Cades Cove Loop Lope Returns

Cades Cove Loop Lope Returns

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

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At the Knoxville Marathon last Sunday, the Knoxville Track Club announced that Friends of the Smokies is set to host the Cades Cove Loop Lope on Sunday, November 5, 2017 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). Billed as a “one-time-only” event in 2010, the park service approved the highly acclaimed foot race for a return to Cades Cove this fall.

“We are very excited to bring this race back to such a beautiful part of our national park,” said Jim Hart, Friends of the Smokies president. “This is a unique way to experience the splendor of the Cove and raise money to protect it for future generations at the same time.” This year, Friends of the Smokies will provide $1.4 million for critical park projects including more than $90,000 in historic preservation and wildlife management programs in Cades Cove.

For GSMNP Superintendent Cassius Cash, the race marks an opportunity to connect with the next generation of public lands stewards who are active in our national parks. “We are pleased to work with the Friends to offer this opportunity that supports the park and encourages people to use the park for fitness,” said Superintendent Cash. “The park provides an incredible setting for people to improve mind, body, and spirit.”

November’s Cades Cove Loop Lope will offer pre-registered runners a choice of the full 11 mile loop or a 3.5 mile loop course. Registration will open on August 1st and will be hosted by Knoxville Track Club, who will also be timing the race.

More details about this November’s race including cost and online registration will be posted to CadesCoveLoopLope.com in the coming weeks.

If you're considering a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains to do the race, or for any reason at any time this year, please help support HikingintheSmokys.com by supporting the sponsors on our Accommodations pages.
 






Jeff
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Cades Cove Loop Road reopening details

Cades Cove Loop Road reopening details

Thursday, April 22, 2010

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park announced details for the reopening of the Cades Cove Loop Road during two celebratory events on Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25. The park has implemented temporary measures and organized personnel to direct traffic and parking to make these events run as smoothly as possible.

On Saturday, the Loop Road will reopen only to bicyclists and pedestrians from sunrise (expected at 6:50 a.m.) to noon. Motor vehicles then will be permitted to travel the road starting at noon to sunset. They will not be allowed to arrive any earlier than noon.

During the morning hours, Park personnel will be stationed at the Townsend Wye to control traffic to the Cove. They will only allow those who will be recreating in and near the Cove, i.e., walkers, and campers/picnickers, and Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont participants, and will be turning away motorists who plan to tour the Loop Road to help alleviate traffic jams. Motorists will be directed to return at noon.

Visitors who plan to explore the Cove in the morning can expect to park in a field as a large number of people is expected. To accommodate visitors who would like to rent bicycles for the day, the Cades Cove Campground Store will open for business at 7 a.m. and will have available for rent multi-speed comfort or mountain bikes, in addition to single speed cruisers.

Several safety cautions and regulations should be noted while biking the Cove. Following these standard cautionary practices will make for a pleasant riding experience. Under Tennessee law, helmets are required for persons under 16 years of age, and it is recommended that all other riders wear helmets. Cyclists, particularly those with children, should maintain safe speeds especially on steep grades and around blind curves. Speed is the number one cause of bicycle accidents. Visitors should be aware that there are potentially hazardous situations along what appears to be mostly level land and with the newly paved smooth surface, it will be important to practice safe riding skills, especially if the road surface is wet from rain. Be prepared for changing weather conditions.

Park officials also expect traffic to be heavy when the road opens to motorists at 12 p.m. so people should be patient. With the opening of Cades Cove Loop Road, the one way Parson Branch Road will also be open. However, travelers who plan to exit the Cove onto Parson Branch Road must be aware that at its intersection with Route 129 they will only be allowed to travel south into North Carolina because a rockslide on Route 129 prevents travelers from heading north into Tennessee. Signage will be in place at the beginning of Parson Branch Road warning travelers of this change.

On Sunday, access to the cove will be restricted and limited to preregistered runners for the special Cades Cove Loop Lope event sponsored by the Friends of the Smokies. The Park expects about 380 runners to participate in this run. Registration for the run is now closed as all available parking has been taken up. Park officials, in partnership with the Friends and the Knoxville Track Club, is organizing this one-time event in recognition of the accomplishment of the long overdue road rehabilitation project. Park personnel will be staged at the Townsend Wye to facilitate traffic flow and allow only those participating in the run, as well as registered campers.

Right now, the forecast for Townsend calls for thunderstorms on Saturday, and partly cloudy skies on Sunday.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, hiking gear store, and more.

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Cades Cove expected to open one month early

Cades Cove expected to open one month early

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

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Great Smoky Mountains Superintendent Dale Ditmanson has announced that the popular Cades Cove Loop is expected to reopen Saturday, April 24, about a month earlier than had been projected. Ditmanson credits capable management and aggressive efforts by the contractor, APAC-Atlantic, Inc., Harrison Division, and the cooperation of the Federal Highway Administration, in conjunction with financial incentives built into the contract for the early completion.

In recognition of the completion of this long-overdue project and of National Park Week, the Park is planning two celebratory events. A Field Day has been set for Saturday, April 24 when only bicycles and pedestrians will be permitted on the road until noon. On Sunday morning, April 25 the Park and the Friends of the Smokies are planning a one-time-only “Cades Cove Loop Lope”, which will offer pre-registered runners a choice of the full 11 mile loop or a 3.5 mile loop course. Both events are being planned to minimize visitor inconvenience.

“We are really pleased to be able to get the Loop Road open earlier than planned, despite a much harder than average winter.” Ditmanson said. “We know how much our visitors look forward to including Cades Cove on the itinerary, and we are also sensitive to the impact that the closure has had on the tourism-driven economies in our gateway communities.”

Historically the Park has declined requests to permit foot and bicycle road races in the Cove, due to the heavy visitation that Cades Cove attracts and the knowledge that events of this nature would be very popular. In this instance, Park managers, in partnership with Friends of the Smokies, are organizing this one-time event in recognition of the first major facelift that the Loop Road has had since 1978.

The weekend’s activities also coincide with National Park Week, a nation-wide celebration in National Park areas when visitors are encouraged to get out and enjoy the great American outdoors.

The Park has traditionally limited the Loop Road to bicycles and pedestrians until 10 a.m. each Saturday and Wednesday from early May through September, but they have extended this one “bicycle closure” until noon to accommodate an anticipated greater number of people. They are also expanding the parking area available to Loop visitors through use of one of the mowed pastures, and will be limiting access to the Cove beyond the Townsend Wye to those coming to bike or walk until noon on Saturday the 24th of April.

Details for those interested in participating in Sunday’s run will be posted on the Friends of the Smokies website in the next several days, but it is expected that participants will have to pre-register. Participants are encouraged to ride share due to parking limitations; a maximum of 150 vehicle passes will be made available on a first come, first served basis. As with all funds raised by the Friends on behalf of the park, the event fee will go to support a wide range of Park programs. The run will step off at 8:00 a.m. so that the road can be re-opened to vehicles by 12 noon. Due to very limited parking at the beginning of the Loop Road, vehicle access past the Townsend “Wye” will be restricted to registered runners and campers until the race is over.

In addition to the road improvements, visitors to the Cove will also be able to view improvements to the Cades Cove Store and Bicycle rental facilities, which have taken place over the past several months.


Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com Detailed information on trails in the Smoky Mountains; includes trail descriptions, key features, pictures, video, maps, elevation profiles, news, and more.

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