Transportation and Parking
CLICK HERE for Townsend Visitors Center Field GPS
A limited number of parking reservations for onsite access for the 2024 Cades Cove Loop Lope will be sold when registration opens. Vehicle passholders will be exempt from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park parking tag requirement during the duration of the event. Registrants who do not purchase a vehicle access pass must either carpool with a passholder they know or utilize the group transportation option from the Townsend Visitors Center. Registrants who wish to recreate in Great Smoky Mountains National Park following the event must display a valid parking tag which may be purchased in Cades Cove for $5.
No vehicle without a vehicle reservation will be admitted past the Townsend Wye on race day until after 11:00 a.m. All reservation holders must show their site access pass at the checkpoint at the Townsend Wye in order to enter Cades Cove on race day. This means there are no drop-offs and pick-ups allowed for participants.
Non-Passholders
1) Meet at the designated parking field at the Townsend Visitors Center
2) Buses will arrive at 6:00 a.m. The first bus will leave when it is full. The last bus will leave at 6:30 a.m. Do not arrive prior to 5:30 a.m. as our volunteers will not be ready to receive you.
3) Watch for volunteers to direct you. ***A parking map with instructions and GPS link will be emailed prior to the race.
4) It will be dark so please bring a flashlight or head lamp for your walk from the field to the bus loading area.
5) Each bus will make one trip in and one trip out. We cannot guarantee any certain departure time from Cades Cove after you finish.
6) It is unlikely you will ride in and out on the same bus so please do not leave personal items on the bus. There is a coat/bag check at the Cades Cove Amphitheater.
Vehicle Reservation Passholders:
1) If you purchased a parking reservation access pass, you will pick it up with your packet at packet pick up. Please have it handy when you approach the Townsend Wye intersection so that you can show it to the Park Ranger who will be at the checkpoint.
2) Do not arrive before 6:15 a.m., as volunteers and Park Rangers may not be in place to assist you before that time.
3) When you get to the entrance of Cades Cove there will be a park employee or park volunteer to direct you to the parking area. Please be courteous to them; we could not do this race without them.
4) You may be asked to park on uneven terrain. If your vehicle has low clearance, be aware of your surroundings.
5) It will be dark so please bring a flashlight or headlamp for your walk from the parking area to Coat Check (Cades Cove Amphitheater) or the Start Line.
6) There is approximately a 0.5 mile walk from the parking area to the coat check station. There is approximately a 0.5 mile walk from the parking area to the start line. They are in opposite directions from one another.
