There’s not much more beautiful than the high country along the Blue Ridge Parkway in June. The days are long. The forest has completed its greening and the heath bushes are in bloom. If you catch the sights in the evening or very early morning you can even avoid the crowds.

I’ve been on the shelf for a few weeks with an ankle injury while hiking, and was really suffering fear of missing out anguish. I can’t do much walking, so I came up with a plan that would enable me to combine my volunteer work on the Parkway with a chance to catch a sunset and sunrise from Black Balsam at milepost 420.

I loaded my foam sleeping pad in the back of my Subaru and headed to Pounding Mill Overlook at 6:00 PM to pick up trash. When done, I continued another few miles west to the Black Balsam spur road. The air was cool as a cold front has been hanging over the Southern Appalachians for a few days. It was jacket weather, but the good news was the high pressure and persistent breeze had cleared out the haze, leaving crystal clear sky and long distance viewing.

From my perch at 6,000 feet over Graveyard Fields and Looking Glass Rock, I planned on enjoying the sunset, and the sunrise. I brought a picnic to while away the time as I took pictures from my tripod and watched the scenery change with ever lengthening shadows. The moon was hanging over the scene, about three-quarters full, adding natural lighting and ambiance.

Once it was dark, I enjoyed the star constellations and wispy clouds for an hour before crawling into my Subaru for some shuteye. I got up once around midnight to see if the Milky Way was visible, but there was too much light from the moon and the towns of Brevard and Hendersonville… even Greenville way off in the distance.

Back to sleep, I got up again at 6:00 AM, and was quickly energized by the 41° temp and 25 mph wind that greeted me. Brrr! Good thing I came prepared with plenty of warm clothes.

I setup the tripod, and waited patiently for that big orange globe to make its daily appearance on the eastern horizon. I was not disappointed. The sunrise was magnificent. While the cloudless sky did not light up the entire arena with hues of pink and orange, it did enable clear viewing all the way to the Black Mountains far north of Asheville. Très bon.

After sixty minutes enjoying the golden hour, I packed up and headed 10 miles further west, stopping for occasional photos along the way. Finishing up at Herrin Knob, it was time to call it a day. I was back home by 9:30. All in all, a wonderful adventure. It wasn’t as exciting as getting out on the trail, but was pretty darn nice for an old geezer hobbling around on one leg.

The photos below are from the evening of June 13, 2019 and morning of June 14. Feel free to make any comments below the gallery, or tell me about your overnight experiences in the high country. Thanks for visiting!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

One of the most popular hiking trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Abrams Falls at the west end of Cades Cove has the full Smokies package all in one. Here you can find rich, bountiful forest with a floor of colorful spring wildflowers, a rushing creek that provides refreshing nourishment for all the plants and wildlife, good exercise as you climb up and over Arbutus Ridge to enjoy majestic mountain views, the stunning reward of a picturesque plunge waterfall, and a touch of Smokies history from the Cherokee and settlers who called this region home more than a century ago. I visited Abrams Falls on Tuesday, May 9, 2017 beginning at 10:30AM and ending about 2:00PM. My plan was to take the Abrams Falls Trail to the waterfall, then return. Many, many others got to enjoy it with me.

As I arrived at the entrance to Cades Cove, my first stop was the campground, to pick out a spot for later in the evening. I could tell this was going to be a great day. All the rangers at the campground had on big smiles and friendly greetings. It’s as if they already knew what a wonderful day was in store for me. With my senior national parks pass, I was able to pay for the site I had chosen at half price. Can’t beat that.

I was anxious to get to the Abrams Falls trailhead, but how can you not take time to enjoy the northeastern side of the Cades Cove loop on the way. There is so much to see and experience along the way. You can’t help but get sidetracked by all the natural beauty and excitement.

I reached the gravel road to the trailhead shortly after 10:00, found a place to park (there were plenty at this time of day), and got everything together to begin hiking. Backpack. Check. Lunch. Check. Camera. Check. Sunscreen. Check. Hat. Check. Tripod. Check. Anticipation. Check & check. Off I went.

The trailhead is on the west end of the parking cul-de-sac, hidden within the trees. There is a fancy foot bridge right off the bat across Abrams Creek, and I could see already that the mountain laurel was beginning to bloom. That’s a good sign. Once you cross the bridge, there is a path to the right that leads to the site of a former lodge operated by kin of John Oliver, the very first white settler who came to Cades Cove almost 200 years ago.

