For visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove is an immediate draw. The famous loop road draws millions of visitors each year. However, there is a quieter and less well known spot on the other side of the park. Cataloochee Valley stands in the northern end of the park on the North Carolina side of the mountains. Both of these locations offer scenic beauty, historical buildings, and wildlife viewing unrivaled elsewhere in the national park. Cataloochee and Cades Cove are both wonderful locations in the national park. So that begs the question, Cataloochee vs Cades Cove: which one should you choose?
Overview of Cataloochee, North Carolina
The area known as Cataloochee has been inhabited for centuries, first by the native Cherokee and then later by white settlers to the area. The rugged nature of the valleys and surrounding mountains meant that even those who came to call it home were always few in number. The first permanent settlers, the Caldwell’s, moved into the area in the early 1830s. The fertile valley and pastures made for a good life, though it was by no means easy.
The movement to bring a national park to the Smokies faced a large amount of opposition in Cataloochee. While the park still arrived, residents were allowed to continue living in their homes if they choose, but most eventually moved away. Thanks to those that remained however, many of the historical buildings in Cataloochee are well preserved. These buildings retain a more modern appearance since many were built in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Local opposition to paving the roads into the valley also means it retains a more rugged character than some other areas of the park.
Today, Cataloochee remains a quieter portion of the massively popular Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The numerous historical homes, churches, and cemeteries encourage visitors to step back to a simpler time. Additionally, a herd of elk were reintroduced to Cataloochee in the early 2000s. If you arrive early enough in the day, you might be lucky enough the see them grazing the wide open fields. On our visit a couple years ago we had a fairly close encounter with a group, including a couple young bucks! It can be an exhilarating experience, but always make sure you’re not in their way and you maintain the necessary distance.
Cataloohee’s location on the North Carolina side of the mountains does mean it gets less attention than some other portions of the park. However, my visit convinced me that it is well worth the effort of reaching or even worth staying in NC to make your trip even shorter.
Overview of Cades Cove, Tennessee
Of the two, Cades Cove is far better known than Cataloochee. Not only is Cades Cove preserved as part of the national park, it also has a designation as a historic district. The relative lack of isolation at Cades Cove makes it the most popular destination in the parks. It also demonstrates that the early settlers here weren’t nearly as isolated as we like to believe they were.
The first permanent European pioneers to make their homes in Cades Cove came in 1818. The valley quickly grew in popularity, with a community of over 600 living there after just two decades. The community would eventually feature a number of “modern” amenities, including a dedicated post office in 1839, road access in the 1850s, and even a telephone line before the turn of the century. The people who lived here were well connected to the outside world, for good and ill.
Over time, the more naturally forested state of Cades Cove gave way to the meadow you see today. That is “thanks” to the level of exploitation the land suffered, especially at the hands of loggers. This was a fate that many places in the mountains suffered and drove much of the desire to preserve the lands for future generations. The creation of the park, however, was heavily resisted by the residents of Cades Cove Tennessee. Despite their best efforts, they all eventually were removed or left their homes. Interestingly, the congregation from the Baptist Church continued to meet well into the 60s in open defiance to the park service.
Visitors today will be able to enjoy a leisurely drive around the meadows. Animals abound, often causing traffic jams, but being a huge draw for visitors. Many of the buildings from the earliest days of the settlement remain preserved, providing a deep look into the settler lifestyle. Cades Cove is also home to one of the three visitor centers which serve the park. This can provide a nice stopping point on your drive around the Cades Cove loop.
Cataloochee vs Cades Cove: Head to Head Comparison
For this head to head comparison of Cataloochee vs Cades Cove, I’m going to examine both of these locations through a few categories. The categories I picked are based on a variety of factors that would influence your decision to visit including: Ease of Access, Historical Value, Popularity (Crowdedness), Natural Value, and Activities. These will help you make a more thorough decision when comparing the two together.
Ease of Access
If Cataloochee vs Cades Cove just came down to this category, then Cades Cove would win in a landslide. However, that shouldn’t discourage you from counting it as part of your decision about where to visit.
Cades Cove takes the easy win here for a number of reasons. The first being you can easily drive your car, truck, motorcycle, or ride your bike to the start. The roads in are all fully paved and accessible for almost any vehicle. The drive itself is a gorgeous winding road through the hardwood forest. Visitors who are staying in Townsend are only 20 minutes away, while the buzzing tourist town of Gatlinburg is 50 minutes away.
Comparing this to Cataloochee North Carolina, and you can quickly see why Cades Cove wins this round. Cataloochee is over 90 minutes from Gatlinburg and more than an hour from Cherokee. The road leading in also becomes a narrow 1.5 lane gravel road. Once you hit the gravel, the windiest bits begin, making for tight drive in. A truck that’s too big or car too small could have problems making it in.
