Nestled in the northwest corner of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove is a photographer’s playground. Within its 6,800 acre valley, the Cove is filled with an amazing array of photography subjects including lush valleys, wildlife, historic buildings, waterfalls, rolling hillsides, and scenic roads.
Even with all these wonderful subjects, Cades Cove can be challenging to photograph. Why? Unlike other popular photography destinations, Cades Cove does not have clearly defined iconic landmarks. Photographers can’t follow the tripod holes like one can in places like the Tetons.
Essentially, photographers need to get to know Cades Cove a bit to capture it. Therefore I have created the following 5 tips for photographing Cades Cove to help you photograph this amazing Smoky Mountain valley.
My 5 tips include an overview of some of the Cove’s best photography spots for landscapes and wildlife. I also include recommendations for camera gear, best places and times to see wildlife, and the best seasons for photographing Cades Cove.
First, let’s spend a few minutes getting to know Cades Cove from a photographer’s perspective.
Using the links in the table of contents below with take you directly to a section without having to read through this entire post.
WHERE IS CADES COVE?
Let’s begin by looking at where Cades Cove is in the Smoky Mountains.
Cades Cove is in a remote valley on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park about 16 miles from Townsend, Tennessee. Don’t let its remote location fool you: Cades Cove is also one of the most popular and crowded destination in the Great Smoky Mountains.
ABOUT CADES COVE
Today Cades Cove is a major tourist destination in the Great Smoky Mountains for people in search of seeing wildlife, especially bears, hiking the Abrams Waterfall Trail, and visiting historic Appalachian structures.
Many years ago, however, Cades Cove was not a national park but instead a place to live off the land. Thankfully, remnants of this Appalachian life still exist in the Cove providing photographers with unique opportunities to capture images of historic homesteads and churches.
Driving Cades Cove
Cades Cove Loop Road, an 11 mile scenic one -way road, is the main road through the Cove and passes by many wonderful landscapes, wildlife areas and historic buildings. Along with this scenic one-way loop road, the park has 2 bi-directional roads that intersect the loop drive; Sparks Lane and Hyatt Lane. Lastly, Rich Mountain Road is a one way narrow gravel road from Cades Cove to Townsend, Tennessee.
The speed limit on most of these roads is 20 mph but expect to travel much slower, and at times, maybe only 2 mph so plan on at least a 2.5 hour drive, probably longer.
Map of Cades Cove
Here is a link to a map that shows all the major sites and roads in Cades Cove: Cades Cove Map. Please refer back to this map often as you read through my tips below. You will notice that I did not list every site on this map on my above places to photograph but that does not mean you should not photograph them if you have the time.
1. CADES COVE TOP PHOTO TIPS- Know the BEST PHOTO SPOTS
My first tip for photographing Cades Cove is to know where the best scenic photo locations are in the park. This includes places for photographing historic structures, scenic roads, beautiful meadows and more.
So let me acquaint you with just a few of my favorite photo locations.
First Couple Miles of the Loop Road
Entering Cades Cove Loop Road at sunrise one will find horses grazing in an open field to your left with distance hills shrouded in lingering fog. If you so desire, stop here to capture the horses.
Driving just past the horses, you will enter sections of the road that are quite photogenic such as this section below.
At times there will be places to pull over and sometimes you just have to take an iPhone shot like I did in this road image.
Letting you in on a secret, I consider the first two miles of the Cades Cove Loop Road to have some of the best unique landscapes of the entire 11 mile drive. In these first 2 miles you will find photo subjects like the tree below.
Of course that does not include Sparks Lane or Hyatt Lane.
Besides these first two miles, the following two side roads keep adding to the photography opportunities.
Spark’s Lane
My next photo spot is Sparks Lane which is at the 1 mile mark on the Loop Road. Here you will find one of Cades Cove top photo destinations as seen below.
Early Morning
By the way, this section of Spark’s Lane is one of most popular landscape locations in the park and is best photographed in the early morning light.
