About Blount County, TN

The Abrams Falls Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers one of the best day hikes for those seeking a mountain waterfall experience.

The hike is a pleasant five mile round-trip excursion that takes you alongside Abrams Creek through a deep hardwood and rhododendron forest. The well used trail offers a moderate amount of climbs over root, rocks and ridges, and can be a bit slippery after a rainfall, but should not be too strenuous for the average walker.

The highlight of the trail is the beautiful Abrams Falls. Although the falls are only twenty feet in height, they carry the highest volume of water of any waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

And the combination of large water volume, a beautiful deep pool below the drop, and relatively easy access make Abrams Falls one of the most photographed waterfalls in the Smokies.

Plan at least four hours for the complete trip as you'll want to stop and take photographs along the way. Those not used to trail hiking may also have to pause for brief rests here and there on some of the longer climbs. And of course, you'll want to linger at the falls to enjoy the sight, sound, and smell of this wonder of nature.

To get there from the Townsend Tennessee park entrance, take a right at "the wye" onto Laurel Creek Road. In seven miles, you will enter Cades Cove. The road becomes one way at this point, and you will have to drive five miles to the far side of the Cades Cove Loop. In times of high park usage, this can take up to an hour.

A short road will take you to the Abrams Falls Trail parking area, which can accommodate many automobiles. The trailhead is on the westernmost side of the lot.

Be sure to carry water and other necessities for the four hour round-trip. Also, be prepared to say "hello" to a lot of fellow park visitors, as the trail is heavily used during peak times.

If you only have time to take one hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Abrams Falls Trail is in the top five. It's a great way to experience what the park has to offer up close and personal!

Perhaps nothing is more breathtaking then the beautiful fall colors in East, TN. What better way to celebrate the fall season than the Foothills Fall Festival. The Foothills Fall Festival is fun filled celebration that takes place on Friday October 16th - Sunday October 18th.

The Foothills Fall Festival is filled with fun-filled events and has something for all ages including:

• Musical events (tickets currently sold out)- Theater in the Park in Maryville -see www.FoothillsFallFestival.com for schedule of events.
  
• Family Adventure Land - Maryville Green Way in Maryville, TN - featuring 16 acres of attractions, shows, activities, and inflatable games.
  
• ArtWay Show - Downtown Maryville - containing over 85 artists and craftsman

What: The City of Maryville's Foothills Fall Festival

When: Festival Dates: October 16, 17, and 18

Where: Theater in the ParAdmission is FREE to the ArtWay Showcase and the family

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A friend of mine is visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in October, and asked me about some of my favorite places. He added one caveat ...he needed to see the park sights within limited walking distance from the car.

This caught me a little by surprise, because most people ask about my favorite hiking trails. After thinking about it for some time, I realized that there are many amazing sights that can be seen without the need for hours of hiking along steep trails.

One of the most popular spots in the park is Cades Cove. Cades Cove is a great place to tour by auto. The eleven mile one way loop rode offers sweeping valley vistas, plentiful wildlife and historic structures.

Cades Cove has three historic churches and many graveyards that recall the names of the past inhabitants of the valley. In these quiet places you will find the final resting places of familiar names like Oliver, Cable and Tipton.

Halfway around the loop is a Visitor's Center, where you can get more information about the park and lots of helpful information. There are also restrooms here that are easily accessible.

However, Cades Cove is so popular that traffic can move very slowly, and it can take up to five hours to do the loop during busy time. October is the busiest time, as crowds of visitors strain to see bears amidst the fall foliage.

No visit to the park is complete without a trip around the loop in Cades Cove. From the Townsend entrance, turn right at the "wye" and follow Laurel Creek Road 7 miles until you reach the cove. Arrive early, and plan on spending all day, as there is plenty to see and do!

The John Oliver Cabin is a pioneer log cabin located in Cades Cove, which now lies within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Unlike the national parks in the west, which were platted out from government lands, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was once thousands of parcels of land, owned by many title holders.

In order to establish the park, many parcels were purchased, and some had to be condemned. A lucky few, including some Cades Cove residents, were awarded lifetime leases and were able to remain in their homes until the day they died.

And so, the families that built these strong cabins and used the fertile cove for farming and sustenance, eventually yielded their properties for the public good, And today, over eleven million visitors come to the Great Smoky Mountains every year, and most of them make their way to Cades Cove to have a look at how life used to be in the mountains!

I'll bet John Oliver never would have believed that his cabin would be visited 190 years after it was constructed! It has served as both a landmark for visitors, and as a monument to those hardy souls that eked out a living on the early frontier!

Learn More about the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at SmokyPhotosBlog.com!

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