Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

We hiked the Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls the day after a drenching rain, hoping to see the falls at its boldest. To reach the trail from Gatlinburg, drive north on US 321 for 18 miles to the stop sign in Cosby. Turn right onto Tennessee 32 and drive 1.2 miles to the Cosby Entrance Road on the right. Drive two miles to the picnic parking area on the left. After parking, walk back down the road about 200 feet to the trailhead on the opposite side of the road. Although the trailhead sign indicates the distance to the falls is 2.1 miles, both the park service website and my GPS show the round-trip distance is 4.4 miles. We hiked the trail on a weekday in mid-March 2016.

While most of the trail had firm footing, several water bars did not drain properly and left slippery mud pits that had to be skirted or hopped over. Otherwise, the trail was hard packed dirt with protruding rocks and roots that is typical of trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. For the most part, the trail was wide enough to meet someone without having to stand aside, with the exception of several narrower sections on the spur trail to the falls.

There was an area of blown down trees in the Crying Creek watershed that appeared to have been down for a while. Where there was once a foot bridge, only a handrail and a few tree sections standing on end led across the tributary stream. Although we didn't see any workers, it appears that the park service is working to re-route the trail across a new foot bridge a few yards upstream. While the trail will likely be back in order in a few months, it will be many years before the forest returns to this suddenly open area.

After climbing an average 6.5% grade for a couple of miles, the small amount of water flowing over the falls was a bit disappointing. Once I reviewed a topographic map of the area and saw what a small area was drained by Lower Falling Branch, I understood why the flow was so low. Of the waterfalls listed on the park website, this is the least impressive in my opinion.

Topographic map with GPS trail route

Trail elevation profile

Parking area was nearly full

Foot bridge over Rock Creek

Looking upstream

Looking downstream at aptly named Rock Creek

Typical trail conditions

Rock hop over an unnamed drainage

Rock hop over a tributary of Crying Creek

Another rock hop

Fallen tree lines the trail

Hemlocks can grow to over 150 feet tall

Foot bridge in the blowdown area

This future foot bridge...

...looks better than the handrail and stumps of the trail

Stone steps climb the creek bank

Culverts and masonry are used to cross the final tributary of Crying Creek

Roots and rocks

Rhododendron line the trail

The first of two trees across the trail

"Can't see the forest for the trees"

Bearneck Gap

More roots embedded in the trail

Yellow poplar imitating a Saguaro

Fungi field day

Trail dips below this rock outcrop

Sign for the spur trail to the falls

Hen Wallow Falls from the end of the trail

Hen Wallow Falls from near the base

Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm.