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November 1, 2020  |  By Ben Ivers

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Black and White Great Smoky Mountains National Park Live Cades Cove

Cades Cove is an expanse of cascading mountains, lush fields, and dense forests.

I was awestruck upon seeing this view of McCampbell Knob from Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Jill and I had just completed our hike to Abrams Falls via the comically named Wet Bottom Trail. As we stepped out of the forest, this mountain-scape opened up in front of us. The sweeping field that lay on the other side of the Cades Cove Loop Road made the view all the more stunning.

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Cades Cove is one of the most popular areas of the Great Smoky Mountains. On a typical day thousands of cars drive around this winding and expansive area. Cades Cove had been a frequent hunting area for the Cherokee Indians before European settlers came into the area in the 1820s. Abrams Falls is actually named after Oskuah, the Cherokee Indian chief whose village was a few miles from the falls. Oskuah adopted the name Abram later in life.

Since our hike to Abrams Falls began on the Wet Bottom Trail, we went past Elijah Oliver cabin. This cabin was built in 1865. Elijah Oliver was a deacon of the Primitive Baptist Church for 37 years in Cades Cove. While we were

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While we were hiking around the cabin, we spotted a rattlesnake. It ended up being much larger that I would have imagined--it must have been four feet long! As I photographed it, it slithered under the front steps of the porch. Hopefully it stayed under there the rest of the day and away from the many visitors to the cabin.

We spotted a shy but massive rattlesnake at the cabin

Who would have known that Cades Cove housed one of the most dangerous trails in the USA?!

The hike to Abrams Falls was relatively easy. We passed hundreds of people along the way to the falls. When we arrived at Abrams Falls, we had hiked a little over 3 miles and decided to stop there for a snack. Everyone was clambering over the rocks to take photos, swimming in the water, and daring one another to take a leap from the top of the most voluminous falls in the Smokies.

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I would not recommend that anyone jump from the top of Abrams Falls nor swim around in the water near it. Surprisingly, the Abrams Falls Trail is the 9th most deadly trail in the United States. 27 people have died on this trail since the 70s, with most having succumbed to the challenging currents in and around the falls. Please be safe and respect the power of nature while out on the trail.

Timber Rattlesnake Fun Facts

  • Timber rattlesnakes are venomous.
  • They grow to be 3-6 feet in length.
  • Timber rattlesnakes have a heavy body and a triangular head.
  • They are grey with a black tail, and are commonly seen with black bands with alternating light colors.
  • Timber rattlesnakes primarily feed on small rodents, but will occasionally eat birds, lizards, and other small animals.
  • They typically give birth to 5-14 snakes every other year.
  • Baby snakes are called snakelets. If they just hatched, they are referred to as hatchlings.
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THIS MONTH'S GALLERY
b&w GSMNP landscape national park smoky mountains tennessee

Article by Ben Ivers

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2 Comments

  1. thomas September 6, 2021
    Reply←

    liked your article on cades cove ares. May plan a trip this week there.

  2. Charles Keys January 5, 2022
    Reply←

    I Love Cade Cove and ALL THE MOUNTAINS!!

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Matt Hamas and Ben Ivers here. We are focused on fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of the environment. We endeavor to bring you a unique perspective of the wild. Our photos are being placed here for you to enjoy. Please feel free to download any of the photos for your personal use. We are currently seeking partners for printing and developing photos.

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