![]() ![]() Slippery rocks around the falls require extra caution, and sturdy boots. Although it looks inviting and I've seen people do it, avoid swimming in the pool below the falls - the park service warns that people have drowned here due to strong currents and an undertow. The moderate 5-mile round-trip hike to Abrams Falls begins at Cades Cove Loop Road. Always use extreme caution when walking and climbing on rocks near waterfalls. You can even walk right up to the side of the waterfall to get up close, but the rocks are perpetually wet from spray so extremely slippery. It's possible to walk all around and get shots from different angles, although that will require some rock hopping and climbing on wet rocks. The waterfall itself is only about 20 feet high, but has heavy water flow even during dry times and makes for good photo opportunities. The trail is very scenic as it never strays far from Abrams Creek and there are some very nice views along the way. It's mostly downhill going to the falls, so uphill going back, although it's never particularly steep. The trail is easy to follow, but its a natural-surface trail, so expect roots, rocks, and a few moderately steep section. It immediately crosses Abrams Creek and then follows the creek downstream for about 2.5 miles to the falls. The trail begins at the parking lot off Abrams Falls Road, just off the Cades Cove Loop Road before reaching the visitor center. The hike to the falls is 5 miles round trip and moderate in difficulty. We started hiking to the falls before 9 and had the waterfall to ourselves for a half-hour or so, but saw lots of people heading to the falls on the hike back. ![]() It's a popular attraction in perhaps the most popular part of the park so come early if you want to beat the crowds. Call (877) 444-6777 or visit to reserve a site.Abrams Falls is a beautiful waterfall in the Cades Cove area of the park. ![]() Located half-way around the loop road in the Cable Mill historic area.Longer hikes to Thunderhead Mountain and Rocky Top (made famous by the popular song) also begin in the cove. Numerous trails originate in the cove, including the five-mile roundtrip trail to Abrams Falls and the short Cades Cove Nature Trail. White-tailed deer, black bears, coyotes, turkeys and other wildlife are frequently spotted in the open valley of Cades Cove. Full color topo map and elevation charts. Pick up the self-guiding tour booklet available at the entrance to the loop road for information about the buildings you'll see in the cove and the people who lived here. Map and guide with descriptions of the 9 best day hikes in the Cades Cove area. Scattered along the loop road are three churches, a working gristmill, barns, log houses, and many other faithfully restored eighteenth and nineteenth century structures. Cades Cove offers the widest variety of historic buildings of any area in the national park. By 1830 the population of the area had already swelled to 271. The first Europeans settled in the cove sometime between 18. For hundreds of years Cherokee Indians hunted in Cades Cove but archeologists have found no evidence of major settlements. While driving the loop road, please be courteous to other visitors and use pullouts when stopping to enjoy the scenery or view wildlife.Īn inexpensive self-guiding tour booklet available at the entrance to the road provides a map and information about the cove.Ĭardinal flowers blooming beside the Tipton Place. Traffic is heavy during the tourist season in summer and fall and on weekends year-round. Allow at least two to four hours to tour Cades Cove, longer if you walk some of the area's trails. On these days, the 11-mile loop can be enjoyed on foot or bicycle.Īn 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace. Stay on Little River Road for about 25 miles, and you will reach the end. ![]() You will pass the Sugarlands Visitor Center on the right, and then you will make a right turn onto Little River Road. To get to the Loop Road, just follow the Parkway through downtown Gatlinburg and enter the national park. Vehicle-free access along the Cades Cove Loop Road takes place each Wednesday, from May 3 through September 27, 2023. Cades Cove is located just south of Gatlinburg. Large numbers of white-tailed deer are frequently seen, and sightings of black bear, coyote, ground hog, turkey, raccoon, skunk, and other animals are also possible. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in the park. Even turkeys have been known to attack humans in the Smokies, so be a friend to wildlife, and keep your distance.Ĭades Cove is a broad, verdant valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. Are you too close? Approaching wildlife endangers both humans, and the wildlife they're getting to close to for that ultimate photo. ![]()
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