Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run

Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run will get your motor running! The area’s largest automotive event will feature top 25 awards, ultimate 5 awards, a huge cash giveaway and a swap meet with hundreds of cars! Fans will enjoy free parking at LeConte Center.

Set up days will be April 5th and 6th. Show hours will occur between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on the 6th and 7th and 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 9th. The award ceremony will be in the Greenbrier Room at LeConte Center Saturday at 5:00 p.m. Don’t forget to preregister for the $8,000.00 cash giveaway Friday at 5:00 p.m.

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Cades Cove Buffalo Herd Stampede

Cades Cove Buffalo Herd Stampedes through the valley. Millions of visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were treated to a very special surprise. The largest herd of buffalo in the south eastern United States, over 2,000 strong, were recently released from a nearby holding facility. The herd wasted no time reclaiming their historical range in the Smoky Mountains.

“We are thrilled the buffalo have returned to the safety of the National Park,” said park official G. Howie Lyes. “No living person has had the privilege of viewing the buffalo in the their historical natural habitat until now!”

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The Cades Cove Experience in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The 6,800-acre valley comprising Cades Cove, one of the most visited areas of the park, provides a glimpse of a bygone mountain lifestyle. Travel in your car or truck (no RVs or commercial vehicles) on a one-way, 11-mile paved loop road. Sightings of deer, turkeys, black bears, coyotes, ground hogs, raccoons, butterflies, and other animals are exciting and common.

Those seeking an out-of-the-vehicle experience may enjoy cycling the loop or hiking the many trails found in Cades Cove. One of the most popular hikes is to the picturesque Abrams Falls. Midway of the loop, the Cades Cove Visitor Center, home to the John Cable Grist Mill, the Gregg-Cable House, a Cantilever Barn and other farm buildings, is the perfect place to pause. Grassy meadows and banks of the babbling stream provide great picnic venues. Graveyards, located beside several historic churches in the cove, bear mute testament to early residents.

 Cades Cove Need to Know

  • The path into the cove is open from sunrise to sunset year-round.
  • It can sometimes take more than four hours to complete the 11 mile one-way loop during the busy summer and fall seasons, and on most weekends. Sparks Lane and Hyatt Lane offer shortcuts out of the cove.
  • The road is closed to motor vehicles each Wednesday each May to late September.
  • The loop is closed to cars until noon each Saturday in December to allow bicyclists and hikers a quiet journey. Bike rentals available at the Campground Store. Enjoy an ice cream cone from the Campground Store too!
  • Cades Cove Riding Stable offers guided trail rides on horseback, hayrides, and carriage rides from early March through late November. For more information and prices, visit CadesCoveStables.com or call 865-448-9009.
  • A self-guiding booklet is available for a small fee at the Orientation Shelter at the beginning of the loop.
  • Cades Cove Picnic Area has charcoal grills for cooking or consider packing a basket for a picnic in the cove. Don’t forget a blanket and chairs.
  • Please pack out all your trash!
  • Bring binoculars for optimal wildlife viewing.

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Bears in Great Smoky Mountains | What You Need to Know


With the tourist season in full swing and a record number of visitors to the Smoky Mountains last year, the opportunities for an encounter with the Smoky’s most iconic symbol have increased as well. Approximately 1,800 black bears live in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

There are a few things that visitors and locals alike need to know regarding black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains.

For many, spotting a bear is the most exciting part of their vacation in the Smokies. And rightly so, the majestic creatures are truly a sight to behold and their furry cuteness creates some sort of romantic notion about their gentleness. However, bears in the Great Smoky Mountains Park are wild creatures and can be dangerously unpredictable. At speeds of 30 mph, black bears can outrun, outclimb, and outswim humans.

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