill and sawmill made Cable’s farm a focal point of the community. Lumber sawed at the Cable Mill built the first frame houses in the cove, while its grist mill ground grains into flour and meal.

Cove residents would gather round “waiting their turn” and pass along stories of the day. The mill’s overshot water wheel still makes its slow and steady turn, its original grinding stones in use 150 years after first being laid.

A final tour stop will be at a cabin homestead tucked into the serene edges of the cove. Learn about early construction methods, the ingenuity of cantilever barns, and the ways of daily life.
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Highlights
Discover the history of the Smoky Mountains on a guided tour in a Pink Jeep
See the first Cades Cove churches and early settlers’ cabins
Explore a water-powered grist mill that worked with nature instead of against it
Learn about the family clans who settled the Smokies and still live here
Experience the Smoky Mountains’ diverse ecosystems and Cades Cove wildlife
Ride in a custom-built Panorama Van with 360-degree views

Includes
Guided tour of Cades Cove
Transportation in a heated Pink Jeep® Wrangler
Stops at historic structures and scenic spots
Opportunity to see wildlife
Narration by a local guide
Visit to the Cades Cove Visitor Center and Cable Mill
Food and drinks
Gratuities (optional)

 

 

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