Just outside the Gatlinburg city limits is this very pretty waterfall. It is quite sheltered and you must drop down a precarious area with unstable ground and few handholds to reach it.
Our group was led by Keith, a seasoned hiker with a gregarious personality. Our sweep was Todd, another seasoned hiker. We were on this hike with Keith and his friend Jen last year and again this time. This hike is between 4 and 5 miles as an out and back.
Beginning at the junction of Cherokee Orchard and Roaring Fork roads, we hiked a few minutes on pavement, soon heading onto natural surface trail. There was some snow and ice but lots of mud. This area burned during the Nov 2016 Chimney Tops 2 fire. It is recovering. Some areas are a dense thicket of pines. Others are rejuvenating Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel. We also passed by some quartzite stones. A few were quite large.
There was one creek crossing that offered some hikers a balancing act as they crossed. Then we headed down a long decline. This was where I put on my microspikes. Ice had built up on the trail and it was slick.
Just before reaching the precarious slide down, we passed a chimney fall. There was very little land around it to support much of a garden. However, someone must have lived out here since there was a side trail to a cemetery.
We ate lunch with this view. It was first come first seated. A rock ledge was crowded with diners.
This gentleman had fished out his cushioned seat and offered it to Jen.
This caulk drawing is sheltered, so it may take a while for it to weather away. The rock around the waterfall is an attractive spot for graffiti.
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