The Autumn Glory by J & W Photography Via Flickr: Got up early in the morning and waited at the gate of Cades Cove. Still had time to cook instant coffee using our portable burner and enjoyed it in the cold morning. After a slow and long drive to the trail head, We managed to hiked 2.5 miles to get to this location. Being the first to be there, we had this entire popular scene to ourselves for almost an hour. What an remarkable experience!