The Abrams Falls Trail turns left after crossing the bridge and parallels Abrams Creek, named for Cherokee chief Abram who lived in a community that is now beneath the waters of Chilhowee Lake. Much of the gorge that was carved by Abrams Creek is sandstone, somewhat unusual in the eastern U.S.

The trail ascends and descends a total of four times out and back, with the largest of the climbs being up and over Arbutus Ridge, named for the trailing arbutus that grows seasonally along its flanks. There is plenty to see here, with the creek on your left, and a wide variety of wildflowers brightening the trail along the way. I was fortunate to spot galax, rattlesnake weed, partridge berry, mountain laurel, solomon seal and bleeding hearts.

Bleeding hearts, known as Dicentra, light up shady areas with their elegant long stems and famous heart-shaped flowers.

At the one mile mark the trail crosses a notch at the crest of Arbutus Ridge and offers dynamic views on both the east and west sides of the surrounding Smoky Mountains. From a perch high above, you can see shoals of Abrams Creek a hundred feet below as it cuts through the bright green forest.

In early May, when I was there, keep your eyes peeled on each side of the trail soon after beginning the descent from Arbutus Ridge for the best of the wildflower display. I found both smooth and false solomon seal, blackberry blossoms, buttercups and the healthiest patch of bleeding hearts I’ve ever come upon. Between the view and the flowers it’s a remarkable spot.

As you continue your descent of the ridge you get up close looks at the underlying sandstone bedrock that forms the Abrams gorge. Watch your step as you descend. There are plenty of tripping hazards including exposed roots and rocky terraces. There is plenty of mountain laurel on this side of the ridge, combining with oak and pine to make a delightful scent.

Just past the two mile mark you will be able to see and hear Abrams Falls below you on the left. You will cross a couple of footlogs over Wilson Branch as it joins Abrams Creek just below the falls.

Abrams Falls isn’t the tallest waterfall you’ll ever see… about 20 feet. But it is relatively wide, it almost always has a hefty flow level, and it spills into a wondrous pool that is at least a hundred feet in diameter. There isn’t a whole lot of dry land to view the falls from, so it can become rather crowded, quickly. Because this trail is so popular, particularly on warm weather weekends, it is best to get there early to enjoy the view.

I managed to find a flat rock in the pool with a clear view of the falls and setup for pictures and the video you see above. I took time to munch on a sandwich and people watch. The weather was delightful with warm air and a cool breeze. The water still had its spring-time chill, so no one was doing more than just dipping their toes.

I could see that the crowd was beginning to grow, so that signaled to me it must be time to move on and give the new arrivals the same chance to enjoy the scene (side note – based on the number of people I passed on my way back that were just then heading to the falls, I suspect there might have been over a hundred folks there at the same time after I left).

Abrams Falls Trail continues beyond the waterfall another 1.7 miles to meet the Hannah Mountain Trail, providing more opportunity to view the sandstone gorge carved by Abrams Creek. On this day however, the falls was my destination, so I began the ascent back up Arbutus Ridge. It is steeper on this side, so you may want to just take your time… nice and easy going.

Past noon now, the trail was really crowded with the later arrivals. Also, even more wildflowers had emerged in the bright sunshine that poked through the tree canopy, particularly the mountain laurel. It took a break at the crest of Arbutus Ridge, enjoying the refreshing breeze on my moist brow, and the marvelous views of the greening forest.

Later, I found another spot along the creek to sit on a log and listen to the cool, clean water go sliding by. The songbirds were in abundance, helping to complete the peaceful, relaxing environment. Probably 20 people walked by while I was there, but I hardly noticed.

When I got back to the car, the parking area was now completely packed, even spilling somewhat down the gravel road. This was a weekday… not spring break… not a holiday… just a very busy place. Get there early!

In summary, it took me a long time to finally get to Abrams Falls. I’ve heard about it for years, but it is the farthest point in the Smokies from where I live in North Carolina. Logistically, I really need to plan it as a two day trip, and so I did. Having now done the hike, I can see why it is so popular. The trail has a little bit of everything and the reward at the end is indeed a very picturesque waterfall.

Since I was camping overnight at Cades Cove, I still had plenty of time to enjoy the myriad of features to be found there. Following are two separate photo galleries. The first goes along with this trail report about my trip to Abrams Falls. Once you have viewed those pictures, come back here and scroll down a little farther. There is another gallery below of my evening spent around Cades Cove. As always, feel free to leave your comments at the bottom below the galleries.

