Wears Valley was originally called Wears Cove.  It is similar to Cades Cove,  a small valley that is up in the mountains and surrounded by mountains on all sides.  Wears Valley is approximately 4 miles long and about a mile across.  On one side is the Cove Mountain and the GSMNP,  Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Travel down the mountain to the east and find Pigeon Forge.  Go down the mountains to the west and you will run into Townsend Tn.  The close proximity to the national park,  attractions, and sights is what makes Wears Valley a favorite of local and visitor alike.

Two things that make Wears Valley popular with locals and visitors alike are;  the area has yet to be overly developed like Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg and still retains much of its appeal from yesteryear!  You can find a few restaurants and shops,  and even a couple gas stations but that pretty much the extent of it.  Take this fact and combine it with the second feature everyone likes,  which that it is centrally located between Pigeon Forge and Cades Cove,  Gatlinburg and Townsend, and parallel to the GSMNP,  it is a fairly close drive to anywhere in the Smokies!

Many of the residents in Wears Valley are descendants of the original settlers.  You might recognize the name of people and streets like Ownby, Husky, McCarter, Ogle, Hatcher and others!