Cades Cove Driving Tour part 2 in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Cades Cove Driving Tour Stop 3
A few hundred feet past Sparks Lane on the right hand side you will come to a parking area for The John Oliver Place. This one of the most visited cabins in the park and is set far back from the road. If the parking area is filled, pull further up to the auxiliary parking area for the John Oliver Cabin.
John Oliver who built this cabin, lived in Cades Cove for almost 10 year before he bought this property in 1826. Even though it is one of the most impressive cabins in the park and incredibly well built and preserved, it is in fact the oldest home in Cades Cove.
It took a lot to build such a sturdy functional building with little more than hand tools and the help of neighbors and mules to haul the felled logs to where the cabin was to be built. Gravity alone holds the logs together which comprise this log cabin. No nails of pegs needed to be used and mud was used to hold the stone chimney together as well as to making the Chinking to fill in the holes between the logs. This chinking was used to keep wind and rain out of the cabin and also helped to keep some of the vermin out that would slither or crawl between the gaps of the logs.
Mornings when fog fills the field between the cabin and the road is a magical time to visit the John Oliver place.
The John Oliver Cabin was built in the late 1820's. The John Oliver homestead with typical TN wood fence.
The Primitive Baptist Church of the Cove built in 1887. A female deer (doe) grazing in the Baptist cemetery.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Stop 4
The next stop along the Cades Cove driving tour will be the Primitive Baptist Church which will be located a 1/4 mile down a dirt road you will see to your left. Keep your eyes open on this road as I have seen many wild turkey as well as deer and once a glimpse of a bear late in the afternoon.
The church that is now standing here was built in 1887 and is the first of three churches in Cades cove that served the community. The original Primitive Baptist Church was built from log in 1827 and was indeed far more primitive. The is a little cemetary in the back of the church where you can see some of the family names you see around town in present day Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Townsend, and Bryson City. When visiting cemeteries in the national park, please be respectful and stay on paths.
The Primitive Baptist Church was closed during the civil war since the town was divided with both people who backed the union as well as rebels. Since this church backed the Union, many felt it to dangerous to meet being around so many confederates.
You may to take your time here as this is one of the quieter spots of Cades Cove.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Stop 5
In the spirit of Cades Cove, a blacksmith who lived in the cave named JD McCambell built this Cades Cove Methodist church in 1902 in 115 days for only $115. later on Mr Mccambell went on to become minister for this church.
There were far more Baptist who lived in the cades cove than Methodist but there were enough to form a Methodist congregation in the 1820s. The original church which stood here was a simple log building.
A interesting note about the construction of this church is the fact that it used building plans from another church that separated the congregation by men and women. This is why there are one small door on each side of the church rather than one large door in the center which clearly shows in the picture of the church on this page. I also love the way this huge building is just balanced on a few local rocks.
The first black bear I have ever seen outside of a zoo was running in the field behind this church. When you continue on the tour there is a field now on the left where I have observed red fox on many occasions and was able to watch a coyote catch a buzzard while it was feeding on a squirrel. Always keep your eyes open when traveling the Cades Cove or any area withing the great Smoky Mountain National Park as you never know when you will run into wildlife.
Cades Cove fields, meadows, woods and mountains. This Cades Cove Methodist Church was built in 1902.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Stop 6
Before you have reached Hyatt Lane which is the 6th stop of the Cades Cove Tour, you have probably crossed at least 2 streams which overflow onto the road. While these crossing present no real danger, I do rate this road for hiking as boot condition rather than sneakers if your wish to keep your feet dry.
Hyatt Lane has been part of the Cades Cove transportation system for hundreds of years. It was first part of a Cherokee foot path that was used for hundreds of year before the first white settlers came into this area. Hyatt Lane cuts through open fields giving you an outstanding long range view, helpful to get an early morning sunrise shot with no obstructions.
As with Spark Lane you can use this 2 way road to either cut your tour short, or extend it by running back to this point form the south side of the valley.
As you first enter Hyatt Lane on the right side which is west, you will see a wooded "island" that is slightly elevated. While I don't recommend parking on the road during heavily traveled times, when it is quiet a short walk through the woods and you will experience one of the quietest areas of the Cove as well as numerous plants and wildlife. More often than not, the only people you will see on this jaunt will be those that came with you.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Stop 7
Comming up on the left you will find the last church we will see standing in Cades Cove the Missionary Baptist Church. The church that is now standing here was built in 1915, but the congregation was formed 1939 when members of the Primitive Baptist Church who wanted to do more missionary work were expelled from the Primitive Baptist Church. As with some of the other churches in Cades Cove, the congregation did not meet during the civil war. Confederate sympathizers who were members of the church however, never did return. Sunday school was held in this church from 1898 up until 1944.
A special treat for those who visit here from March into early April is a planting of daffodils that spell out "CO 5427" that can be seen between the church and Tater Branch Crossing. These daffodils were planted the Civilian Conservation Corps 5427th company in the 1930s as they were building trails, roads, and bridges throughout The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Majestic yet peaceful vistas surround Cades Cove. The Cades Cove Missionary Baptist Church of 1915.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Stop 8
Right across from the Missionary Baptist Church you will find the entrance to Rich Mountain Road. When Hyatt road was still a cherokee trail, this was part of the same trail which would take you to Tuckaleechee now called Townsend. This was one the main thoroughfares of the early Cades Cove residents. In the 1830s this road was improved to become a wagon road which lasted from almost 90 years when the State of Tennessee built this more substantial road.
The Rich Mountain Road (once called the Old Cades Cove Road) only runs one way - out of the park into Townsend. This unimproved road closes at dark and has no facilities lighting or shelter, however it can make for an interesting 1-1/2 or so slow ride. Road conditions dictate that no large trucks or campers are to use this road.
There are 2 areas where you get a nice view of the Cades Cove valley and one where you can look out to Townsend. There are also some trail heads on this road which lead onto quieter trails.
All in all Rich Mountain Road can be an interesting ride but if you are limited in your time in the park, I would suggest you avoid it as there are far more interesting places to spend your precious tome in the smokies!
Cades Cove Driving Tour Stop 9
The Cooper Road Trailhead is the next stop on our Cades Cove tour. While there is not room for many to park on the left the trail is usually quiet.
Cooper Road started out as a modest Indian trail until the 1830s when Daniel David Foute a wealthy land owner in the Cove made it part of his route to Maryville. Joe Cooper improved to road to be able to handle wagons in the 1840s. For residents of the Cove this road was the most direct route to Maryville.
This road is now a nature trail. While not a very rugged trail, what it lacks in spectacular scenery and waterfalls, it makes up in being accessible to many who could not handle a more rugged trail.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 1.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 2.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 3.
Cades Cove Driving Tour Part 4.