After the delightful hike to Abrams Falls, I got setup at the Cades Cove Campground, found some excellent BBQ in the quiet haven of Townsend, TN, then did some more exploration of Cades Cove by car. I found plenty of wildlife, an historic cemetery, and the desire to return many, many times. Here are my photos from the evening.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Looking at a trail map or topographic map, the area of this hike within Shining Rock Wilderness can be somewhat confusing. There is the Greasy Cove Prong, a creek that runs off of the Grassy Cove Ridge. The trail is called Greasy Cove, but it starts/ends at Grassy Cove Top. I think the guys who named the area may have had a touch too much huckleberry wine. Regardless of the befuddling names, the hike has a bit of everything for hiking enthusiasts. There are sections of hardwood forest, a couple creek and river crossings, a steady climb through delightful grass and fern ground cover, bushwhacking through blueberry and blackberry bushes, as well as rhododendron and laurel thickets, long distance views above 5800 feet, and even a cascading waterfall thrown in for good measure. This hike occurred on Thursday, June 16, 2011. We started at 9:15AM and finished at about 3:20PM. The plan was to start at the eastern trailhead at the Looking Glass Rock Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. There, the Bridges Camp Gap Trail connects to the Greasy Cove Trail where the East Fork of the Pigeon River and the Greasy Cove Prong meet. From there the Greasy Cove Trail climbs to the Grassy Cove Ridge where we would pick up the Graveyard Ridge Trail south to the Mountains to the Sea Trail. The final 3.8 miles back down to the parkway is along the MST.

View Greasy Cove Trail, Shining Rock Wilderness in a larger map

WARNINGThe first half of this hike on Greasy Cove Trail is in the Shining Rock Wilderness. There are no trail markers, signs, blaze spots or other means of following the trail. You can get lost. There are false trails, particularly at camping areas, that can lead you astray. It is very important to have a good topographic trail map and a compass. It is best to do this hike with companions, and you should always let someone back home know where you are hiking, and approximately when you intend to return, so they can notify search and rescue if you are gone a lot longer than expected. Also, there are two creek and river crossings on this hike. If the water is high, crossing can be treacherous. The rocks are very slippery and falls can happen suddenly… as I found out. Hiking sticks or trekking poles can be very useful for maintaining your balance when crossing the streams. The crossings are also the most likely spots to lose the trail, so study your surroundings carefully.

About 100 yards east of the Looking Glass Rock Overlook the Bridges Camp Gap Trail heads into the forest from a small grassy clearing on the opposite side of the parkway from the overlook parking. There is also a trailhead directly across from the parking area, but that one is the return exit point. About 1/4 mile into the woods, there is a trail junction where Bridges Camp Gap meets the Greasy Cove Trail. This is where the fun begins. The trail descends for 20 minutes to the unmistakable sound of water streaming down the mountainside. The first to greet us was the East Fork of the Pigeon River, really little more than a creek. There are several campsites along the sandy and rocky riverbank, as well as places to cool off on a hot summer day. Not much further we got to the sign that marked the Shining Rock Wilderness boundary. From here on there would be no markings, just hope the trail itself was obvious.

The night before there had been a significant line of thunderstorms move through western North Carolina. With the storms came very high winds and about four hours of steady rain. The river was swollen quite a bit more than its normal flow, and the trail was covered with green leaves blown from the hardwood trees that comprised the forest, an odd sight. It actually made for a nice trail cushioning. The rushing stream was another matter. It’s generally dicey crossing rocky streams anyway, but when the rocks that are used to hop and skip across are partially submerged, caution is paramount. The East Fork crossing was located alongside a campsite, so it wasn’t intuitive to determine we needed to cross. Seeing the exit trail on the other side of the river was really the only clue. That, and the topo trail map indicated we would be crossing the river somewhere.

Just going down the bank to the crossing was slippery. I knew this was going to be interesting. I slipped not once, but twice on the first few rocks but managed to stay upright. Just about the time my hiking friend asked me if I wanted to use his poles to get the rest of the way across, down I went. My left foot slipped off its perch and into the water and I fortunately landed on the softest part of my body. No, not my head silly. It startled me for a moment, but I took inventory, and decided I wasn’t hurt… just my pride. I immediately accepted his invitation to use his poles the rest of the way. After he tossed them to me, I was able to cross the remaining half of the river without further incident. Lesson learned. I always carry a spare pair of socks in my pack, so I paused for a moment to change into those, and I was good to go.

