Cades Cove Group
Over 2 million visitors annually come to enjoy the scenic beauty of Cades Cove and its many historic structures, popular biking and hiking trails and scenic waterfalls and streams. Tucked in the mountains under a lush, shaded canopy, this group campground offers the best that the Great Smoky Mountains National park has to offer.
This is the group site. Looking for the main campground? Cades Cove Campground, 164 sites, is next door.
More like this: reservable in Tennessee · tent only in Tennessee · pets allowed in Tennessee · group sites in Tennessee
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Group tent areas | 4 |
Site guide
4 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G001 | Pull-through | Paved | Partial | 20 / 4 | Yes |
| G002 | Back-in | Paved | Partial | 20 / 4 | Yes |
| G003 | Pull-through | Paved | Partial | 30 / 4 | Yes |
| G004 | Pull-through | Paved | Partial | 30 / 7 | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Tent pads | Yes |
| Fees | Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee. |
Cades Cove Group Camp provides a primitive camping experience, with conveniences such as flush toilets and drinking water, but there are no hookups or showers at the campground. with the modern conveniences of flush toilets and drinking water. The four group campsites can accommodate up to 20 guests each, and multiple sites may be reserved for larger groups. A camp store provides visitors with basic necessities as well as bike rentals, and events like Interpretive Programs in the nearby amphitheater and Bicycle Only Days on the loop road provide visitors with a fun and unique experience.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Cades Cove Campground 10042 Campground Drive Townsend, TN 37882 865-448-2472 Lat/Long: N35.6009 W083.7742 From Maryville, TN: Take U.S. 321 North (you'll actually be driving south!) from Maryville to Townsend, TN (about 22 miles). At the traffic light in Townsend, continue straight on TN 73 and follow signs to Cades Cove.
| Nearest town | Gatlinburg, Tennessee |
| Coordinates | 35.6039° N, 83.7713° W · Directions ↗ |
Supplies & services
| Dump station | Cades Cove New Dump Station ↗ | 0.4 mi |
| Outdoor gear | GSM Outfitters ↗ | 11.1 mi |
| RV sales & service | A&L RV Sales ↗ | 27 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Cades Cove Campground Tour 4K - Find that perfect Smoky Mountains campsite
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside National Forests in North Carolina.
- inNational Forests in North Carolina ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,026,237 acres
- 14.6 miJoyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 19,246 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Minnis McCampbell BarnBuilding · Townsend · 4.3 mi
- James McCampbell BarnBuilding · Townsend · 4.4 mi
- John F. Shea HouseBuilding · Townsend · 5.1 mi
Natural features
Cades Cove is a broad, verdant valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in the park. Large numbers of white-tailed deer are frequently seen, and sightings of black bear, coyote, ground hog, turkey, raccoon, skunk, and other animals are also possible. For hundreds of years Cherokee Indians hunted in Cades Cove but archeologists have found no evidence of major settlements. The first Europeans settled in the cove sometime between 1818 and 1821. By 1830 the population of the area had already swelled to 271.
Recreation
The Great Smoky Mountains are a hikers paradise and visitors to Cades Cove Campground love the 5-mile roundtrip hike to Abram Falls. From Cades Cove Loop Road, turnoff at the sign and follow the directions to the trailhead. Although Abrams Falls is only 20 feet high, the large volume of water rushing over falls more than makes up for its lack of height. The long, deep pool at its base is very picturesque. The trail to the falls traverses pine-oak forest on the ridges and hemlock and rhododendron forest along the creek. The waterfall and creek are named for Cherokee Chief Abram or Abraham whose village once stood several miles downstream. A nearby horse stable provides one-hour horseback rides as well as hay rides and carriage rides from March through October, offering recreational activities for the entire family. Campers can also enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with trout available in abundance.
Nearby
The park holds one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States. Over 90 historic structures, including houses, barns, outbuildings, churches, schools and grist mills, have been preserved or rehabilitated in the park, a few of which are easily accessible from the Cades Cove Loop Road. Townsend, located about nine miles away, offers full service grocery stores and fuel.
Guidebooks for Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Fly Fishing Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National ParkIan Rutter and Charity Rutter, 2024Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Cades Cove Group?
Sites at Cades Cove Group are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Cades Cove Group?
Group Facility (including Cabins and Lookouts): Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Cades Cove Group?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Cades Cove Group have?
4 sites, including 4 group tent areas.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I bring an RV to Cades Cove Group?
Cades Cove Group is listed for tents only.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there showers or a dump station at Cades Cove Group?
Cades Cove Group Camp provides a primitive camping experience, with conveniences such as flush toilets and drinking water, but there are no hookups or showers at the campground.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are pets allowed at Cades Cove Group?
Yes, pets are allowed at Cades Cove Group. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Cades Cove Group?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Cades Cove Group?
The Great Smoky Mountains are a hikers paradise and visitors to Cades Cove Campground love the 5-mile roundtrip hike to Abram Falls. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Cades Cove Group?
Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The park holds one of the best collections of log buildings in the eastern United States.
Source: Getting there
What if Cades Cove Group is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Cades Cove Campground (0.3 mi), Anthony Creek Horse Camp (0.3 mi), and Abram's Creek Campground (9.1 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby
Which national park is Cades Cove Group in?
Cades Cove Group is a Great Smoky Mountains National Park campground. Entrance fees, alerts, and hours are on Park Atlas.