Cove (Appalachian Mountains) facts for kids

Miller's Cove in Tennessee is a great example of a cove, which is a valley surrounded by mountains.

In the central and southern Appalachian Mountains of Eastern North America, a cove is a special kind of small valley. It's usually found between two mountain ridges and is closed off at one or both ends. Think of it like a hidden bowl or a sheltered nook in the mountains.

You can find many places named "cove" in the Appalachians. Some examples include Morrison Cove in Pennsylvania and Lost Cove, North Carolina. There's also Bumpass Cove, Tennessee, and several spots near the Sequatchie Valley in Tennessee and Alabama. The Great Smoky Mountains are famous for coves like Cades Cove, Greenbrier Cove, and Wears Cove. Burke's Garden in western Virginia is another well-known cove.

What are Limestone Coves?

Some coves have a unique geological story. They are formed when erosion wears away the top layers of rock. This process exposes older limestone rock underneath.

Cades Cove and Wears Cove in Tennessee are good examples of these limestone coves. The limestone helps create very rich and fertile soil at the bottom of these valleys. This makes them great places for plants to grow.

Discovering Cove Forests

A beautiful cove forest near Baxter Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains.

A cove forest is a special type of deciduous forest that grows in these Appalachian mountain coves. These forests are unique to the Appalachian Mountains. They are a part of the larger Appalachian–Blue Ridge forests.

Cove forests are usually found in protected spots at lower to middle elevations. They are known for having a huge variety of plants and animals. Many different tree species grow tall here, forming a thick canopy.

Trees and Plants in Cove Forests

Some common trees you might see in a cove forest include American basswood and tulip poplar. You'll also find sugar maple, red maple, and yellow birch. Other trees like beech, white ash, and eastern hemlock are also common.

Smaller trees that grow beneath the main canopy, called understory trees, include Carolina silverbell and eastern redbud. For flowering shrubs, look for colorful rhododendron, flame azalea, and mountain laurel.

Animals in Cove Forests

Cove forests are also home to many different animals. You'll find a wide variety of salamanders, birds, and small mammals living in these rich habitats. The abundance of plants provides plenty of food and shelter for them.

Cove Forests in the Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains are especially famous for their well-developed cove forests. About 72,000 square kilometers (27,800 square miles) of these forests are still old-growth. This means they have been growing for a very long time without much human disturbance.

These forests are often categorized into different types based on their location and soil. For example, some are found in protected coves with nutrient-rich soils at higher elevations. These areas often have lush plant life, including plants that like neutral to alkaline soils. Other types of cove forests grow on different kinds of soil or at lower elevations.