The trail begins its climb after crossing the East Fork. It’s hard to select the correct trail. There is another campsite on the far side, and lots of false trails where campers no doubt go into the woods for nature calls. The proper trail is straight ahead from the crossing, and climbs steeply up, up and away. The trail is now alongside Greasy Cove Prong, running just as hard and fast down the mountain, but not as big as the East Fork. Half a mile further and it was time to cross this creek. Again, there is a confusing trail decision. There’s a false trail up and to the left, but the Greasy Cove Trail goes down steeply to the creek for another rugged crossing.

Remember that lesson learned? This time I let my friend cross, and then toss me his poles. Piece of cake. I’m still debating whether to get some poles myself. I really like having my hands free. Perhaps an adventurous marketing rep from a hiking poles company is reading this (hint-hint). The next couple miles of Greasy Cove is the toughest part of the hike, but perhaps also the most beautiful. It climbs roughly 1200 feet in those two miles with few switchbacks. It’s definitely uphill. But all along the climb you see where this area got its name (I still think it’s supposed to be Grassy Cove). The forest floor is covered with a thick carpet of natural grasses and ferns with the trail just meandering its way up and through. See the photo at the top of this post. The soil here is as black as the grass is green. Eventually we reached the Grassy Cove Ridge (yes, now it’s called Grassy), and the foliage and vegetation began to change to a more hearty stock that can withstand wind and snow. We found a beautiful little opening on the ridge to enjoy our lunch.

After lunch we continued upward toward the ridge crest. There are a few brief stretches where the trail gets overgrown with blackberry bushes, but otherwise it is quite lovely. There is a delightful beech forest and a long, dark tunnel of rhododendron, laurel and old, old blueberry trees. Yes, they’re so big they have become trees. As we approached the ridge crest, the trail got the steepest it had been and our lungs were burning. It was well worth the climb though as we popped out into the clear and had magnificent views of Mt. Pisgah and the Pisgah Ridge to the east, the Graveyard Fields area to the south, and Ivestor Gap to the west. Now at 5800 feet, the mountain laurel and flame azalea were still in bloom. My friend and I began to tick off the places we had hiked in the past year, like the fire tower at Fryingpan Mountain. There were a dozen at least that we could see from this vantage point.

There are a couple small signs along the trail announcing the Shining Rock Wilderness boundary. The rest of the hike is contained within Pisgah National Forest. The trail forks, with the right fork going to Ivestor Gap. We took the left fork, now an old logging road that is known as the Graveyard Ridge Trail. This two mile stretch is totally flat, so it was a welcome respite after the tough climb up Grassy Cove Ridge. The road is very rocky from erosion and hard on the feet. It skirts the southeastern flank of Tennent Mountain and looks out on the Blue Ridge far into the distance. There was a nice breeze to cool us, and fantastic views to enchant us.

We came upon another trail junction. From there we had a great view of the Tennent Mountain summit and could see a large group, probably a hiking club, up top. We encountered a young couple coming up from Graveyard Fields. At this point we could continue straight along the Graveyard Ridge and eventually end up at Graveyard Fields. We could turn right, and go up to Black Balsam Knob, or take the left turn on the Mountains to the Sea Trail to return to our starting point. It is 3.8 miles from this junction back to the parkway overlook.

After about 1/4 mile, the trail began its plunge, just as steep as on the way up. Again the scenery changed with the elevation. We went through the scrub foliage, then the thick hardwood forest. Along the way we met four other young people with their dog. I don’t know that they were hikers as they weren’t carrying anything. There are a couple more opportunities to cut over to Graveyard Fields, but we continued in an easterly direction on the MST. With about a mile left in our hike, we heard it again… the unmistakable sound of rushing water. This time is was the Yellowstone Prong. The trail parallels the stream about 200 feet above on the right, then steeply drops to Skinny Dip Falls.

Skinny Dip Falls is a popular place with sunbathers, and there were certainly quite a few out on this beautiful warm June afternoon. There is a wooden bridge across the river at the falls. The final 1/3 mile is about a 200 foot climb that was quite taxing at the end of a nearly nine mile hike. The trail exits onto the parkway directly across from the overlook. I always wondered why there were usually so many cars parked at the Looking Glass Rock Overlook. Now I know. They are all down at Skinny Dip Falls catching some rays, and a, um, dip.

I have been volunteering with Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway for a couple years now with their Adopt an Overlook program. So my friend and I stopped at our adopted overlook, Pounding Mill, at milepost 413.3 to do a little trash pickup and general maintenance. I try to get up there about every 2-3 weeks in the summer. I think it’s one of the best overlooks in the Pisgah district of the Parkway because it sits on a curve and has a 240° view of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. All in all, a very nice day.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.