5 waterfalls

TO SEE IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS

Warm weather is beckoning, but COVID-19 is still a threat in many favorite summer spots like amusement parks, shopping outlets, barbecues and more. You can still enjoy a safe summer this year by planning day trips, overnight stays and staycations close to home. Luckily, East Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park has plenty of places to explore the beauty of the outdoors. Here are some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Smokies you can visit this summer.

Must-visit waterfalls in the Smokies

Meigs Falls

You’ll have to look carefully to not miss this hidden gem, located 12.9 miles west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center. A stone-lined observation area off the roadside allows visitors to overlook the scene from their cars or stretch their legs and embark on the short hike to the falls.

Abrams Falls

The hike to these falls isn’t for the faint at heart, but the views are worth it. This trail is part of the “Waterfall Quartet,” a group of four waterfalls within the park. The hike has some steep climbs but is shaded and follows a stream, making it a favorite for many visitors.

Ramsey Cascades

This 8-mile roundtrip hike leads to the tallest waterfall in the park. You’ll step through history at the trail’s beginning, which is an abandoned logging route. Bloomed rhododendrons line the trail’s path. Follow signs at Greenbrier to find Ramsay Cascades trailhead. Spruce Flat Falls

Hikers of all ages can enjoy this short, moderate trail and the 30-foot waterfall at its end. There’s also a small swimming pool along the way if you need to take a refreshing dip. This trail is not as busy as some of the other Smoky Mountain hikes, which makes it a private escape.

Indian Creek Falls

This waterfall looks more like a 45foot waterslide ending in a pool of tubers cooling off. The trail is mostly ground-level, creating an easy path through the woods. There’s an observation deck at the falls where visitors can look over the mountains and relax after their hike. You can find the trail on Tremont Road near the Smokey Mountains Institute at Tremont.

More information about waterfalls within the Great Smoky National Park can be found at smokymountains.org. Travelers should also review up-todate advisories on the CDC website at cdc.gov/coronavirus.

NEWS SENTINEL ARCHIVE; PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KAYLA FILION/USA TODAY NETWORK; GETTY IMAGES Water pours over Ramsey Cascades in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tenn., Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012. The cascades continue to the right of the frame to comprise the falls.

NEWS SENTINEL ARCHIVE The 20-foot high Abrams Falls spills into a pool in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Caution is advised as several people have drowned while swimming in the pool.

CITIZEN TIMES FILE PHOTO Hikers take in Indian Creek Falls, located not far from Deep Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in a 2012 photo. The trail leading to the falls is mostly flat, which makes it an easy walk.