Be aware that shortly after turning onto Spark’s Lane you will need to drive through a stream that is almost always passable for most cars. However, during periods of high water, Spark’s Lane may become impassible. Please use caution if the water levels are high.
After capturing images of this tree lined road, drive to the end of the road, turn around and backtrack to the Cade Cove Loop Road. However, before leaving Sparks Lane, park in the lot by the stream and photograph the stream itself along with other Spark’s Lane nearby landscapes.
Late Afternoon
Although Spark’s Lane is known as a morning photo spot, don’t overlook the opportunity to also photograph Spark’s Lane from the back part of the scenic loop drive in the late afternoon light.
When back on the Loop Road, you will now be in the second mile of the drive where more great landscape photography opportunities present themselves along with frequent sightings of deer and black bears.
Hyatt Lane
At the 2 mile mark on the Loop Road, you will encounter Hyatt Lane. Hyatt Lane is another great place for more scenic shots of tree line roads as well as wildlife images such as black bears, wild turkeys, deer, and a wide assortment of birds.
Hyatt Lane is also a great place to capture the Cove’s beautiful meadows as it is one of the more open locations along the drive.
Once again, drive to the end of Hyatt Lane, turn around and head back to the Scenic Loop Road.
Now you will see a narrow and twisty one way road on your right called Rich Mountain Road that will take you to Townsend, Tennessee.
Unless you have a lot of time, I recommend skipping this road. Although there are a couple places where you can capture great views of the Cove, it is a long slow drive and for most visitors. I believe time is best spent in the Cove.
Shortly after Rich Mountain Road, you will enter the church section of the Loop Road where you will find three churches. Although all three churches are interesting, I only find the Methodist Church to offer any real photographic potential but be aware that lighting can be challenging on this church.
Tip: The meadows and fields just before the Methodist Church are a great place to see black bears in the morning hours. In fact, it is rare that I have not seen a bear in this location in the early mornings.
Next you will come to a parking lot for the Elijah Oliver Place. If you have time, it is worth visiting. I don’t, however, consider it as photogenic as other structures you will encounter later in the loop.
Abrams Falls Area
A short distance from the Elijah Oliver Place, you will find a road to the right that will take you to the Abrams Falls trailhead.
Even if you are not interested in hiking to Abrams Falls, take this road as this is a great place to photograph deer in pretty meadows, bridge crossings, streams and black bears. In fact there is a black bear just at the left top corner of the picture below next to the bridge coming out of the shrubs.
Since I do not have any recent pictures of Abrams Falls, here is a link to a photo of Abrams Falls. Due to knee injuries, I have not been able to complete this hike in recent years.
John Cable Mill
You are now only a short distance from the Cades Cove Visitor Center which is home to the John Cable Mill. It is best photographed in the early morning hours when there are fewer people in the Cove and the light is soft.
However, if you can’t make it to the Mill in the early morning hours because you are photographing all the scenery on Spark’s Lane and Hyatt Lane, consider photographing the Mill in the late evening hours. Otherwise, drive directly to the Mill on another visit to the Cove.
Be aware that in the evenings you will be shooting into the setting sun and will have to work with bright spots in the sky as I dealt with in the image below.
Dan Lawson Place
Once you leave the Visitor Center, continue on the Loop Road until you reach the Dan Lawson Place. You can’t miss it since it is where Hyatt Lane joins back up with the Loop Road.
Dan Lawson Place is one of my favorite locations for photographing the historic old buildings of the early Appalachian settlements. Not only are the buildings interesting but the surrounding trees, fences and background hillsides provide great visual elements you can use to add depth to your photos.
The Lawson Homestead is best photographed in the morning hours a couple hours after sunrise, however, afternoons are also a good time to photograph this location from different angles.
Tipton Place
Leaving the Dan Lawson Place, you will again be on a portion of the road where it is very common to see black bears. If you encounter a bear jam here, be prepared to pack your patiences as it can take 30 minutes or more to move past jams in this area.
