Cades Cove and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are two jaw-dropping scenic drives in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Located in Tennessee, just one hour from each other, many people often choose to drive Cades Cove and Roaring Fork on the same Smoky Mountains road trip.
But if you are short on time and have to decide between Cades Cove and Roaring Fork, this is the guide for you!
In this Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork guide, I will share the differences between the two scenic drives in the Smoky Mountains. That way you can decide if you should drive Cades Cove or Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Or both!
Spoiler Alert: You can’t go wrong either way!
NOTE: This is just a comparison guide between the two drives. If you are looking for specific travel guides for each road, then you’ll want to read my other guides:
Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork: Which Scenic Drive Is Better?
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Cades Cove and Roaring Fork: Know Before You Go
Cades Cove: Cades Cove is closed to motor vehicles on Wednesdays from May through September. This allows bikers and hikers to travel the loop without vehicle traffic.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork is closed in the winter, usually from December through March or April. Check current road schedules here.
Location: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove is in the northwest Smoky Mountains near Townsend. To get there, enter the park from the Townsend Entrance near the Wye. Turn right after the Wye and follow the road for about 7 miles. The road will end at the Cades Cove Loop. Get directions to Cades Cove here.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is in the north-central Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg. To get there, turn off the main Parkway in Gatlinburg and onto the Historic Nature Trail. Continue straight onto Cherokee Orchard Road. The one-way entrance to the Roaring Fork is just past the Rainbow Falls trailhead parking on the right. Get directions to Roaring Fork here.
Vehicle Accessibility: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: The Cades Cove Loop is fully paved. Exit roads (Forge Creek/Parson Branch and Rich Mountain) and spur roads (Abrams Falls, Sparks Lane, Hyatt Lane, etc) are gravel. Oversized vehicles are permitted on the paved loop; however, oversized parking is limited.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork is fully paved. RVs, buses, and vans longer than 25 feet, plus vehicles towing trailers, are prohibited.
Hiking Trails: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Several great hiking trails are off the Cades Cove Loop. Access trails like Rich Mountain, Abrams Falls, and Cooper Road Trail right from the scenic loop.
Roaring Fork: Several great hiking trails are off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, too! Access trails like Baskins Creek Falls, Trillium Gap, and Grapeyard Ridge right from the scenic loop. You can even summit Mount LeConte from Trillium Gap!
Waterfalls: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: There are several waterfalls off the Cades Cove Loop. Abrams Falls and Crooked Arm Cascades are both accessible from the loop.
Roaring Fork: There are several waterfalls off Roaring Fork, too. Baskins Creek Falls and Grotto Falls can be hiked to directly from the loop, while The Place of a Thousand Drips can be seen from the road.
Camping: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove Campground is located right off the scenic loop. With 164 tent and RV sites, this is one of only two campgrounds in the Smokies that is open year-round. There are also some backcountry campsites that you can access from the loop. You must reserve a backpacking permit in advance to camp in the backcountry.
Roaring Fork: There is no frontcountry camping off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. There are, however, backcountry campsites that you can access from this loop. You must reserve a backpacking permit in advance to camp in the backcountry.
Winter Access: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove is open year-round (weather permitting), so you can drive the loop in the winter. In fact, winter is a great time to cruise the loop because there are significantly fewer people and less traffic.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork is closed to vehicles in the winter. You can still access the waterfalls and hiking trails by parking at Rainbow Falls and walking the connecting Trillium Gap Trail.
Pssst: You must display a parking tag on your vehicle to park anywhere in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Read all about that here.
Biking: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove is a great road to bike! While you can bike it any day of the year, I’d recommend only biking on vehicle-free Wednesdays in the summer. The hills, curves, and narrow roads make it extremely dangerous for bikers and vehicles to co-exist.
Roaring Fork: Biking the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is not recommended due to the sharp drop-offs and narrow, windy nature of the road.
Dogs: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Since dogs are allowed on paved roads in the Smokies, you could take your dog with you. However, dogs are not allowed on any of the trails, historic buildings, or fields off Cades Cove. So I’d recommend just taking them on a scenic drive in your car!
Roaring Fork: Dogs are allowed on the paved Roaring Fork roadway. However, dogs are not permitted on any of the trails or inside the historic buildings, so I’d recommend just taking them on a scenic drive in your vehicle.
Looking for dog-friendly things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Read my blog post!
Amenities: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove has a visitor center with flush toilets and potable water; it’s located about halfway through the loop. You can also find a picnic area, camp store, bike rental, ranger station, toilets, potable water, a campground, and horse stables before the loop entrance.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail has flush toilets at Ely’s Mill (end of the loop) and pit toilets at the Trillium Gap trailhead parking area (about 1.7 miles from the road entrance).
