Abrams Falls Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The five mile round-trip hike to Abrams Falls is one of the most popular in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The trailhead is located on a short gravel spur about halfway around the eleven mile one-way Cades Cove Loop Road. Although Abrams Falls is only 20 feet high, it is one of the largest waterfalls by volume in the park.

The only facilities at the trailhead are a large gravel parking area that often fills beyond capacity in the summer and a vault toilet. However, just a mile down the road from the trailhead is the Cades Cove Visitor Center at Cable Mill. The visitor center complex has restrooms and drinking water fountains.

As noted at the trailhead kiosk, this trail is "moderately rough with rocky areas and exposed tree roots. It is more strenuous on the return trip." The trail is well maintained, with no trees or limbs down across it. However, there are numerous places where it would be easy to stumble over roots or rocks. The park service also stresses the need for proper footwear and an adequate supply of water. The picturesque pool below the falls looks enticing to swimmers, but the park service notes that "due to strong currents and undertow, swimming at the base of the falls is extremely dangerous. Swimmers have drowned."

While the creek only descends about 350 feet from the trailhead to the pool below the falls, the trail climbs three ridges. This also means there are three hills to climb on the way back. The first climb from the waterfall averages nearly 9% for 0.3 miles, the second averages 7.5% for 0.4 miles and the short final climb is 11% for over 600 feet.

Near the crest of the last hill before descending to the falls, we met a crew of four park specialists treating hemlock trees for the hemlock woolly adelgid infestation. The hemlock has been called the "redwood of the east" as trees can grow to more than 150 feet in height. The following information is from the park's website:

Hemlocks that are growing off trail in the park's forests or are too tall to be sprayed are treated with a systemic insecticide (imidacloprid) either by soil drenching or by injecting the insecticide directly into the trunk. Imidacloprid is the active ingredient found in tick and flea medication for dogs. Soil drenching involves temporarily removing the duff-a layer of organic matter-from around the base of the tree then pouring a mixture of imidacloprid and water on the bare ground around the tree within a foot of the trunk. The duff layer is then replaced. The results of insecticidal treatments have been dramatic. Trees with ashen gray foliage prior to treatment recover their color and produce new growth. Treatments may remain effective for up to five years. The park has treated close to 200,000 trees with this method.

Thanks to the efforts of this crew and others, visitors can still enjoy the hemlock forest in numerous locations throughout the park.

We hiked on a weekday in early March 2016 and met dozens of hikers on the trail.

Topographic map of the trail

Trail elevation profile

There were less than a dozen vehicles in the parking area when we arrived

Trailhead

Kiosk with warning signs

Bridge over Abrams Creek

River otter in the creek

Typical trail conditions: roots, rocks, and mud

Footbridge over Arbutus Branch

Arbutus Branch

Abrams Creek from the trail

A small cascade on Abrams Creek

Another cascade on Abrams Creek

Swift water in Abrams Creek

Trail cuts through a gap in Arbutus Ridge

Abrams Creek turning to flow around Arbutus Ridge

A steep descent requires a steep climb on the way back

Abrams Creek after flowing around Arbutus Ridge

The trail descends to the creek again below Arbutus Ridge

Clear water flowing over the rocks

Footbridge over Stony Branch

Laminar flow turns turbulent

Blurry image of a snake on the trail

Rock outcrop in the trail

First footbridge over Wilson Branch

Wilson Branch

Second footbridge over Wilson Branch

Abrams Falls

A closer view

The parking area was nearly full upon our return

Gravel spur road between the Loop Road and the trailhead

Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.

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