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Abrams Falls Trail

Tallassee, Tennessee

4.8/5
based on 8 reviews

Details

Distance

4.96 miles

Elevation Gain

625 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Jon King

Abrams Falls is arguably the most scenic waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

One of the biggest perks of hiking Abrams Falls is the drive to get there. The trailhead is located approximately 5 miles into the scenic Cades Cove Loop. Cades Cove is an adventure in itself. Keep your eye out for black bears, deer and wild turkey. If you are taking the self guided auto tour, Abrams Falls Trail is located just after stop #10. Turn right on the gravel road and park in the large parking lot.

Just after the trailhead, keep left at the first junction towards Abrams Falls. The trail is well marked and maintained. You'll follow Abrams Creek for the majority of the hike. Although you gain 675 feet in elevation, the trail feels fairly level for most of the way. Once you reach the waterfall, pick a spot to picnic, relax and take in the scenery. Remember to leave no trace!

Abrams Falls is only 20 feet high but has the feel of a massive waterfall due to it's high volume of water. The pool at the base of the falls may look tempting to swim in. However, the National Park Services strongly discourages this. Visitors have drowned in this area due to the powerful current and undertow.

Abrams Falls is one of the most popular hikes in the park. It's always a bummer to reach your destination only to find a crowd of people. We hiked on a weekday in April and were lucky enough to have the waterfall all to ourselves for over 30 minutes. To avoid large crowds, start early in the morning. You may also want to consider hiking on a weekday or during the off season.

After the hike enjoy the rest of Cades Cove Loop and keep that camera ready!

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Features

Chillin
Photography
Hiking
Scenic
Waterfall
Wildlife

Abrams Falls Trail Reviews

One of the nicest waterfalls in the Smokies, it is a long hike but well worth it.

Whenever friends ask for hike recommendations in the Smokies, this is one of the first ones that comes to mind. It's a great day hike, not too strenuous, and you get to check out a beautiful water fall. The trail is very popular though and during peak tourist season, it's best to get on the trail and start hiking early to beat the crowds. You have to drive around Cades Cove to get to the trailhead which can also be a little hectic during the peak summer months. But again, just head out early and you can probably avoid all of that. Plus, Cades Cove has tons of wildlife-- deer, turkeys, bears, coyotes... it's worth the hike!

As mentioned by others, the hike out to Abrams falls is worth checking out. The Cades Cove loop can get busy late in the afternoon though, I highly recommend hiking early to avoid traffic and crowds.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Bike Cade's Cove Loop

Gregory Bald via Gregory Ridge Trail

Hike to Rocky Top

Backpack to Spence Field

Hike to Look Rock Tower

Gregory Bald via Twentymile