Explore Cades Cove vehicle free Cyclists pedal past full roadside parking areas. NPS photo
Vehicle-free Wednesdays at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park begin this week, giving cyclists and pedestrians the chance to enjoy this popular area without battling cars and motorcycles.
No motorized vehicles will be allowed on Cades Cove Loop Road on Wednesdays through Sept. 1, and non-motorized users are encouraged to spread out use throughout the day by planning afternoon and early evening visits. Limited on-site parking often fills to capacity during the early morning hours.
This summer, the park expects to launch new tools to avoid these parking issues. Tools will include information systems that allow visitors to find out if parking lots are full before entering the park and shuttles to bring people from Townsend to Cades Cove.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is inviting the public to enjoy the Cades Cove Loop Road on vehicle-free Wednesdays beginning May 5 through Sept. 1. Participants are encouraged to visit in the afternoons and early evenings to spread use out throughout the day. Parking on site is limited, with parking lots often filling to capacity during the early morning hours.
“We look forward to offering this unique experience again, but we are making some modifications to better protect our roadside infrastructure and camping experience from out-of-bounds parking,” said Superintendent Cash. “I heard from many people who loved having the full day to walk or ride their bikes around the cove. The credit for the idea goes to the local field staff who brought the concept forward in an effort to allow people more time to enjoy the loop road and to reduce congestion.”
Cades Cove Loop Road to close for 3 weeks in September due to preventive pavement treatment
The one-way road will be closed to all motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and horseback riders from September 7 through September 27. Author: Dalisa Robles (WBIR) Updated: 2:48 PM EST February 9, 2021
TENNESSEE, USA Cades Cove Loop Road will be fully closed for three weeks in September to resurface the roadway and roadwork along Forge Creek Road has been extended through July 31, according to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The one-way road will be closed to all motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and horseback riders from September 7 through September 27. The road was fully reconstructed and resurfaced in 2010.