Cades Cove Loop Lope

Cades Cove Loop Lope is a November footrace in Cades Cove, inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Townsend, Tennessee. It is the only organized footrace held inside the park, and runners choose either a 5K or a USATF-certified 10-mile loop. The field is small for such a special setting, capped at roughly 750 to 800 runners, and entries usually sell out quickly after registration opens in early June. The race is organized by Friends of the Smokies, and all money raised goes back into park work such as historic preservation, wildlife conservation, and native plant and grassland restoration. Getting into Cades Cove is part of the logistics: vehicle passes are limited, so carpooling matters. People who cannot get a spot or cannot travel can still support the park through a virtual option, with a shirt and finisher medal mailed to them, though virtual runners are not eligible for awards.