There are several waterfalls to see near Cades Cove, TN. Several. But most of them require at least a small hike to get to. If you aren’t feeling up for a hike, if you can’t hike for whatever reason, or if you’d just like to add a few easier ones to your list…I’ve got you covered. Here are three easy waterfalls to see near Cade’s Cove, TN. And if you go when it’s raining, like I did, there may be other unexpected, unnamed waterfalls along the way.
A couple of notes: 1) All of these are in the Great Smoky Mountains, which I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to have a parking pass for. Be sure to check the park website before you go. 2) I found all of these using Google Maps, but be sure to download the map before you go because the signal comes and goes in that whole area.
When I went it was pouring down rain. This meant that not only were there fewer people out and about, the waterfalls were also running really well. I set out to see 3 waterfalls on this trip and I ended up seeing six. Two of which I’m not even sure exist when it isn’t raining really hard like it has been.
The first waterfall is a smaller one. If I hadn’t been looking for it, I likely would have missed it entirely.
Cane Creek Twin Falls
There is a small pull off on the side of the road to see this waterfall.
I imagine that this one dries up pretty quickly, so if the weather has been hot and/or dry, this one may not exist when you go.
Meigs Falls
Meigs Falls is tucked back into the hillside a bit, so you could easily drive by it if you weren’t paying attention. But once you see it, you can really see it. It was flowing really well the day I went (because of the aforementioned rain). It actually looks like there are several cascading waterfalls that flow down into the bigger one that you can see the best from the road.
The pull off for this waterfall is bigger than the one for Cane Creek Twin Falls, so it’s a little easier to spot too.
The Sinks
Honestly, from the pictures, I wasn’t expecting quite what I saw when I found this waterfall. It looked pretty in the photos I’d seen, but WOW. The rain made this one roar and it was just gorgeous to sit and listen to. (Yep, I stood there in the rain and listened to the running waterfall…haha)
The Sinks was created by loggers who used dynamite to free up a log jam that formed in the bend of the river. The resulting explosion created the deep hole that exists there, which turned smaller cascades into the larger waterfall that it is now.
If you have time, you can pop over to the other side of the road and see the beautiful river that flows down into The Sinks.
There’s also a hiking trail that you can take from the parking lot that will lead you along Meigs Creek. It’s about 3.5 miles one way.
And while you’re in the area, don’t miss out on driving the Cades Cove Loop.
I will be honest and up front…if it’s super super busy, this might not be as fun. But if you can manage to go during the week, or a little off season, it’s a beautiful place to visit. I’ve been both when it’s busy and when it isn’t and less busy is always better.
I’ll also tell you this…there are restrooms at the beginning of the loop and in the middle, but nowhere else…so plan accordingly. =)
The entire loop is 11 miles long and you can drive the entire way. You don’t have to get out of the car at all unless you want to see some of the historic buildings that are dotted throughout.
But the fun thing is…you can see bears. Bears and other wildlife too. (If they want to be seen of course. They are called wild-life for a reason. They do what they want, when they want, and they aren’t on anyone else’s schedule.) How many really depends on what time of the year, the weather, and the time of day. For example, this time around I didn’t see any, but that’s because of the time of the year. It’s still a little early for them to be out and about. But I went once before and saw six or seven in different fields around the loop.
I just really enjoy the drive. It’s slow and peaceful and you can stop along the way at the different pull offs and relax for a bit if you want to.
There’s also a waterfall within the Cades Cove Loop (I’m not sure if there’s another way to get to it or not)…Abram’s Falls. According to the National Park website it’s a five-mile roundtrip that is moderately difficult. The hike is a little above my pay grade at this point, so I’ve never done it. I can’t tell you what the trail is actually like…only that it exists if you’re interested…so be sure to look up a little more information on what “moderately difficult” means.
This is one of the random waterfalls that I passed along my route.
There was actually a good place to pull off and take a picture of this one (which wasn’t the case with the other two). It’s not a named waterfall (as far as I know).
Overall, the road that takes you to these waterfalls is just a really pretty drive. There are other places that you can stop along the river to relax, have a picnic, or get out and stretch your legs.
