Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community Near Cades Cove

The Smokies have always been shaped by people who could make useful things with their hands—and make them beautiful at the same time. Visitors who want to see that tradition carried forward should know about the Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community. It is not in Cades Cove; it follows an eight-mile loop through the Glades area of Gatlinburg, on the other side of the park from the Townsend approach to the Cove.

What visitors will find

Studios and shops along Glades Road, Buckhorn Road, and East Parkway feature pottery, woodwork, painting, jewelry, fiber arts, and other handmade work. Because participating businesses and hours can change, consult the community’s current directory before traveling.

Why it still belongs in a Cades Cove journey

The shops are not part of the Cades Cove Loop, but the work connects naturally with what visitors learn in the Cove: self-reliance, skilled hands, local materials, and traditions passed from one generation to another. Give the arts loop its own place in a Gatlinburg day rather than expecting to find it along the Cades Cove drive.

Planning tips

• Check individual studio hours before visiting.
• Allow time for traffic between Gatlinburg and Cades Cove.
• Do not describe Gatlinburg shops as being inside the national park.
• Use current transit information if you intend to ride a Gatlinburg trolley.

For the historic structures actually located in the Cove, visit our Cades Cove History guide. For navigation, use our Cades Cove maps.

Sources

• Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community: History and location
• Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau: History and culture