A half-mile, paved trail designated the John Oliver Cabin Accessible Trail has been opened in Cades Cove. The trail is around 8-ft. wide so as to allow adequate space for wheelchairs or other mobility devices to pass one another.
“The work of making our parks more accessible for all is so important,” Superintendent Cassius Cash said. “Now all visitors have the opportunity to leave the roadway and be more fully immersed in the Cades Cove story through a trail experience within the historic landscape.”
Located near the beginning of the Cades Cove Loop Road, the John Oliver Cabin was built in the early 1820’s by John and Lucretia Oliver, the first permanent white settlers of Cades Cove.
“The new trail provides a pathway for all to experience the natural wonder and history of Cades Cove,” President and CEO of the National Park Foundation Will Shafroth said. “Thanks to the initiative of Friends of the Smokies and support from NPF and our donors, more people will be able to access and to share the beauty of this place.”
Funding for the project was made possible through a $150,000 donation provided by the National Park Foundation and a $57,000 donation provided by the Friends of the Smokies, according to the park.
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