There’s something special about choosing the slower road—especially when it leads you deep into the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While most of us will funnel into Cades Cove via the main entrance near Townsend, locals know there’s another way in. It’s quieter, more scenic, and filled with the kind of charm you just can’t rush. They call it “the back way” and the Old Walland Highway (or maybe the Old Townsend Highway, depending on your memory), is worth every curve.

Instead of the busy Townsend route, this journey begins near Walland, winding along Little River Road before climbing gently toward Foothills Parkway. Almost immediately, the pace changes as traffic thins and the views unfold, with rolling ridgelines stretching into the distance, bringing out blazing fall color or soft green spring canopies overhead. It goes by many homes on Little River, and it is the road to get to the Methodist Church youth camp known as Wesley Woods.  Currently, it is very popular for bicyclists because it is fairly flat and has little traffic.  To get on it, you turn left off of Highway 321 in Walland just before the post office and convenience market.  After crossing the bridge over Little River, you bear right and follow it all of the way to Townsend.  You get back on 321 on the North end of Townsend, just beyond the covered bridge, by turning right.

The curves move through forested stretches that feel untouched by time. It’s not uncommon to spot deer grazing near the roadside or catch a glimpse of a black bear slipping quietly into the woods. Pull-offs along the way offer perfect spots to pause, breathe, and take it all in.

Eventually, the road reconnects with the more familiar path into Cades Cove, but by then, you’ve already had an experience many visitors miss. When you arrive in the Cove, with its historic cabins, open fields, and sweeping mountain views, it feels less like a destination and more like the final chapter of a beautiful story.

So next time you’re headed to Cades Cove, skip the shortcut. Take the long way around. Because sometimes, the best part of the trip isn’t where you end up—it’s every curve that gets you there.

This column will explore adventures that are ‘Close to Home, Far from Ordinary,’ and if you have some to share, please send to news@knoxtntoday.com

Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram. Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.