September 9, 2023: Abrams Falls – Beautiful yet Dangerous Waterfall Hike
Did you know Abrams Falls, located in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has been deemed one of the most dangerous hikes in all of America? If you’ve hiked to Abrams Falls you might think that’s a bit crazy. The hike itself to Abrams Falls is not dangerous by any means. However, most of the deaths that have occurred there have been water-related incidences, such as drowning by the waterfall or falling from the waterfall due to climbing the slippery rocks.
With that being said, if you decide to hike to Abrams Falls, please don’t swim near the base of the waterfall due dangerously strong currents and an undertow, and don’t climb the slippery rocks near the waterfall. It’s quite easy to avoid an accident. If you have children, keep a close eye on them!
Anyway, on to the story! My family was visiting me and my husband in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We spent three days together hiking, eating, and having a great time in Gatlinburg. One of the hikes we did was to Abrams Falls. My family and I have done this hike when I was very little, but I vaguely remember it.
It was a nice, sunny Saturday morning when we arrived at the Abrams Falls Trailhead. It was already packed but thankfully we found a parking spot. We started our 2.5-mile journey to the waterfall. We crossed a few footbridges and several narrow log bridges which made the trail more enjoyable.
It was a humid day! We had been out west living the “California dream” (whatever that means) and experienced dry heat. The humidity was something I did not miss. It was a semi-cloudy day which helped control the heat a little bit. I wish I had brought a bathing suit to go swimming (far away from the waterfall) just to cool off some.
We finally made it to the waterfall and there were people everywhere. A few older dudes were in the water swimming around. Everyone was having a great time. We rested a bit and took some pictures. I wish I knew more about waterfall photography at the time, but next time the shots will be better!
After a while, we all headed back to the parking lot. As we were driving back on the Cades Cove Loop Road, we saw a mama bear and her three cubs out in a field! Everyone was slowly driving and stopping for a bit to take pictures. We drove up a little way and stopped again. This time the mama bear and her cubs crossed the road right in front of us!
I was so mesmerized by them that I didn’t get the best pictures or videos of them all crossing the road, but my husband did take this one picture (below) of the mama bear looking right at our car! Don’t worry, we were all watching from a safe distance in our car. It was the best part of the entire day.
Our Rating of Abrams Falls
We give this trail a 6/10!
What we liked: well-maintained trail; following alongside a river (love the sound of a river/creek while hiking); crossing the narrow log bridges was fun; waterfall was beautiful
What we didn’t like: it’s a popular hike so it was a bit crowded at the waterfall; the hike was a bit boring for us (we enjoy challenges), but the waterfall made it worth it!
Abrams Falls is a 20-foot waterfall with a large volume of water rushing over and a deep pool at the base. Hike 2.5 miles one-way to Abrams Falls and enjoy the picturesque scenery. It’s the perfect little day hike for everyone of all ages!
Interested in hiking this trail?? Click the button below to learn more and plan your next adventure! ✨
