The high Smokies may get 90 inches or more of precipitation each year-a heck of a fountainhead, supplying plenty of water that yields to gravity’s downhill tug.įinally, the diverse, mainly sedimentary geology of the Great Smoky Mountains layers rocks of differing resistance to the forces of erosion, running water foremost among them. That big mass of elevated terrain wrings a lot of rainfall out of passing weather systems, not least the super-moist airmasses sourced in the Gulf of Mexico that commonly slough over this part of the Southern Appalachians. For one thing, the Great Smokies are rugged: Streams follow steep courses, which makes for an overall tumbling, careening quality to water flow here.įurthermore, the range isn’t simply steep, but also high-the most massive block of high country in the Southern Appalachians-and wet. The reasons why there are so many gorgeous cascades and plunges in the range boil down to a few basic ingredients. The Wondrous Waterfalls of the Great Smokies Before we get into the list, though, let’s run through some quick Smoky Mountain Waterfall 101, just to provide some context. In this article, we’ll round up seven of the very best waterfall hikes in the Great Smokies. These whitewater drops rank among the most popular hiking destinations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and given their spellbinding beauty and almost mystical power to transfix it’s not at all hard to see why. The Great Smoky Mountains famously abound with waterfalls.
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