Crowds: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove can get crowded, especially in the late spring, summer, and early fall. Bumper-to-bumper traffic is common, especially on weekends and afternoons. Consider visiting December through February for a quiet drive. Bike on a vehicle-free Wednesday to escape the traffic altogether.
Roaring Fork: Due to its proximity to the town of Gatlinburg, Roaring Fork can also get crowded. Since the road is closed in the winter, the best months to avoid crowds/traffic are November and April (if open).
Length: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove is an 11-mile one-way loop. There are two additional exits (Parson Branch/Forge Creek and Rich Mountain) but only one entrance. You can also shorten the loop by taking the Sparks Lane detour (4 miles total) or the Hyatt Lane detour (8 miles total).
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a 5.5-mile one-way loop. There is only one entrance and one exit, with no shortcuts or detours.
Wildlife: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove is a spectacular area for wildlife viewing! Black bears, deer, coyotes, and turkeys frequent the area in the spring and summer. Due to the lack of noise, bear sightings are even more abundant on vehicle-free Wednesdays in the summer.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork is also a great area to spot wildlife! You’ll likely find black bears, deer, and turkeys milling around the road and trails, especially in the late spring and summer.
READ NEXT: Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains: Everything You Should Know
Hours: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: Cades Cove is open to vehicles year-round from sunrise to sunset, weather permitting. Hikers and bikers are free to travel the road outside of those hours. Also, Cades Cove is closed to motor vehicles on Wednesdays from May through September to allow bikers and hikers to travel the road.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork is open to vehicles daily from around April or May through November. The road is closed in the winter. Check current open/close dates here.
Views: Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork
Cades Cove: The Cades Cove Loop offers some of the most spectacular views in the Smokies. The drive is a mix of forest and wide-open valley. In the sections where the trees open up, you’ll be driving through a valley surrounded by towering mountains and fields teeming with wildlife. In the forested sections, you’ll be surrounded by trees and babbling creeks.
Roaring Fork: Roaring Fork’s drive also has gorgeous scenic views, but the experience is quite different than Cades Cove. While Cades Cove is known for its open fields and valleys framed by mountains, Roaring Fork is known for its quiet forest setting and endless crisscrossing rivers. You’ll want to roll the windows down on this drive to hear the sounds of the babbling creeks and cascading waterfalls as you twist through the forest and up and down the mountain. There are a couple of scenic overlooks as well.
Cades Cove or Roaring Fork: FAQs
I just have one hour – should I drive Cades Cove or Roaring Fork?
Roaring Fork! This road is shorter and can be driven in roughly an hour (with limited stops).
Can I drive Cades Cove and Roaring Fork in one day?
Yes! Driving Cades Cove and Roaring Fork would take you roughly 2-4 hours with no stops, plus 1 hour for travel in between. So you could easily spend all day driving the roads, hiking the trails, and exploring the cabins that branch off the loops.
How Far Is Cades Cove From Roaring Fork?
30 miles. The driving distance between these two scenic roads is about 1 hour.
Cades Cove Vs Roaring Fork: Final Verdict
If you are still torn about which scenic road you should drive, here is a lightning-round style chart to help you:
Do you…
Only have one hour? Roaring Fork
Want to get away from the crowds? Cades Cove in the winter
Have an RV or trailer? Cades Cove
Want to go biking? Cades Cove
Want a forested drive? Roaring Fork
Want to see mountains on your drive? Cades Cove
Want to drive in the winter? Cades Cove
Finish Planning Your Trip to the Smokies
Here are some Great Smoky Mountains National Park guides that are up on the blog right now!
- Ultimate Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary (From a Local!)
- Where to Stay in the Smokies: Breakdown By Town
- When Is the Best Time to Visit the Smokies? Each Season Compared
- Smokies Bucket List: 20 Things You HAVE To Do in the Smoky Mountains
- 7 Essential Things to Know Before Visiting Great Smoky Mountains
- Camping in the Smokies: Which Campground Is Right For You?
- Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains: Everything You Should Know
- Great Smoky Mountains Parking Tag: Everything You Should Know
Smoky Mountains By Season
No matter which season you’ll be visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I’ve got guides to help you plan your trip!
- Smoky Mountains in the Winter
- Smoky Mountains in the Spring
- Smoky Mountains in the Summer
- Smoky Mountains in the Fall
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Lost Sea
- Kayaking to Burgess Falls
- Cummins Falls State Park
- Rock Island State Park
- Fall Creek Falls State Park
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On a busy day it can take 2-3 hours to get around the cades cove loop. Many people will just stop in the middle of the road to view the wildlife creating a traffic jam of a big mile long of cars
Yes, it can get quite busy! Our favorite time to drive is in the winter when there are no crowds!