Bike the Parks

Watch the rides / Great Smoky Mountains

Cades Cove Loop Road

A one-way paved loop around a mountain valley of cabins, churches and meadows, car-free on summer Wednesdays.

0.0 mi – ft 0% grade 0.0 mph 0m 0 W
Ride it at home

12 0 mi 10.7 mi 1,933 ft 1,711 ft 12 0 mi 10.7 mi 1,933 ft 1,711 ft
  • Easy (under 3%)
  • Moderate (3–6%)
  • Hard (6–9%)
  • Very steep (9% and up)

Ride it at home

Pair a smart trainer and ride this route from home. The resistance follows the climbs, the dot moves at your speed, and the park's warnings pop up as you reach them.

Difficulty sets how steep the climbs feel on the trainer: 100% is the real grade. Your speed on the map always uses the real grade and your weight.

Power
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Cadence
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Speed
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Time
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Distance
0.0 of 10.7 mi

Watch-outs on this ride

Numbered on the map and the profile. Park notes come from Great Smoky Mountains's own NPS pages; steep sections are measured from the elevation data.

  1. Car-free Wednesdays

    The loop is closed to motor vehicles all day every Wednesday from May 6 to September 30, 2026. Other days, expect very heavy summer and autumn traffic.

    Park note, mile 0.0

  2. No services on the loop

    Little cell coverage and no services on the loop: carry water, food, a first-aid kit and tools. Give black bears and elk plenty of room.

    Park note, mile 6.3

Route traced on OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); elevation from Mapzen/AWS Terrain Tiles. Grades are worked out over about 200 m from public elevation data and can be off by a percent or two, more on tight switchbacks. Check the Great Smoky Mountains guide and the park's own page for current rules and closures before you ride.

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