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Cades Cove, Tennessee fall foliage
In a typical year, fall color in the Cades Cove area peaks around October 28, with the best viewing from roughly October 26 to November 4.
- Typical peak
- October 28
- Best viewing
- Oct 26 – Nov 4
- Color starts
- Around Oct 16
- Leaves mostly down
- Around Nov 10
- Elevation
- 1,750 ft
2026 foliage season
Typical season
Peak around October 28. Turn on JavaScript to see today’s estimated status and the five-week outlook.
The season at a glance
Bar height shows how good the viewing typically is on each day, from September 1 through November 30. Colors show the stage, from green through peak red to bare.
Open Cades Cove on the foliage mapWhere to see the color around Cades Cove
Cades Cove is a broad, open valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, surrounded by forested mountains. Because the valley is mostly fields and meadows, it is one of the best places in the park to see wildlife, including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and black bears, so keep your distance from any animals you see. Historic churches, log cabins, and a historic grist mill are scattered around the valley, and the trail to Abrams Falls starts along the loop.
Scenic drive
The Cades Cove Loop Road is an 11-mile, one-way loop around the valley, with the mountains rising on every side. To get there from Gatlinburg, Little River Road follows the Little River through the park to the Townsend area, and Laurel Creek Road leads the rest of the way into the cove. The Foothills Parkway, nearby, runs along the edge of the park with long views across the Smokies.
If you arrive too early or too late
Too early? Still mostly green
Head higher
Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome), TN (18 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 20 days earlier, and Highlands, NC (51 miles away, higher up) typically peaks about 10 days earlier.
Too late? Already past peak
Head lower
Chattanooga, TN (93 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 6 days later, and Atlanta, GA (132 miles away, lower down) typically peaks about 6 days later.
National park and forest guide
Nearby destinations
- Kuwohi (Clingmans Dome), TNTypical peak Oct 8, 20 days earlier. 18 miles away.
- Gatlinburg, TNTypical peak Oct 30, 2 days later. 19 miles away.
- Pigeon Forge, TNTypical peak Oct 31, 3 days later. 19 miles away.
- Knoxville, TNTypical peak Oct 31, 3 days later. 26 miles away.
- Highlands, NCTypical peak Oct 18, 10 days earlier. 51 miles away.
Trees you’ll see turning
Common questions
When is peak fall foliage in Cades Cove?
In a typical year, fall color in the Cades Cove area peaks around October 28, with the best viewing from roughly October 26 to November 4. Weather can shift the timing by about a week either way.
How long does peak color last in Cades Cove?
Near-peak color usually holds for about 10 days. Color starts to show around October 16, and most leaves are down by about November 10.
Is Cades Cove early or late compared with the rest of Tennessee?
Cades Cove peaks close to the middle of the Tennessee season, about Oct 29 on average across the 8 Tennessee destinations we track.
What trees color up around Cades Cove?
The main fall color in this area comes from red maple, sourwood, tulip tree, and shagbark hickory. See the leaf guide to identify them.
Estimates come from the Leaves.com model of typical years, based on latitude, elevation, and distance from large bodies of water. They are not live observations. How it works.