Date: 06/19/2021 – Distance: 5.3 mi – Elapsed Time: 2.0 hr – Ascent: 768 ft – Descent: 669 ft – Difficulty: Hard
The final hike I did in the Smoky Mountains, was to Abrams Falls. The trailhead parking is on the western end of the Cades Cove Loop Road, and the only way to get there is to drive the busy one-way road to it, or hike. I chose to drive.
Cades Cove is a vast open meadow with dramatic mountains on both sides.
It’s a popular scenic drive of 11 miles around the whole loop.
Wildlife is abundant here, I saw many deer, turkeys, and a momma bear and cub.
Some good information about maintenance of the meadows of Cades Cove. There are many pulloffs along the road and a few cabins as well.
Whitetail Deer.
It’s view after view.
Finally made it to the trailhead parking lot.
They are doing maintenance on this trail, but it’s open on the Saturday, when I was here.
Many things to consider before attempting this hike.
5 miles out and back.
Abrams Creek.
The trail follows the creek the whole way, only diverging when necessary to get around impassible rocks.
Footbridge over a small side creek.
There are many cascades on Abrams Creek.
The trail has some cool rock outcroppings.
The trail has a few climbs, this one over a spot called the Horseshoe. I called it the continental divide, because it was steep and over a pass.
The pass over the Horseshoe is pretty rugged, but the breeze up here was really nice.
I don’t know what this is, but Google tells me it’s New Jersey Tea.
Rhododendron.
A few tool boxes for the trail maintenance workers.
They are improving the trail.
Some warnings before the falls.
More trail maintence.
People have died here.
Abrams Falls.
It’s about 35 feet wide and 25 feet tall.
Some cool cliffs at the falls.
Heading back up the trail.
This snake was moving fast. It’s a Ring-necked Snake and although it has a venomous saliva, it is harmless to humans.
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