Almost a year ago, the west part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was hit by a half-mile wide F4 tornado that carved its way through the mountains.
At the end of last April, roughly 30 miles of trails were closed in the Smokies because of immense damage from the high winds. Boulders the size of cars were uprooted just west of Cades Cove. Even now, some trails are still closed from the damage.
The two and a half miles worth of trails leading to my personal favorite waterfall in the park, Abrams Falls, was completely decimated. Thanks to trail crew efforts, this trail was the first to open back to the public for day hike use.
Abrams Falls holds a lot of memories for me. Because of its gradual decline and gentle slopes, this trail is my go-to for people with moderate skills and a decent endurance. Abrams Falls is a 25-foot falls with the most water running through it at any giving moment, making it the most powerful waterfall in the Smokies.
The trailhead is located halfway around the Cades Cove loop. Based on the pleasant weather and the visitors that still do not quite understand how to pull over, please plan for at least an hour (if not more) to get halfway around the 11-mile loop to finally park at the trailhead.
The two and a half miles to the falls is a nice, gentle decline. The damage left over from last April is still visible in some areas. This trail has barely any overhead coverage so be sure to wear sunscreen if you’re sensitive to excess amounts of sunlight.
Black bears have already moved into full swing of searching for food so please be wary and keep in mind general safety. If you see a black bear, give it plenty of room. If the bear shows aggression, please stand your ground and shout and make yourself look bigger. Almost every time I have hiked the Abrams Falls trail, I have seen a black bear somewhere along the trail.
Abrams Falls is also a great location to see other types of wildlife. Abrams Falls is the only place in the Smokies that I have ever seen wild river otters. The river otters were reintroduced in the late 1980s to Abrams Creek in Cades Cove. Since then, their population is thriving, and they truly are as cute as any and all pictures on Reddit.
The most important safety idea I can stress to anyone who hikes Abrams Falls is to avoid the temptation to swim or jump. Abrams Falls is known for its picturesque pool at the bottom. Even I have had to resist jumping off the top of the falls.
Many deaths have occurred from swimming in this specific pool. Swimming in any area of the Smokies is not illegal, but it is strongly discouraged. Abrams Falls has claimed several lives of both experienced swimmers as well as children. Always use extreme caution.
Prepare for the worst. I’m pretty notorious for doing stupid things ranging from base jumping to hiking over 20 miles in a day by myself. My sole reason for choosing this decently traveled and well-known trail is because yesterday I heard news of losing one of my coworkers and friend from this past summer working in the Smokies. Turns out no one is invincible.
In July, I asked her one time what her favorite place in the Smokies was, and Jessie told me Abrams Falls. And to that, happy trails.
