Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Day One - Cades Cove

We left the Sleep Inn about 9:30 and headed to the Sugarlands Visitor Center. We watched a 20 minute film on the Smokies, purchased some gifts and a t-shirt in the gift shop, and got some advice from a Park Ranger.

We then got back in the car for a drive to Cades Cove via Little River Road and Laurel Creek Road. The scenery was breathtaking as we drove through old forest growth and alongside a roaring creek. We spied a waterfall in the mountains. 

At Cades Cove, we drove the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road and visited original cabins and buildings along the way, like the John Oliver cabin. Cades Cove is a lush valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Smokies. We even got caught in a traffic jam on the one way loop road.

After a leisurely lunch at the visitor center, we headed back to Gatlinburg for one more auto tour and then a little rest and relaxation.