Cades Cove is a lush valley surrounded by mountains in the Great Smokies. Deer are often sighted in the fields, and observations of other wildlife, including bear, Wild Turkey, and fox are frequent.
As for Wild Turkeys, these three seemed to be watching, and perhaps discussing, the traffic and tourist on the 11-mile-one-way scenic loop road which extends around the cove. Perhaps in November, with Thanksgiving and traditional turkey dinners on so many tables, they’ll not be so brazen. ;-)
I also experienced a couple of encounters with Black Bears while visiting Cades Cove — photos later.
Cades Cove is a truly beautiful mountain valley and as such is one of the most popular destinations in the Smoky Mountains. It’s a place where you’ll often see families in pick-up trucks creeping along the 11-mile scenic loop with the truck-bed full of children of all ages enjoying both nature and the adventure.
Man, those birds are huge!
They may be mostly feathers, Steve, but they do look big!
Hi, I have enjoyed your blog for several months. Just want you to know that you have “lurkers” out there.
Bob
Hi Bob, I’m glad there are “lurkers” out there and I certainly appreciate you taking time to say hello. Please feel free to comment anytime and I hope you continue to enjoy Meandering Passage.
Good catch, Earl, as they have the feathers in full display. You images are stirring the desires to go back there. :-)
Thanks, Monte. You ought to make that return one day.
That’s a fine shot of these posing turkeys. Very nice to get this with fanned tails like this.
Don, thanks it was pure chance.
First, my wife and I love the Smokies – we visit whenever our travels get us anywhere close to the place. But we’ve learned to avoid Cades Cove. For us, it’s always been an exercise in agony. Why? Because it’s a one-way loop where you can sometimes see wildlife (as you point out). Each time we’ve been in there we’ve wound up behind someone who had to stop every 100 feet or so to take a picture of or look at some small deer about 300 yards off in the distance. What the hell, people. Haven’t you ever seen deer before? Worse, these apparently are undefed, malnourished deer. If you want to see some “real” whitetail specimens, move to NY and if you live anywhere remotely rural you’ll have a whole herd of them wandering through your yard from time to time. In the winter, they’ll use your bushes and grass as their food supply. And these guys are big. I have a picture of one that had to weigh 250 pounds standing on my front porch happily eating the top half of a small tree.
The last time we were in Cades Cove we were behind a car with Georgia plates who wound up keeping us there for well over 2 hours. They finally pulled over far enough so that we could pass. He just kept stopping every time he saw a deer grazing off in the distance. Don’t they have any deer in Georgia?
If I ever wander into Cades Cove again, it will be on foot.
Paul, it’s certainly never been a fast trip through Cades Cove for me, but I can’t say I’ve ever experienced the level of frustration you relate here. I’m not sure what time of year your last visit occurred but then I avoid the most popular tourist seasons like the plague. During those periods it probably comes to a standstill for sure.
I had to laugh a bit at that last general situation — you put a New Yorker behind a Georgian on any road where passings not possible and there’s going to be some frustration. Even the clocks run a little slower down south. ;-)
April. We almost always visit the Smokies in April. It’s usually a stop-off on our way to Charleston. So it’s certainly not “high season” with respect to crowds. I’ve never understood why they didn’t create more pulloffs along the way on that loop. I have no problem with people wanting to take their time, but if I want to go a little faster, I should be able to.
Your “New Yorker behind a Georgian” statement really only applies to New Yorkers from New York City. Although you’re right – the clocks do run a little slower in the deep south. Personally, I like the “slower is better” approach to life. Unless, of course, I happen to be in Cades Cove!
Then perhaps I’ve been lucky not getting stuck behind anyone too slow. There did however seem to be a few more pull-overs this time then what I remembered and there were signs every little bit reminding slower driver to pull over and let others pass so it’s obviously an issue.
Have a good one, Paul!