Cades Cove Visitor Center

The Cades Cove Visitor Center sits about halfway around the 11-mile, one-way Cades Cove Loop Road, next to the historic Cable Mill. Indoor and outdoor exhibits show Southern mountain life and culture, and the Cable Mill, a grist mill that runs from spring through fall, and the Becky Cable house are right beside it. A Great Smoky Mountains Association bookstore and restrooms are inside the building. It is a popular stop on the loop, where visitors watch for deer and black bears, and a good place to ask about wildlife viewing and trails to Abrams Falls. The center is open daily except Christmas Day, with doors opening at about 9 a.m.