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Smoky Mountain Day Trip Idea #1: Little River Rd, Cades Cove, & Townsend

Smoky Moutain Day Trip Plan #1

In this new series, we’ll provide ideas and plans for a family-friendly partial or full day of activities.

Our first idea is one of our favorites, as it includes some of the best scenery while still having some fun things to do.

It’s a pretty full day, and the time will vary based on the traffic in Cades Cove.

Google Maps route of day trip. There are alternate routes back from Townsend to Gatlinburg to avoid driving through Pigeon Forge.

The basic driving time is around 2 1/2 to 3 hours, including driving through Cades Cove

These guides are based on starting in Gatlinburg but work from any other nearby town like Pigeon Forge.

Gatlinburg to Cades Cove

screenshot of map of little river rd
Map of Little River Rd

Heading south from Gatlinburg, you’ll turn right a few miles south of town at the Sugarlands Visitor Center for a scenic drive along Little River Gorge Rd.

gatlinburg overlook
Overlook near Gatlinburg. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

Before it turns into a riverside road, there are a couple of scenic overlooks where you can stop and get a distant view back towards Gatlinburg.

little river during spring
Little River. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

Little River Gorge Road turns into a scenic winding road alongside the Little River.

It’s a slow-paced drive with plenty of places to pull over and take pictures, or even get into the river.

rocky overlook along little river d
Rocky overlook that looks like a face along Little River Road. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

This waterfall (The Sinks) is easily accessible from the road and makes a great stop.

the sinks waterfall
The Sinks waterfall. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

Little River Road ends at the Townsend Wye (where two river branches join).

little river, water flowing past rocks
Little River. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

You’ll keep going straight to Cades Cove here, but you can also turn right to one of our favorite towns: Townsend.

Townsend Wye river splitting into two
Townsend Wye where the river splits. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

Cades Cove

cades cove view of gravel road
Cades Cove. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

Cades Cove is an 11-mile loop and offers one of the best scenic drives that combines natural beauty, wildlife encounters, and historical landmarks.

It’s one of the most well-known and popular things to see in the national park. Once you get there, plan to spend 2-3 hours or more, depending on how many stops you make.

“Bear jams” happen when traffic comes to a standstill as bears appear. On our last mid-morning May visit, we saw 14 of them.

There are some great places to stop and explore the older buildings.

cades cove deer
Deer at Cades Cove. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

It’s a great place to spot black bears, turkeys, and deer.

Townsend

road through townsend
View of the road through Townsend. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

After leaving Cades Cove, stop for lunch in Townsend at the Peaceful Side Social, which is a great quick stop with both indoor and outdoor seating.

peaceful side social
Lunch at Peaceful Side Social. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

After lunch head over to Smoky Mountain River Rat, where you can rent tubes for the whole family.

little river in townsend
Little River in Townsend. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

It’s one of our favorite things in Townsend, and we’ve been doing it for years.

If you don’t feel like tubing, there are other fun things to do in Townsend, which you can read more about here.

wears valley view of fields and mountains
Wears Valley. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

After Townsend, there’s a few different ways to get back to Gatlinburg, most of which will take you through Wears Valley.

wears valley
Wears Valley. Photo by Ashley @ TheSmokyMountains.com

This small town is mostly known for a collection of small shops like Mountain Brothers General Store, some local restaurants, and crafts shops.

Conclusion

This day trip combines some of the best scenery in the Smoky Mountains with a fun afternoon on the river, and makes for a great summer day!

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