George and I had to go to Knoxville on Friday to take our Prius in for its regular maintenance.. SO--since we had to go there, we decided it would be a perfect day to head to the Smokies for the day. We visited one of our favorite places, Cades Cove. We have been there many times ---but this was the first time with the new cameras.. SO--we acted just like tourists --and took over 150 pictures!!! ha...
As you can imagine, I will post several blogs from beautiful Cades Cove in the Smoky Mountains. If you want to read more about the history of this beautiful valley surrounded by mountains, click HERE. There is alot of info about the area including the 11-mile loop road which we took.
If you don't know anything about Cades Cove and its history, I encourage you to take time and read some of the information. It is truly awesome. Above is a map of the 'cove' and below are some more pictures showing this beautiful area.
A "cove" in the Smoky Mountains is a relatively flat valley between mountains or ridges. This cove is a showplace for some of the most intriguing natural and cultural treasures that the Southern Appalachian Mountains have to offer.
Join us for this 11-mile ride through the cove. The road is one-way --and there are pull-offs all along the way.
Both George and I took lots of pictures since we stopped all along the way.
You can see the road in this picture. There were quite a few people at the cove on this day--but it will be bumper to bumper in October. We usually stay away during the peak seasons---but this place is fabulous in the Fall.
It was a partly cloudy day --with big puffy clouds in the sky. It was also hotter than we thought it would be --since we have had such mild temperatures this past week. It was also quite hazy (but luckily, we had our filters on our cameras). I think it was in the mid-80's ----and it seemed quite humid, which made it feel even hotter.
Hope you have enjoyed this 'sneak preview' of MUCH more to come from Cades Cove. Besides the great views, people visit the cove to see the wildlife, wildflowers and plants, the log cabins, the old churches, the cemeteries, a grist mill, etc... You need to visit this area if you haven't been there before.
If you didn't read George's blog yesterday talking about his Daddy's 98th birthday, please click HERE. That man has lived an amazing life including moving to Arkansas by covered wagon when he was little. Check it out!!!!
Hope you had a fabulous weekend and are ready for a GREAT week!!!!
Hugs,
I'm convinced I can feel the ties to my ancestors whenever I visit Cades Cove. It is indeed one of the most serene, and soul stirring landscapes I have ever known.
ReplyDeleteThose early settlers braved many hardships, but were determined to carve out a life for themselves and their families.
Awesome pictures, did you see any bears ?
Good morning Betsy - The moutains were steamy here as well this weekend. Fortunately, I think that we are in for some cooler temps if we can just survive this coming week. I had forgotten about George's blog - am now off to read about his dad. Hope that both of his parents are keeping well!
ReplyDeleteJane
Good evening, Betsy!
ReplyDelete(here's 5.30 pm In Indonesia)
Those pics are beautiful as usual!
I always love to follow your trip through your pictures...
I also wanna check out about George's daddy's 98th birthday..Must be wonderful.
Thanks for sharing, Betsy!
Wishing you have a blessed day!
love,
nensa
This looks like a great place to go and get away from it all.
ReplyDeleteI've also always loved Cades Cove and the old buildings at the end of the loop. We also like to travel the one-way roads that go through the woods and out of the park. I have a picture almost identical to you first picture of the mountains except in my picture the mountain has a dusting of snow on the top.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Cades Cove. I was so amazed at how tame the deer are. I hear it is a hanging offence to poach one. Someday I would really like to walk it (when I am in a little better shape) to properly see everything.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking me back.
I've been here too. It's one of my mom's favorite places. She loved the book, Christy, and the short-lived TV show about her life.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of filter do you use on your camera when the days are hazy?
Have a great day. It's warm up here in Indiana too!
We love Gatlinburg and Cades Cove too! We've been there many many times, and were just there last October. It sure is a tranquil beautiful place.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to visit and have a good time.
Hi, Betsy! What a beautiful place that is. Cades Cove is one of those places that Tom and I keep meaning to visit, but life always seems to intrude on our plans. Tom hopes to take a week off work soon (we really need a break), so maybe we'll head that way----inspired as I am by your lovely pictures.
ReplyDeletemy favorite today is the 11 mile road through the cove. i would love to drive slowly or even walk along that road. I love country roads and this one is beautiful. Cades Cove is such a romantic sounding name.
ReplyDeleteCades Cove is a very interesting and beautiful place to visit. Sure hope to get back there some time when it isn't so "busy".