Winner: Cades Cove
Historical Value
Both Cataloochee and Cades Cove have a number of very old and historical buildings. After all, both sites had been settled for decades before the federal government came knocking to make the park, and it’s been a long time since then.
I think that the edge in this one is to Cades Cove. It was settled earlier, and therefore it has the older structures. Cades Cove also has a larger number of preserved structures, owing to it being a larger settlement. This can help with some of the crowding that Cades Cove suffers from, but also does contribute to it as well. Additionally, there are historical demonstrations on a regular basis near the Cades Cove visitor center, giving this area something that Cataloochee lacks.
Cataloochee has plenty of historical value as well. Much of that comes from it’s slightly newer buildings (many from the early 1900s), which feel more “modern” in comparison to Cades Cove. This gives Cataloochee a different feeling as well, a place that’s easier to imagine living in for visitors in the present day and age. As far as feeling historical, when comparing Cataloochee vs Cades Cove, the roads are all gravel. As you travel through Cataloochee, this can make you feel as though you’re stepping further back in time.
Winner: Cades Cove
Popularity (and Crowdedness)
This category has two ways of answering the question of Cades Cove vs Cataloochee. Just because a location is popular and gets a lot of visitors, doesn’t necessarily make that the best place to visit.
Cataloochee gets the edge in this category. It is undoubtedly less popular than Cades Cove, but that is for the best. Since it is more difficult to access (see above) and lacks the same depth of history (see above), less people are drawn to it. That means you’re far more likely to have it all to yourself. In fact, when we made our visit there were more elk around us than other people!
Cades Cove is so popular and crowded on some days that there are literal traffic jams on the loop road. The National Park Service advises up to four hours to complete the loop, more if you want to get out of the car at any point. I don’t know about you, but my idea of reconnecting with nature doesn’t involve sitting in a traffic jam. Unlike Cataloochee, we saw about 10x the cars and people than we did animals of any kind.
Winner: Cataloochee
Natural Value
This may very well be the toughest decision when comparing Cataloochee vs Cades Cove. Both locations are beautiful in their own ways. Beauty is also said to be in the “eye of the beholder”, so this assessment is also probably the most subjective of all of them.
Cataloochee is certainly a more rugged location. The mountains press closer to the valley, looming over you while walking through the lowlands or along the creeks. They provide a more intimate backdrop for the buildings. My own experience also shows that the wildlife are more apt to venture forth, making their presence known to you. There is a simplicity to the beauty at Cataloochee.
Cades Cove counters this with it’s wide open valley. Views of the mountains are in the distance, there for you to appreciate but not overwhelming. However, Cades Cove also feels more built up; in a way it feels like the tourist attraction of the park. The area is still amazingly beautiful, but its also often through your windshield or with cars and people featured as well.
Winner: Cataloochee
Activities
As I thought about how to decide the question of Cataloochee vs Cades Cove for this category, I think it revolved around two aspects. The first was the sheer number of things one could do at either place. The second was how much time a visitor would (or should) realistically spend at Cataloochee vs Cades Cove.
There is no denying that Cataloochee is smaller than Cades Cove. This naturally leads to fewer things to do and fewer places to see when visiting. Much of what you can see is accessible from the main road through the valley and is related to the historic buildings. There are some trails which lead away from the area, but ultimately you’ll find yourself back at the start and driving out the way you came in. If you’re wanting to stay overnight, Cataloochee does have a small campground with 27 sites with no hookups, showers, or electric.
Cades Cove by comparison has a number of activities both inside the cove and that stretch away from it as well. The biggest draw is the loop road, which can become a loop traffic jam on the busiest days or with wildlife sightings. It features some of the most popular trails in the entire park as well, including Abrams Falls. One of the more unique parts of visiting Cades Cove could be driving the loop road, but exiting down Rich Mountain Road or Forge Creek Road for a more isolated driving experience. Cades Cove also has a much larger (and more popular) campground. Ultimately, you’ll get more out of your day in Cades Cove with the time you’ve got.
Winner: Cades Cove
My Final Verdict on Cataloochee vs Cades Cove
So the final verdict on Cataloochee vs Cades Cove is a split decision 3-2 in favor of Cades Cove. There really is a reason why it’s one of the most popular areas inside one of America’s most popular national parks. However, that just doesn’t seem to fit with my gut feeling. Objectively, Cades Cove is the winner. Subjectively, I found my own day at Cataloochee to be more enjoyable. I think that’s the difficult thing when doing comparisons of Cataloochee and Cades Cove. Each visit can be different, and will offer unique experiences for each person. No matter which of these wonderful places you choose to visit, your time in them will certainly be rewarding.
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