The next photo spot on my list is a historic homestead called Tipton Place that spans both sides of the road. To your left will be a rare double cantilever barn and on the right side of the road will be a two story cabin along with other structures such as a corn crib. (I don’t know what a corn crib is by the way but assume it is for storing corn)
Both structures are quite photogenic in the right light and well worth taking time to capture. Of course, I especially like the barn due to its unusual shape.
Carter Shields Cabin
The last historic structure on my list of photo stops is the Carter Shields Cabin. Although the cabin itself is just a small building that is not that unique, it’s setting far back from the road with a curved path, foreground fences, and stately trees make it a great photo stop in Cades Cove.
For those who are fortunate to visit in early spring, blooming dogwood trees add a nice touch to the landscape.
2. Cades Cove Top Photo Tips- where and when to See wildlife
My second Cades Cove photo tip is to know where and when to find and photograph wildlife. This is especially important if you wish to create interesting images of wildlife and not just a snapshot of wildlife in a cluttered forest setting.
So let’s look at a couple of my tips for locating wildlife in Cades Cove.
Bears
Who wants to leave Cades Cove without photographing black bears? Now let’s spend a minute covering where I usually see bears and the best times of day and places to photograph bears.
Although bears can be seen anywhere and at any time of day in the Cove, bears are most active and visible in the early morning and evening hours. However, due to the late day crowds, I personally believe the best bear photography in Cades Cove is in the early morning hours.
Not only will there be less people around if you encounter a bear but the chances of being able to stop, park, and get out of the car are much better in the mornings. By afternoon, rangers will quickly move people along to prevent bear traffic jams.
Here is a list of places where I frequently see bears in the morning hours:
Morning Bear Sighting Areas
Deer
Like bears, deers can be seen anywhere in the park. Deers, however, will rarely be seen midday. They are mostly out in the early morning and late evening hours.
Deers are also easier to photograph in the evening hours than bears due to the fact they attract smaller crowds. For this reason, I tend to photograph deer later in the day, saving the morning hours for bears.
Photo Tip: When photographing deer, I prefer to photograph them in open fields and meadows and not in busy woodlands.
With that in mind, here are a few places to photograph deer in open areas.
Where To See Deer
Birds
Not only is Cades Cove good for photographing bear and deer, but it can also be a wonderful location to capture everything from small song birds to wild turkeys. In particular, look for birds at fence posts around all open fields and on Sparks and Hyatt Lanes.
3. Cades Cove Photo Tips -Arrive Early, Leave Late
My third photo tip for Cades Cove is to arrive early and leave late. Not only will the chances to photograph wildlife be better in those hours, but the light will be much better for landscape and scenic photography.
Some of the most boring images I ever shot were created during midday in Cades Cove before I knew when to be at certain locations.
Cades Cove opens at sunrise as noted below and closes at sunset. Cars line up for entry into the Cove as early as a hour before sunrise. For the best chances to photograph wildlife and early morning light on both Sparks and Hyatt Lane, it is best to be one of the first cars in the park.
Once the gates open, I suggest you quickly photograph any scenes on the first mile of the Loop Drive then drive directly to Spark’s Lane. At the entrance to Spark’s Lane, grab your camera and capture early morning images of the tree lined road. Afterwards head toward Hyatt Lane and also the area just past the Hyatt Lane turnoff in search of bears.
Bonus tip: Being one of the first cars in the park will allow you time in the morning to photograph Sparks Lane and Hyatt Lane, then exit Hyatt Lane and head back to Sparks Lane to drive part of the Loop Road again and photograph other places that are best photographed in the morning.
Likewise, plan your afternoon photography in Cades Cove so that you have time to drive the Cades Cove Loop Road twice. If you do not wish to drive the entire road twice, drive the Loop Road past the Visitor Center, and continue on the Spark’s Lane. At Spark’s Lane circle back to Hyatt Lane, then complete the loop road.
