An unseasonably warm day presented an excellent opportunity to explore a new trail. Donning our hiking boots, Lize and I hopped in my car and headed for Cosby, Tennessee. Lize had just gotten a new pair of hiking boots, so she was excited to try them out. Just 91 miles from the house, Cosby presented a good starting point with multiple trailheads that explore the Smoky Mountain National Park.
Cosby offers a great way to access the park. Instead of battling the traffic of Gatlinburg, we drove up 40 East towards North Carolina. A short jaunt off the interstate brought us to the town of Cosby. Inviting cabins and restaurants border Hwy 321, which leads back in to Gatlinburg.
Driving out of Cosby a right turn beside an abandoned, grocery sent us into the park. The road follows a creek which was swollen from recent rains. Orange road cones marked areas where flooding had reached the road. The campground serves as the embarking point for Gabes Mountain Trail and Low Gap Trail.
Gabes Mountain Trail was a short walk from the Cosby Campground picnic area. Our destination was Hen Wallow Falls. Only 2.1 miles to the falls, but the elevation gain made the ascent feel more like a 4. Later I discovered that the trail gains 900 feet from the parking lot to the falls.
The sunlight trickled through the trees as we wound our way up the trail. Almost an echo to the sunlight, Rock Creek borders the first part of the trail. The recent rains had transformed the mountain stream into a raging torrent.
The water twisted and tumbled over great boulders. White and frothy the creek could be heard for most of the hike. The trail crosses several streams with log bridges. Traversing the roaring creek over the tiny foot bridge was thrilling. Only one side of the bridge has a handrail, and it lively bounces underfoot. Needless to say, my heart was beating a bit faster when I reached the other side.
After crossing Rock Creek, the trail began a steep climb up the mountain. Lize and I were huffing and puffing after the first mile. A month or two of laziness had added up. A nice sign marked the first mile of the trail. While the trail is not blazed, it was easy to see the well trodden path.
The trees and rhododendron were thick along the trail. Occasionally the forest would thin, and light would dance across the undergrowth. Moss and lichen covered the rocks and decaying trees. The deep greens and browns complement the loamy smell of the forest. We had no problems enjoying the mountain air as we huffed and puffed our way up the trail.
We were in no hurry to reach the falls, so we stopped frequently to photograph. Several groups passed us on the way up. Since it was such a pretty day, several families with small children were enjoying the trail as well. While the kids seemed to have no trouble, the footing was less than perfect, so good footwear is a must.
The trail crosses water several more times as it winds it’s way to the falls. Many of the crossings were not the most sure footed. The water level was higher than normal, so the trail was more treacherous than normal.
The trail follows the contours of several peaks. As we rounded one of the peaks, the left side of trail opens onto a sweeping vista overlooking Hwy 321. Since the leaves had fallen, the view was unobstructed.
Only a quarter of a mile further brought us to a steeply descending side trail leading to falls. The trail was well marked by a wooden sign. The trail to the falls was steep, and the ground was soggy. It made descending to the falls slow.
The short hike off the main trail foreshadows the coming falls with the sound of the water crashing on the rocks below the falls. The side trail ends at the base of the 90-foot falls. Hen Wallow falls is an oddity. The water began with a narrow 2-foot opening the rock cliff and fanned out to 20 feet at the bottom.
The waterfall did not end in pool, but rather it crashed down on rocks in a cacophonous spray. We began exploring, but photographing everything was difficult because there were so many people visiting the falls. Crossing the rocks below the falls was difficult. The rocks were slick from algae and water. The slippery crossing was worth it though. The view of the falls from the far side was by far the best.
Lize did slip on the rocks even with good footwear, so it’s certainly not for the faint of heart. One of the families brought kids with Crocs on to visit. Needless to say this was a very poor choice. One of the smaller children fell exploring below the falls and hit his head. Luckily he was okay, but it was still a scary moment.
After we ate a quick snack, we began the trek back to the parking lot. The way down was much easier than the trip up, and we made it down in a little over an hour. We hopped in the car and headed for civilization for a quick bite and some rest.
Hen Wallow Falls was a quick hike, but it was a great way to spend an unexpected warm, winter day. From a beautiful climb through old-growth forests to a unique waterfall, this hike was one we decided to visit again in the future.
We are always on the lookout for new adventures. Do you have some where we should check out? Let us know: Tweet: #checkoutwithinahundred @withinahundred. We are also on the look out for contributing writers. If you want to write about your own adventure, let us know. You can tweet@withinahundred.
