Cades Cove seems to me to be what the Great Smoky's is all about. In this area people are intruding, but it feels like that in most National Parks to me. Anyway, Cades Cove is simply gorgeous. We woke up very early to travel across the park road to Cades Cove. We didn't manage to make it before sunrise, but we were close. Cades Cove is gated and not open all the time, so when we got there, we had to wait until the rangers opened the gate. Immediately, I was struck by the beauty of the place. It is just a short drive into the section of the park before I saw a field filled with deer. The animals there are so unconcerned with who is watching them. The people mean no harm, and the animals are not afraid. In the morning light, the deer looked so peaceful and serene- like they had no cares in the world.

Across the road is a field of horses. When I looked closer, there were also deer hiding in that fence. We paused for a few photos--that was the whole point of the trip--and then continued on farther into the park. We came to the John Oliver Cabin next, and it is a very short hike back into the woods. It was almost as if you could feel the history running through the walls of that cabin. It has a creek, woods, trails, and the cabin, and the whole area is very photogenic. We spent the majority of the morning in that area, taking the time to expore the cabin and surrounds and then turning and seeing the 'smoke' in the mountains.

Farther along the Cades Cove Loop Road, we came to the Baptist Church. As we were sitting in the parking lot, one of us spotted a pileated woodpecker in the trees, which allowed for even more photos. To me, the church is worth the short drive off the main loop road because of the small cemetery beside it. History just resonates through this place. Although we passed many other places, including another Oliver Cabin (this time Elijah), the next place that really stood out to me was the Cable Mill area. This is a larger area, including a visitor center that shows how a mill would work.

There are other working farm areas and plenty of traditional demonstrations. The Visitor's Center has many souvenirs of the area, including some homemade jams and jellies. (YUM!) Always available are postcards, pictures, and plenty of books about the area.