Ramsey Cascades

Ramsey Cascades is a difficult hike with an amazing destination.There are many waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains and a personal favorite is Ramsey Cascades which covers the surrounding area with an ethereal spray of mist as it plunges some 100 ft. over tiers of massive rocks into a dark pool below.

Ramsey Cascades, located in Greenbrier is the park’s tallest waterfall and is often named as one of the 50 best hikes in the Smokies.

The trail to the falls follows the Ramsey Prong of the Little Pigeon River which is fed by streams from the 6,621 ft. Mt. Guyot, the Great SmokyMountains second highest peak.

The last two miles provides hikers an opportunity to enjoy an old growth cove hardwood forest. This is one of the few sections that escaped the logging industry which decimated much of the Smokies before the formation of the National Park. According to the Eastern Native Trees Society, the area includes the third tallest red maple in the park and the second tallest white oak along with a myriad of other native trees. HeySmokies’ favorite “The Twins,” are pair of giant tulip poplar trees which are only a few feet apart. A memorable photo opportunity for all hikers.

The 4-mile one way trail, which rises more than 2,200 feet in elevation, begins along an old gravel road before narrowing into a foot path some one-and-a-half miles later. Hikers will encounter extremely rugged terrain that includes several sections of steep rock steps and must maneuver around large roots and boulders and also traverse a narrow footbridge that crosses some 20-feet above the creek (perhaps not for the faint of heart.)  The last one-third of the trail is extremely difficult. The eight-mile roundtrip, which takes from 5-7 hours to complete, is rated strenuous and is not recommended for novice hikers.

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