Don’t Miss Wears Valley

Situated between Pigeon Forge and Townsend, Wears Valley is an elevated valley that provides an entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Don’t miss Wears Valley!

Wears Valley is located 11 miles from Pigeon Forge, 15 miles from Gatlinburg and 17 miles from Sevierville. It’s is a wonderful place to stay. It also has an elevation of 1,454 feet, as mountains rise up on all sides, Wears Valley is also known for its spectacular views of the park.

Hiking

Hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains near Wears Valley include some of our favorites and some of our favorite areas such as Cades Cove.

The many trails, which range from short and gentle to challenging, play host to waterfalls, caverns, monuments, a grist mill, and incredible natural life. Hikers might also see white-tailed deer, black bear, coyote, ground hog, turkey, raccoon, skunk, and many other animals.

Abrams Falls

The popular Abrams Falls Trail is a wide and well-traveled trail out to a 20-foot-high waterfall. The surrounding forest is mostly oaks and evergreens on the ridge and makes for a serene setting. At approximately 2.6 miles, hikers can turn left to the footbridge and come out to a beach area where they are able to observe the falls.

However, make sure to stay close to the beach and avoid the falls if you are tempted to cool off in the water. The unique geologic structure of this waterfall makes the pool incredibly dangerous for swimming. You can splash close to the beach or head downstream to enjoy deeper pools. Abrams Falls is approximately 5.2 miles round trip, so give yourself at least 6 hours to enjoy the walk.

Ace Gap

Ace Gap is located 3.5 miles from Townsend and it is one of the most peaceful trails in Cades Cove. It is 5 ½ miles with little altitude gain or loss. The trailhead is down Cades Cove Loop and up Rich Mountain Road. Near the trailhead, hikers pass Bull Cave, the largest cave in Cades Cove.

The bottom of the cave is 500 feet from the surface and beyond the cave the trail meanders five miles along the ridges of Rich Mountain to the place known as Ace Gap.

It is said that Ace Gap was so named for “card playing loggers that once congregated there. You will know you have come to Ace Gap when you come to an old railroad bed.”

During May, parts of the Ace Gap trail are strewn with pink Lady’s Slippers a large, showy wildflower that belongs to the orchid family. According to the National Park Service, all wildflowers in Cades Cove are protected by law. You cannot pick or dig for them but you may admire and photograph.

Anthony Creek Trail

Anthony Creek Trail starts at the beginning of the Cades Cove in the picnic area and goes three and a half miles up Bote Mountain for a 3,000-foot altitude gain. So, make sure to bring water and food on this strenuous hike. It also features the headwaters of Anthony Creek and goes by the horse camp.

Beard Cane Trail

Named for a cane variety that grows in Cades Cove where the terrain is moist, Beard Cane Trail is a relatively flat trail and an easy hike. It takes visitors down the hollow between Beard Cane and Hatcher mountains.

The Beard Cane trail is known for being beautifully strewn with wildflowers and flowering shrubs such as: polygala, trillium, rhododendron, and dog-hobble. Overhead trees such as oak, tulip, hemlock and maple are worth a look up. However, the trail can be very muddy after rains.

Laurel Falls Trail

Laurel Falls is one of the most popular sites in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is named for the mountain laurels. Laurels are the evergreen shrub that are prevalent throughout the Cades Cove region and blooms along the trail each year.

This waterfall is 80-feet tall and has an upper and lower section divided by a walkway that crosses over the stream of the upper falls.

From Sugarlands Visitor Center, you can turn toward Cades Cove on Little River Road and drive 3.5 miles to the trailhead. There are parking areas on both sides of the road.

Laurel Falls Trail is 2.6 miles round trip and moderate difficulty. On average it takes about 2 hours to hike to the waterfall and back.

Hannah Mountain Trail

If you want a full day and possibly an overnight camp, try the Hannah Mountain trail, which runs high along a ridge over Cades Cove. Beginning at Sam’s Gap, Hannah Mountain Trail continues nine and a half miles to Abrams Creek.

This trail is known for its beautiful views of Cades Cove from the grazing land on the crest of Hannah Mountain. Check out the enormous tulip tree two miles from the trailhead. It stands majestically on the right, measuring ten feet in circumference.

The Hannah Mountain trail has an enjoyable atmosphere, with good even footing and historical significance.

Check out more trails near Wears Valley here. And check out our Hiking in Cades Cove blog post.

More than 11 million people visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park each year, and nearly 4 million of them choose a trip to Cades Cove for its beauty, history, and wildlife.

Historical Significance in Wears Valley

Headrick’s Chapel

Headricks Chapel in Wears Valley is a historic building that offers a glimpse back in time.

Headricks Chapel is located on US 321 through Wears Valley in Sevier County and is another great reason to not miss Wears Valley.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the chapel has served four Baptist and Methodist congregations during most of the 19th century.

At one point, funeral services had priority over other services, and the chapel’s bell would ring once for every year of the deceased’s life. This tradition still observed by the inhabitants of Wears Valley.

The chapel itself is a small white frame building. Constructed in 1901 on land donated by Peter Headrick (1851-1927).

The chapel has a steep metal roof containing a belfry while inside the church are well-worn wooden pews. The choir seating consists of cane bottom chairs while the pulpit is covered with a lace doily and contains a large Bible. The property, on which the church is located, was given for use by four different Christian denominations: Primitive Baptist, Missionary Baptist, M.E. Church, and the M.E. Church South.

Three generations of Headrick family are buried in the cemetery.