ReplyDeleteOh, how could you tease us so unmercifully on a Monday!! I can't wait to see the rest!!! I know nothing about haze or camera filters, only that I'll be going on a great adventure with you this week, and it won't even hurt my knee! That map is very CUTE!
ReplyDeleteFantastic sceneries!!! Those little paths look awesome too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing all that.
I will really enjoy this place if I ever get a chance to visit here oneday.
Good morning Betsy. I have heard of Cades Cove before and it sounds like an awesome place to visit. After looking at all these great photographs, it is most definitely on our 'must see' list. Looking forward to seeing all that you have taken. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteAn English Girl Rambles
My first thoughts when I started looking at your pictures today were, "I bet this is an awesome place to be in the fall when the leaves are changing.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your father-in-law celebrated his 98th. My dad missed his by a month and one-half. They have so many memories we can't even imagine.
Hi Betsy, Your photos bring back good memories. John and I visited Cade's Cove on our honeymoon. You have shared some lovely views and I can't wait to see more. I urge everyone to read George's post re his Dad. It is very touching.
ReplyDeleteGreat Green spot on earth!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more of your 150 pics. :)
Hi Betsy,
ReplyDeleteMy PC is acting up again, so I was delighted to get to your site...wow, what awesome scenery. That looks like a ride I'd love to see in person some day. I wonder if we will ever become travelers....hmmm
In the mean time, thanks for taking us along on your wonderful peaceful drive. love the worn fences before the rolling hills.
Thanks for sharing your life
BlessYourHearts and Week
Beautiful scenery, Betsy! We love Cades Cove and have to go back there everytime we are in the Smokies. Traffic is heavy in the fall, but the beauty of the foliage makes it worth it.
ReplyDeleteBreathtaking scenery. I love the clouds gathering over the mountains.
ReplyDelete☼ Sunny
Oh, my favorite place!! And I've taken pics at some of the same spots! I guess we've been there during each season, but fall is probably my fav time to visit. Your post just makes me want to head that way! Beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteI think I may have heard of this place :-). While we make a couple of picnic trips to the cove each year, we rarely go around the loop as it always seems so crowded when we're there. When I first moved to the area we would go up after dinner and go around at dusk often counting over a hundred deer, along with seeing turkeys and the occasional bear. Always good scenery in the cove.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful area.
ReplyDeleteI really love the old fence posts on the road!
Thanks for sharing the pictures of the mountains. They are so comforting!! I just love it there.
ReplyDeleteThanks for inviting me to join you on this drive.The scenery is beautiful.I can imagine the color there would be in fall.Looking forward to seeing many more pictures from here.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,Ruth
Cades Cove is one of our favorite places. We like to ride our bicycles around the loop:)
ReplyDeleteMore of your beautiful Country side my friend, I love it up there, and yep been there before too, hugs and have a blessed day.
ReplyDeleteBuongiorno Betsy, great documentation with pretty pictures of a place by the immense spaces!
ReplyDeleteHappy week!
Looks like it was a beautiful trip, Betsy! Glad ya'll had fun!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pictures, Betsy! I've been in Tenn. but haven't seen this area. Now I know I will be begging Hubby for a trip to Tenn.!
ReplyDeleteOff to get ready for work, but I'll certainly be back to read more about this beautiful area.
Have a great day,
Cheryl
I believe Leedra takes a lot of photo at Cades Cove.
ReplyDeleteOh Betsy;) I popped over to George's blog and read his post about his dad's amazing life. What a dear man. And that he and his wife have been married for 71 years fascinated me. Thanks for the link to his post. I truly enjoyed it. I also LOVE your visit ot Cades Cove. Your photos are beautiful and I cannot wait to see more. My post tomorrow (Tuesday) is about something DIFFERENT that we did for a change and I took a total of 419 photos! Have a blessed day. (((Hugs))) Jo
ReplyDeleteHow Beautiful, Betsy! I would feel like I was on Vacation everyday living there! :-)
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see more pictures!
Have a Wonderful Week!
Hugs,
Coreen
Betsy! Cades Cove is one of our all time fave places. I have lost track of how many times we have visited since moving here six years ago.
ReplyDeleteLast spring J an I actually went to a funeral at the Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove. Our friends grandmother was actually born in Cades Cove, therefore was eligible to be buried in her family cemetary!
