Activities in the Townsend Area and near our Townsend Tn Cabins
All of our Townsend cabin rentals are located mere minutes away from Cades Cove and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Scenic Foothills Parkway. You could spend your whole vacation exploring those places and you still wouldn’t see all the sites! But if you want to do something a little closer to your home away from home, here are some of my favorite things to do within walking distance of our cabin rentals.
Fishing
There’s nothing better than relaxing by the Little River and catching a fish while you do it! It goes better if you know a little bit about trout and where and how to fish for them, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get lucky. The Little River is stocked with rainbow trout, but you might also find bream and “redeyes”, as we call them in there also. If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend “Frontier Anglers” & “Little River Outfitters”
Tubin’
If you come to Townsend Tn from May through September, you will see people floating down the little river on intertubes. We call it Tubin’. Back when we were kids, we used to go to the tire store and get an old tube, or, if we were really lucky, we’d get a tube out of an airplane tire. Now you can rent tubes in numerous places here in Townsend. Most places will shuttle you up and down the river so all you have to do is drive up to their office and they will do the rest. Or, if you prefer, you can just rent the tubes and drive up to a public access point on the river.
Floating down the little river is relaxing, but be sure to hold on if the current speeds up. Just make sure to allow plenty of time to do it as it can take a while to make your way down the river. Be smart! If there has been a big rain or recent flooding, stay out of the water.
Caving
We also have Tuckaleechee Caverns, a local cave you can explore. It has been an attraction as long as I can remember. It’ll take a couple of hours to get through, but it’s well worth it!
Swimming
There are plenty of places to swim! Just a short walking distance away from three of our Townsend cabins lies the “Emert Bluff” Swimming Hole. It has wide, deep hole to swim in and an old fashioned tree swing that we used to use as kids. There are also more public access sites up the river and in the National Park. You might want to try “the Y” for swimming and tubing. This is where the highway splits and one side goes toward Gatlinburg and the other goes toward Cades Cove.
Horseback Riding
There are several stables in Townsend where you can ride horses. All are just a short drive from all of our Townsend cabin rentals.
Hiking
Boy, have we got some trails for you! Trails, trails, and more trails– all located just minutes away in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can pick up all the info you want about it at the rangers station at Cades Cove.
Townsend Bike Trail
If you can bring your bikes you will surely want to ride the bike trail that runs from one end of Townsend to the other. The bike trail is about five miles long, and very easy and for all. Mom and Dad, bring the kids’ bikes! They will love it. Added bonus? You can wear them out so you two can have some time for yourselves when they crash! You can also ride though Cades Cove on Wednesdays and Saturdays, sunrise to 10 am from mid May through mid September.
Shopping
Townsend is just a short drive from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Both of those cities are bursting with unique activities, shops, restaurants, and shows. Spend a day in the city, then come back to your cabin to unwind.
Winter
Winter is a great time to visit Townsend and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There’s not much traffic, the area is less crowded, and the area is yours to explore. Winter is our off season, so if you like having space to yourself, crisp cool air, and a little snow every now and then, give us a call. Keep an eye on the website because we’ll occasionally offer lower rates.