Around Townsend
Townsend sits right at the edge of the national park. The park boundary is about 2 miles from town, roughly a 4-minute drive, so most days can start in the park and end back at the house. Here’s where we’d send you.
Cades Cove is an 11-mile one-way loop that starts about 10 miles from town, around a 25-minute drive. Give yourself 2 to 4 hours; the loop is open sunrise to sunset. Go early, when deer and black bears work the fields at first light, and you’ll pass old cabins and churches along the valley. On many Wednesdays from May through September, the loop is vehicle-free for bikes and walkers (NPS).
In the warm months, the Little River fills up with tubes, and Smoky Mountain River Rat is right in town. Their Outpost A, about 0.8 miles away, runs a 2-mile float that takes about 2 hours, for ages 3 and up. Outpost B, about 1.6 miles away, is a 1-mile float of about an hour with stronger rapids, for ages 8 and up. The houses don’t provide tubes, so plan to rent. Farmhouse guests also have a private path down to the bank. The Barnhouse doesn’t include river access.
Try Little River Trail at Elkmont, about 16 to 17 miles away (38 to 45 minutes). The first 2.7 miles follow an old railroad bed, wide and fairly flat, so it’s a good one with kids. Closer to home, the Townsend greenway is a paved path along the Little River that runs 4.5 miles on each side of US-321. Check park conditions before you go.
The greenway runs right through town, so you can walk or bike to dinner. Peaceful Side Social is about 0.2 miles away, with pizza, plus ice cream Friday to Sunday. For soft serve, Burger Master is about 1.6 miles away and open in season. Then it’s back to the house for the hot tub. Hours change, so check before you go.
Staying at the Farmhouse? You can pick fruit right on the grounds. Blueberries peak mid-June through mid-July, pears mid-August to early September, and muscadines ripen mid-September into October. See the Farmhouse page for what grows there. You-pick is not included with the Barnhouse.
End the day in the hot tub or around the fire pit. From the Barnhouse cliffside deck, you can watch the stars over downtown Townsend. Bring a sweater. Townsend nights cool quickly even after a warm day.