Cades Cove
Scenic drive · Tennessee
An 11-mile one-way loop circles this pastoral valley ringed by 5,000-foot peaks in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where October brings elk bugling in the fields and yellow poplar and sourwood coloring the surrounding slopes.
Don’t miss
Peak: October 20–October 24
Color builds from October 13 · mostly bare by November 14
Sampled at Cades Cove’s own coordinates and elevation (526 m) rather than a regional average.
This window comes from 19 weather points across Tennessee, nudged 1 day earlier to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Against Tennessee's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 7 days earlier. How the forecast works
When to go to Cades Cove
You get about 18 days of color here, from the first turn through to roughly October 31. Against Tennessee overall, that is 11 days earlier. Height explains the gap, since this sits at 1,726 ft. The elevation is 1,726 ft, which pulls the turn earlier.
Cades Cove on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of Tennessee, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
More things to do in Tennessee
Leaves & views
Farms & harvest
Frequently asked
- When does Cades Cove peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for October 20–October 24 (best estimate October 22). Color starts around October 13 and is mostly bare by November 14.
Own or manage Cades Cove? Update your listing or get in touch.