Cades Cove Heritage Tour

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has over 11 million visitors per year, making it the most visited national park in the country. Out of those 11 million, over 2 million visitors a year visit Cades Cove . Cades Cove is the most popular attraction in all the park. There are many reasons for that, and Cades Cove Heritage Tours would like to tell you about a few of those in this week’s blog. Black Bears What does every visitor to the Smokies want to catch a glimpse of? Black bears of course! Cades Cove is one of the best places in all the park to see a bear. Why is that? The cove is home to mass amounts of food sources for black bears, like acorns, blackberry, blueberry, and huckleberry bushes. Cades Cove has acres of open fields and meadows which give you a chance to see a bear on the move, and these open areas allow you to see into the wooded areas. History The first settlers came to Cades Cove in the 1820s. They started building homes and by 1850 there were as many as ...

It sure is hard to imagine that summer’s end is coming soon. Where did the time go? The autumn season will soon be upon us, so it is time to plan your fall getaway to the Smokies ! No matter the season, the Smoky Mountains are beautiful but there is something about the fall that sure is special. In this week’s blog, Cades Cove Heritage Tours will cover a few reasons why the Smoky Mountains are the place to be this fall. Cool Temperatures Summertime sure does bring the crowds to the Smokies, but with summer comes the temps. Visiting in the fall is a great time to take advantage of the cooler weather. You will be able to get out and enjoy a hike or bike ride through the mountains without worrying about the heat. The temperatures start to dip in late September and by November you may need a jacket. Fall Colors Fall is a beautiful season! Along with the cooler temperatures in late September and early October, the foliage starts to turn some amazing colors. The mountains will sta...

The Smoky Mountains are full of amazing wildlife! People from all over the country come to Cades Cove to catch a glimpse of these animals. Here at Cades Cove Heritage Tours , the black bear is the most popular and people are always asking questions about them. In this week’s blog, we will tell you all you need to know about the Smoky Mountain black bear . All About Black Bears Black bears are the most common bear in North America. Typically, black bears live in forests, but can also be found in mountains and swampy areas. They are excellent tree climbers. Despite being called black, black bears can also be blueish, brown, and cinnamon-colored in other parts of the country. The black bears in the Smokey Mountains are all black in color and will range from 100 pounds to 600 pounds. The bears can be up to six feet long and stand up to three feet tall from the ground to shoulder. Black bears tend to be solitary animals and like to roam large areas. Most of their diet consists of ...

Cades Cove features several historic buildings, including three churches, log homes, a working grist mill, and other restored structures. In this week’s blog, Cades Cove Heritage Tours would like to tell you all about the historic structures you will see along our public and private tours. Grab the family, grab your camera, and let’s go for a ride! John Oliver Cabin The first historic structure you will see along the tour is the John Oliver Cabin. This cabin is named after one of the first pioneers to settle in Cades Cove. The home has no nails or pegs, the notched corners use gravity to hold it together. The John Oliver Cabin stayed in the Oliver family for over 100 years before the National Park Service eventually took it over. Churches You will enjoy the site of three church buildings along the route. First is the Primitive Baptist Church, then the Methodist Church and lastly the Missionary Baptist Church. These structures are very intriguing and hold lots of history. ...

The Great Smoky Mountains are among the oldest in the world and millions of visitors come through the park every year. There is so much history here in the Smokies, and Cades Cove Heritage Tours would like to share some fun facts. If you are planning a trip to the Smokies, your family and friends will love hearing all these while you are traveling. You will look like a genius and we won’t tell anyone any different! 1. The park was established in 1934. 2. The park covers parts of Tennessee and North Carolina. 3. Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially dedicated the park in 1940. 4. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. made a gift of $5 Million to the effort. 5. The acquisition of lands for the park totaled over $12 Million. 6. The Great Smoky Mountain National Park was the first National Park to be partially federally funded. 7. The first settler in the Smokies was a woman. 8. There are over 2,000 miles of waterways inside the park. 9. 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail runs through the ...