Cades Cove Sightseeing Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
- 1–2 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Purchase only one tour per vehicle, not per person. Everyone listens together! Discover gorgeous natural scenery and rich history at Cades Cove, one of the most popular destinations in the Smoky Mountains. This scenic loop packs a ton of sights into a small space. Check out sparkling waterfalls, lush hiking trails, and historic churches all in one place! Plus, learn the fascinating history behind this cove, including how the Civil War once threatened to tear it apart. After booking, check your email/text to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action while connected to WiFi or mobile data. Enter the password, download the tour, and enjoy it offline. Follow the audio instructions and route from the designated starting point. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want. This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Inclusions
What's included
- Just bring your car and phone; the app guides your tour.
- Support is available via chat, email, or phone if you need help.
- Planning tools, route maps, scenic stops, and area previews included.
- Private tour experience for your family, in your own car.
- Lifetime access: use the tour anytime and keep it for future trips.
- Works offline with GPS route guidance and automatic audio stories.
- One purchase covers everyone in your car, not per person.
- Flexible tour: start, stop, and pause anytime during your trip.
- Access your tour in our separate audio tour app after booking.
- Hidden gems and local stories included along the route.
What's not
- No live guide. Entrance fees, parking, food, and car rental are separate.
Itinerary
The first landmark you'll encounter is the John Oliver Place, a historic homestead dating back to the early 1800s. Note: The tour is over 35+ miles long, with more than 40+ audio stories, and takes about 1-2 hours to complete. New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
Your tour of Cades Cove begins near the Sugarlands Visitor Center. From here, you'll drive down a scenic route to reach the main attraction: Cades Cove Loop.
Next up is the Primitive Baptist Church, one of three historic churches in Cades Cove which offers a window into the area's past.
Past that is the Methodist Church, which cost only $115 to build when it was constructed in 1902!
Then there's the Missionary Baptist Church, which split off from the Primitive Baptist Church during the early days of Cades Cove due to ideological divides.
Continuing on, you'll come to the Elijah Oliver Place, accessible via a half-mile trail. This secluded homestead once belonged to an abolitionist who found himself in grave danger when the Civil War broke out.
Up next is the Abrams Falls Trail, which takes hikers to a powerful waterfall hidden deep in the wilderness.
After that, you'll see the John Cable Grist Mill. This mill dates back to 1870 and you can still see it in operation today!
From the John Cable Grist Mill, you'll have the option to make a detour to the Henry Whitehead House. This pleasant cabin was actually built as a wedding gift!
Next on your route is Tipton Place, which was once home to a war hero of the American Revolution..
Finally, you'll come next to the Carter Shields Cabin, a staunchly abolitionist home that lost much during the Civil War. There are many stories that you'll hear along the way, including • A Cherokee Homeland • White Settlers Arrive in Cades Cove • Smokies Wildlife • The Cussing Cover • Last Family who lived in Cades Cove and more. Explore the captivating Great Smoky Mountains and the stunning Cades Cove by purchasing our special bundle that includes both destinations.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.2
- 553
- 48
- 34
- 22
- 111
Ratings come from 78 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Begin from 107 Sugarlands Visitor Center Loop Rd, Gatlinburg, TN. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOREVER, so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Travel with Action
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Check current road, trail, and weather conditions before your visit, as temporary closures may affect the tour route.
- A valid parking tag is required for vehicles parked for longer than 15 minutes anywhere within Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- There are no gas stations inside the park, so fill your tank before entering.
- Cades Cove Loop Road is closed to motor vehicles every Wednesday from May 6 through September 30, 2026, giving cyclists and pedestrians exclusive access.
- Laurel Falls Trail is currently closed for rehabilitation. Check current conditions before planning a visit to the trail.
- Easy to use: GPS-triggered audio plays automatically along the route for a hands-free experience.
How it compares in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Its from-price is 76% below the median of the 28 experiences we list in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- It is shorter than most of them.
- By number of reviews it ranks 7 of 28.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park spans misty, forested ridges on the Tennessee and North Carolina border and is the most visited park in the US.
The Great Smokies are part of the southern Appalachians, a range of rounded, forest-covered ridges named for the bluish haze that hangs over them. The park, which straddles the line between Tennessee and North Carolina, covers more than half a million acres and is listed by UNESCO. Clingmans Dome, at 2,025 metres the highest point in the park and in Tennessee, has an observation tower above the spruce-fir forest.
Top-ranked sights in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Newfound Gap, Mingus Mill.
See all 28 experiences in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Special offers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
