Cades Cove // Great Smoky Mountains NP
Car rental for Cades Cove
An 11-mile paved loop, wildlife everywhere, and 20 mph for an hour. The right car makes it the best version of itself.
Explore the current cars
Quick answer
These current cars are recommended for a scenic Smoky Mountains drive. Compare seating and transmission for your route. Choose Maryville pickup or contactless delivery at McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS). Review the pickup instructions for your confirmed booking before traveling.
Key facts
- Loop length
- 11 miles · one-way · fully paved
- Speed limit
- 20–35 mph
- From TYS
- ~80 min · 52 miles
- From Maryville
- ~35 min · 27 miles
- Best time of day
- Early morning (sunrise to 8am): least traffic, most wildlife
- Season
- Year-round; busiest June–October
- Current vehicles listed
- 6
- Pickup
- Maryville or TYS airport delivery
- Pricing
- Choose trip dates and times on a vehicle page
Best cars for this road
See full fleet →Compare prices for your dates
6 current options. Enter your trip times once, then choose a vehicle to check availability.
Earliest pickup: today at 2:30 PM ET.
Estimates include rental taxes. Optional extras and airport exit parking are separate. Your dates carry through to the vehicle page.
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF 30th Anniversary
2 seats · Manual · RWD · Convertible
View vehicle & pricing →
2014 Toyota FJ Cruiser Base
5 seats · Automatic · 4WD
View vehicle & pricing →
2013 Toyota FJ Cruiser Trail Teams
5 seats · Automatic · 4WD
View vehicle & pricing →
2014 Nissan NV Passenger SL
12 seats · Automatic · RWD
View vehicle & pricing →
2017 Nissan NV Passenger SL
12 seats · Automatic · RWD
View vehicle & pricing →
2016 Scion FR-S Release Series 2.0
4 seats · Manual · RWD
View vehicle & pricing →Ready to request a trip? You'll create an account, verify your email and phone, and provide your driver's license, a selfie and insurance details before submitting. A request is reviewed before your booking is confirmed.
Need help with seating, luggage or pickup? Ask us before you book.
What Cades Cove actually is
Cades Cove is a wide, flat valley in the western portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, surrounded by mountain ridges on all sides, with an 11-mile one-way loop road that circles the valley floor. It was a settler community before the park existed; the historic structures (cabins, barns, grist mills, churches) are preserved along the loop and are the main attraction alongside the wildlife.
Black bear, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and great blue heron are all common on the loop. Early morning is when the wildlife is most active and the tourist crowd is thinnest. The Cades Cove experience at 6am is entirely different from the experience at 11am.
Getting to Cades Cove from TYS
The Townsend entrance to the park is the fastest route from TYS and Maryville. US-321 from Maryville to Townsend takes about 30 minutes: mostly two-lane foothills road, relatively low traffic. At Townsend, enter the park on TN-73 and follow signs for Cades Cove (about 7 more miles on Laurel Creek Road).
Avoid the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge route if Cades Cove is the goal. It's longer and the tourist-strip traffic adds significant time. The Townsend route is the local route and it's meaningfully quieter.
Drive times from our pickup points
| From | To | Minutes | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) | Cades Cove loop entrance | 80 | 52 |
| Maryville, TN | Cades Cove loop entrance | 35 | 27 |
| Deals Gap (Tail of the Dragon) | Cades Cove loop entrance | 45 | 30 |
| Downtown Knoxville | Cades Cove loop entrance | 85 | 60 |
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Cades Cove loop take?
Plan 2–3 hours minimum if wildlife is active. The wildlife jams, where 20 cars stop because a bear is next to the road, can add 30+ minutes. Early morning laps take less time because traffic is thinner, though wildlife sightings are frequent and you'll want to stop.
Is there a reservation required for Cades Cove?
No timed-entry reservation is required. The only access restriction is that the Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles (cyclists and pedestrians only) all day every Wednesday from early May through late September. On all other days the loop is open sunrise to sunset; arrive before 9am for the lightest traffic. A Park It Forward parking tag is required to park more than 15 minutes.
Is Cades Cove open year-round?
The loop is open year-round but is closed to motor vehicles all day every Wednesday from early May through late September. Those days are bicycle- and pedestrian-only. Plan around this if you're visiting on a Wednesday in those months.
How far is Cades Cove from the Dragon?
About 45 minutes from the Deals Gap end of the Dragon to the Cades Cove loop entrance. Many guests do both in a single day: Dragon in the morning, Cades Cove in the late afternoon for the best light.
How do I see pricing and request a booking?
Open a vehicle and select your trip start and end dates and times to see pricing. A listed vehicle is not a guarantee of availability for your dates. Continue from the vehicle page to submit a booking request.
Where do I collect the car?
Choose Maryville pickup or contactless delivery at McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS). Review the pickup instructions for your confirmed booking before traveling. Airport delivery has no separate delivery charge. Customer responsible for airport parking fee upon exit, typically no more than $13
Related
Related
Smoky Mountains
The broader Smokies umbrella: Cades Cove plus Newfound Gap, Clingmans Dome, and the Foothills Parkway.
Related
Rugged SUV rentals
Read the guide and compare current rental options for your trip.
Related
Tail of the Dragon
45 minutes from Cades Cove. Many guests do both in a single day: Dragon in the morning, Cades Cove at dusk.
Related
Drive865 on Turo: Cades Cove
Compare booking channels and check current listings for this destination.
Current scenic-road choices