Too many people leave before the soft evening light that is great for photographing the cabins and mill
4. Cades Cove Photo Tips -Bring Every Piece of Gear You Own
My fourth photo tip for Cades Cove is to bring every piece of camera gear you own. In fact, if you have two cameras, bring them. Leave the longest lens you own attached to one camera body and change lens as needed on the second body.
If you are traveling and can only bring limited camera gear, I suggest packing at least theses two lens: a 24-70mm lens and a 100-400mm lens.
Tip: Change lens inside your vehicle when possible as dirt and dust can be a big issue in the Cove.
5. Cades Cove Photo Tips- Visit during the Right Season
My fifth and final photo tip is to plan your visit based on the subject you wish to photograph. For instance, if your photography goal is to capturing mountain streams, plan your trip for spring, not summer.
Spring is my favorite time to photograph Cades Cove. Trees are beginning to green up, bears and deer are out everywhere, wildflowers dot several popular trails, and streams are full of water. Also crowds are smaller than summers.
However spring can also bring increased storms and cold temperatures. In fact on my recent trip, Cades Cove had to close for days due to storm damage.
Summers are best for warmer temperatures and less risk of the tornadoes and violent weather. The woodlands and trees will all be a deep green. Although there will still be plenty of wildlife sightings, the heat of summer will have most wildlife seeking shelter deep into the woodlands for most of the day.
Also the Cove is extremely crowded in summer making it my least favorite time to photograph the Cove. In fact during summer on Wednesday’s when only hiking and biking are allowed on the Cade Cove Loop Drive, the parking lots can fill up by 8 a.m.
On all other days, the crowds in Cades Cove and all over the Smoky Mountains make it difficult to create images without people in them at all popular locations.
Late Fall is another wonderful time to visit Cades Cove. Again Sparks Lane and Hyatt Lane come alive with beautiful fall foliage and as temperatures begin to drop, wildlife becomes more visible. However, streams and waterfall levels are typically much lower which isn’t great for photography. Lastly, severe weather threats increase.
Cades Cove-Things to Know
Fees
Although it is free to visit Cades Cove, the Cove, like all areas in the Great Smoky Mountains, the Cove requires visitors to display a parking pass if you stop in any area for longer than 15 minutes. The parking fees are $5 daily, $15 weekly, and $40 annually
Hours and Days
Cades Cove Drive opens at sunrise each day and by sunrise you can expect long lines at the entry. If you wish to be one of the first visitors into the Cove, plan to arrive at least 30 to 60 minutes before sunrise. Lines tend to form as early as 60 minutes before sunrise.
Cades Cove Loop Drive closes at sunset.
The Cove is open year round everyday. From early May through late September, however, every Wednesday the drive is closed to motor vehicle traffic and only bicycles and walkers are allowed into the Cove.
Things you can’t do in Cades Cove
Restrooms
Restrooms are located by the gift shop at the campground entrance as well as at the Cades Cove picnic area, the Abrams Trail head and the Visitor Center. Trust me, don’t wait to go as you can get stuck in very slow traffic and take an hour to reach the nearest restroom.
Final Thoughts On Favorite Photo Spots in Cades Cove
Cades Cove is a diverse valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with many different photography opportunities. From black bears to wildflowers there is something for most photographers.
However, as mentioned, it can be challenging to create great images and not just snapshots in the Cove. Not only are there so many subjects to photograph but the Cove is also a very crowded place and travel from location to location can be very slow.
Note: I have not mentioned wildflowers since I believe in most cases there are better locations for wildflower photography in the Smoky Mountains with the exception of a couple locations I wish not to promote.
My goal with this post is to get you to the best photography subjects in the right light when the crowds are the fewest. So if you have found any of the above photography tips for Cades Cove helpful, I would greatly appreciate you taking a take a minute to view my Great Smoky Mountains National Park gallery on Fine Art America at: Great Smoky Mountain Images.
As always, thanks for joining me at another great photography destination.
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