Laurel Creek Road: Scenic Drive from Townsend to Cades Cove

About

Laurel Creek Road is the scenic two-lane highway that connects Townsend, Tennessee, to Cades Cove within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This roughly 7-mile stretch of road winds through dense forest along Laurel Creek, offering a beautiful and peaceful drive that serves as the gateway to one of the most visited areas in the entire national park system. The road is the primary access route to Cades Cove from the Townsend entrance.

The drive follows Laurel Creek through a narrow valley flanked by ridges on both sides. In spring, wildflowers line the roadside and the creek runs high with snowmelt. Fall brings a tunnel of color as hardwoods turn gold, orange, and red overhead. Wildlife is frequently spotted along this corridor, including white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and occasionally black bears foraging near the road edges. Several small pulloffs allow drivers to stop for photos or simply take in the scenery.

Laurel Creek Road is free to drive as part of the national park, and no reservations or timed entry permits are required for this section. The road can close temporarily during winter weather events when snow or ice makes conditions unsafe. It connects to the Cades Cove Loop Road at its western end, where visitors can continue onto the famous 11-mile one-way loop. Driving Laurel Creek Road in the early morning, when mist hangs in the valley and traffic is light, is one of the most serene experiences available on the Townsend side of the park.

Did You Know

• Laurel Creek Road follows a route that was originally a Cherokee trading path through the mountains (Great Smoky Mountains Association).
• The road provides the only vehicle access to Cades Cove from the Townsend side of the park (National Park Service).
• Laurel Creek is a tributary of Little River and supports native brook trout populations (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency).
• The road can close temporarily during winter storms, so checking park road conditions before driving is recommended (NPS).
• Early morning drives along Laurel Creek Road offer the best chance of spotting wildlife, especially deer and wild turkeys (Great Smoky Mountains Association).