Abrams Falls is a 20-foot waterfall on Abrams Creek in Blount County, Tennessee, on the west side of Cades Cove in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The creek drops over a single ledge into a large pool at the end of a 5-mile round-trip hike, and that pool has drowned swimmers.
The falls
Abrams Creek drops off a sandstone ledge into a large plunge pool. Lidar data confirms the commonly reported height of 20 feet; the Park Service's own page lists 25 feet. The falls sit at about 1,472 feet. Hemlock and rhododendron line the creek, and otters are occasionally seen along it.
Getting there
The trailhead parking area is off the Cades Cove Loop Road between signposts 10 and 11. The loop is an 11-mile one-way road, normally open from sunrise to sunset, and it closes to vehicles on Wednesdays during the posted May–September season. The hike is 5 miles round trip with about 340 feet of total climbing, rated moderate, and takes 3 to 4 hours. The trail crosses wooded ridges and creeks on bridges and uneven ground.
The park charges no entrance fee, but any vehicle parked for more than 15 minutes needs a parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annual. America the Beautiful passes don't cover it, vehicles with disability plates or placards are exempt, and a tag doesn't guarantee a space.
In 2026 the Abrams Falls Trail is closed Monday through Thursday from August 24 to September 30 while the park replaces footlogs; it stays open Friday through Sunday and on Labor Day.
When to go
There is heavy traffic on the Cades Cove loop in summer and fall and on weekends all year. Check the footlog closure schedule before planning a weekday hike in late summer.
On site
Swimming is strongly discouraged because of a dangerous undertow in the plunge pool. People have drowned here, including on July 2, 2006, and May 24, 2009; the 2006 report describes a recirculating hydraulic below the falls. Stay out of the pool. Pet dogs are not allowed on the trail.
History and name
The creek and falls take their name from the Cherokee leader Oskuah, later called Abram, whose village stood downstream.
Nearby
Mill Creek Falls is about 5.5 miles away, Crooked Arm Falls about 5.6 miles and Panther Creek Falls about 5.7 miles. Maryville is about 11.4 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.