my grandchildren loved the exhibits and it helped them understand and identify things as we toured & hiked. Wonderful experience!
Lovely little Center with wonderful staff offering some local jams, jellies, books and yes, clean bathrooms.... It can take a very long time to reach this center due to traffic backups but it is a lovely little village with homes, a barn, a working Grist Mill and it gives you a chance to step back into time. There are meadows and trails to hike so it is well worth the visit. Be sure to have a full tank of gas, use the restroom and pack some food and water as there is nothing on the loop except spectacular scenery, an occasional historic building and hopefully wild life sitings. And please, don't lock your keys in the car which is what happened, on a previous visit, when my youngest son decided he needed something in our car - it takes a very long time to get roadside assistance :-)
Great stop before going into Cades Cove. Very informative and full of great history that is a must do so that you understand what you are looking at in the Cove. FYI: Fill up with gas and get some snacks before going into the Cove. There are no gas stations and you could get backed up in traffic. Allow 2 to 4 hours due to traffic and stops.
This trip will take most of your day. It is a nine mile loop through Cades Coves with various stops on your motor tour. Lots of photo ops of the beautiful Smokey Mountains. The visitor center has displays and demonstrations and there is a working mill and gift shop. It takes around 3 or 4 hours to get through the loop if you make the stops along the way. Many log cabins, churches, and other places to explore. You might see a bear if your lucky!
We stop at the Visitors Center whenever we are in the park. The center is clean, the people are very nice, and the information we have received has been very useful.
This is a nice break in the middle of the loop. Old mill. Cabins. Sometimes molasses making. There is a bathroom and small store.
The Visitor Center is a treasure trove of information, helpful hints, clean restrooms, pleasant personnel and even local honey, jellies, jams, books and toys. Gotta stop here before entering the National Park.
I talked to a staff member there for a while and she told me much about the area I didn't know. The Townsend area. Nice place to support the Park. Bathrooms are next door. You can purchase stone ground corn meal, ground there next door. Very nice.
We saw 7 bears this trip. They were everywhere. It seemed as if they were bulking up for the wintertime.
After taking the loop road to see the beautiful scenery of Cades Cove take time to visit the Visitors Center. After this trip stop by and visit the little market and enjoy some delicious ice cream. You can rent bicycles to travel thru the Cove and you can also take horseback rides. There is also an area for picnics that have grills, tables, restroom facilities, and is very, very clean. Spend the entire day in Cades Cove.