Cades Cove

We frequently sojourn to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) in East Tennessee. In addition to its being the most visited NP in the nation, it is adjacent to the ultimate tourist traps of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. There is always lots to do and see. One of our favorite destinations in the area is Cades Cove.

The Cove is a multi-mile loop road filled with historic buildings, scenic landscapes, and wildlife. Tourist vehicles can be bumper to bumper, so each adventure can take awhile. The highlight of any trip to this destination is the search for wildlife. Most times we have seen lots of deer and turkey, and watched the saddle horses playing in the meadows after a long day of carrying tourists on trail rides. We had always heard of the many bear sightings. We just hadn't gotten lucky...yet.

In June of 2020, following  our two month plus quarantine during the height of the pandemic, we returned to this idyllic place for another try at seeing bears. We had invited another couple from church to stay with us in a condo in Pigeon Forge and explore the area for five days. Our first trip to Cades Cove, an hour distant, yielded exploration of some old churches and homesteads but no bear. We did see a lone turkey up close and personal. A couple of days later our luck changed.

Following attendance at several entertainment venues that included a Bible Times concert, Alcatraz East Crime Museum, Country Tonight Show, and the Titanic Museum, the wives decided an outlet mall shopping spree was in order. Not finding that to be a pleasant alternative, the husbands decided on a drive through the country. We began heading west on the Foothills Parkway. That was a relatively new scenic highway. Since that adventure was generally in the direction of Cades Cove, it inspired us once again to go bear hunting.

We drove through Townsend, the last vestige of civilization before the last few miles driving to the Cove. We looked for a bakery or ice cream shop but found none open. With the call of the wild filling our imaginations, we headed to the entrance to the Cove which is actually a part of GSMNP.

After about a dozen previous enterings that nearly always rewarded us with multiple deer sightings but never a bear, providence shined down on us as twilight approached. This time we saw eight bears consisting of a mother and cub(s) in three different spots. Some were even close enough to the road for decent pictures, though the grass was so high that it partially interfered with the photography. It was still exciting reminding me of viewing the moose, elk, grizzlies, wolves, dall sheep, mountain goats, bison herds, and other large mammals of the national parks in Alaska, Canada, and and the western United States.

Exploring God's creation via road trip is always an adventure. That June afternoon was just one more reminder of the Lord's handiwork. All we had to do was LOOK!