We are also friends with Mr. and Mrs Roy Kramer. Mr Kramer was the former SEC commissioner from 1990 to 2002. His father was the attorney who represented (pro-bono) the families of Cades Cove when our federal gov't decided to make this a national park.
Over many visits with the Kramers, I have learned so many wonderful things about those families and Cades Cove!
xo, misha
Nature at it's best! What a scenic view! Feels like I'm there already:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these awesome shots!
When our kids were small a trip to Cades Cove was our Thanksgiving vacation every year.We haven't been in years and your post made me long to go back there maybe for this Thanksgiving !!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed week
Marilyn
Our nephew has a photo of the Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove from his trip last fall. Interesting that you should now take me an this adventure! Would love to visit a place like that in the fall!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty place. I just love being out in big open fields surrounded by mountains.
ReplyDeleteTruly a beautiful place as I imagine all that area is. And so full of history. I am looking forward to going on the trip with you.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your corn question: The majority of the corn grown in the valley is for the dairy farmers. It is ground into silage for the cows. The only way I can tell which is which is by grabbing an ear and testing it. LOL
MB
wow another spectacular series of scenic vacation photos. love it especially the dirt road.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a lovely place. I can understand why people would come in the fall. Must be a breathtaking sight to see.
ReplyDeleteWow Betsy, how I would so enjoy visiting this area. What beauty to behold! I would probably take several days to travel the 11 miles, I'd be stopping here, there and everywhere! I am looking forward to more of your exciting adventures!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty scenery, Betsy. Nice that you made a pleasure trip out of it. Diane
ReplyDeleteVery pretty scenery, Betsy. Nice that you made a pleasure trip out of it. Diane
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty views, Betsy! Gorgeous in every direction. I've never been there, but it looks like a lovely place to visit. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pictures! I love the smokies. We have been there several times. Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great pictures of one of our favorite places to visit. We have taken several visitors there from other countries, and walked much in the area in years gone by. It's been awhile and your blog made me want to go back. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh you know I love this place! We've only been to Cade's cove once and the traffic was so horrible then I said I didn't care to go back.
ReplyDeleteI think it would probably be worth it again during the off season.
You were over a bit closer to me. Do you know we have not been there yet? We need to put in our our calendar one day.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Cades Cove. It looks like a destination to add to my list of must sees. The pictures that you have shared so far are enticing; looking forward to more pictures.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a really beautiful area Betsy, so lush and green. I tink you need to return in the Fall for some stunning pics I would guess!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post Betsy. That last photo brought back memories of wire gates in our pasture fences when I was young. They were always too hard for me to open and close, so I just crawled under. But sometimes that didn't work out too well, when a cow had left a little surprise there for me to get into. :) I'll be back to see more.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a little girl we often went to the Smokies for vacation. When my dad would ask my mom and I what we wanted to see Cades Cove was almost always at the top of the list. I love this place. I'm looking forward to seeing all your photos of the cove.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite vacation spot! I felt like I knew exactly where you took some of these shots.
ReplyDeleteI love going here and we've been lucky to see bears the last three times we've gone. :)
Can't wait to see more!
I wouldn't mind visiting it again without all the other visiters...as you say bumper to bumper...that was what it was like when we visited...don't want to do that again...and we never saw the first wild life of any kind. Trish
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful photos. We will have to try and go there... We would love it. I love being outdoors and taking pics. When is the best time to try and go? Why is it so busy in Oct? Thank You for sharing. Blessings,
ReplyDeleteOh Betsy!! How beautiful!!!! I do so enjoy your blog!!!
ReplyDeleteShelia
What a spectacular area! Oh how I would love to ride my bike through here!
ReplyDeleteLove your new header picture, Betsy! Beautiful!
Have a fabulous day!
Betsy and George,
ReplyDeleteI think it's so wonderful (and so very YOU!) that you made such an exquisite opportunity to visit this beautiful place from a mundane chore. Kudos to you!
PS Sights don't come more beautifully than these!
I sure have enjoyed this post...I LOVE the photos you chose to show us...and I just read George's post about his dad and it was a wonderful read!
ReplyDeletePicture of this valley surrounded by these mountains is absolutely beautiful! Winding road through this cove makes me wish my wife and I was there, to walk along this gorgeous path, of such natural splendor. Yet somehow, by your sharing this picture, gives me a feeling, as if my wife and I . . . already are.
ReplyDeleteThank you,
Lon