Great Smoky Mountains National Park · North Carolina, Tennessee

Cove Hardwood Nature Trail

0.7 mi of trail, end to end · Hike Cove Hardwood Trail: 0.75 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · about 200 ft of climbing · 2,748 ft–2,953 ft · native surface · trail class Developed

Picnic areas

2,794 ft 2,802 ft · 0.5 mi high 2,953 ft

Along the way Chimneys Picnic Area

Trailhead Cove Hardwood Nature Trail Trailhead 2,739 ft Drive there

Hike Cove Hardwood Trail 0.75 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up

no dogs · entrance fee applies

A trail with wooden steps wandering through the woods, in the lower corner is a hiker icon.
Hike the 0.75 miles (1.2 km) roundtrip Cove Hardwood Trail loop Photo: NPS

Overview

Explore a forest of giants and wind through a lush mountainside on this iconic 0.75-mile loop hike. Cove hardwood forests are amongst the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, home to a multitude of trees, plants, and animals. This forest also tells a story of human settlement, logging, and regrowth, representing the resilience of the forests that make up the present-day park.

Expect to climb several sets of stairs and step over roots and rocks at the beginning of this loop trail, but once you reach the trail junction the terrain climbs more gently and ends with a gradual descent. Find solitude among the songbirds and streams. The vibrant flowers of spring, the lush green of summer, the parade of color in fall, and the peaceful hush of winter create a sense of an enchanted forest here in every season.

The trail begins in the Chimneys Picnic Area with stairs that wind up past the group picnic site and then transition to soil, roots, and rocks. The first section of the trail has two sets of steps (40 in total), but the trail becomes less steep for the rest of the hike. After the steps, approximately 700 feet from the trailhead, there is a junction with an arrow pointing to take the loop to the right. Follow the loop around until it begins to descend back to the junction. Turn right to return to the trailhead and parking area.

Length

0.75 miles (1.2 km) roundtrip

Parking & Trailhead

Seven parking spots next to the trailhead and additional parking available throughout the Chimneys Picnic Area . Don't forget your parking tag .

Nearest Restroom

Restrooms available seasonally at Chimneys Picnic Area .

Alternate Hikes

Smokemont Nature Trail

Cooper Road Trail

Pets The Gatlinburg Trail and Oconaluftee River Trail are the only two park trails where pets are permitted. Pets are also allowed in picnic areas, in campgrounds, and on roads.

Accessibility Trail includes some steep sections, stairs, and occasional roots/rocks.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 244 trails in Great Smoky Mountains National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.