The Sinks, Tennessee, United States
4.5 (164 reviews) Spent Ranking #21 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Waterfalls
Short Waterfall with Huge Water Flow from Little River
My husband and I stopped at this waterfall around 7:30am on our drive to Cades Cove. Only two other vehicles were there in the small parking lot. A huge amount of water flowed down Little River to create this short waterfall. There are sign boards to read about The Sinks at the viewing area. There is a short walk up stairs that lead to a cliff where you can see the water from above. Also, we stopped to view this on our return drive from Cades Cove in the early afternoon. Several vehicles and more people were there this time.
Address
Old State Hwy 73 Scenic, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN 37738
Website
https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm
Current local date and time now
Friday, May 10, 2024, 8:03
User Ratings
4.5 based on (164 reviews)
Reviews
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4daisyferret1 5:00 PM Jul 31, 2021
Family Fun at the Sinks
We stopped at the Sinks on our trip to the Smokies over the July 4th holiday. This is one stop we make each trip to the Smokies. Parking is VERY tight here and VERY limited. So, be prepared to go early and the possibility of not getting parking easily! Once at the small parking lot, we made our way over the the paved walkway that allows you to easily view the large sinks "waterfall" literally steps from the parking lot. This is a great option for those with mobility issues or the inability to hike the waterfall trails. There is a nice viewing overlook and a few informational signs here as well. You can also swim or wade at the sinks by taking the Meigs Creek Trailhead at the back of the viewing platform. Here you walk up a set of stone steps and nagivate the hillside on the back of the stairs. This will bring you down to the waters edge. Many will cliff jump from rocks, but we just wade and swim in the water. This trip we saw some fish in the water in addition to a large bullfrog. He swam right up to us! It was pretty neat. Overall, we had a nice time at the Sinks again this summer. The water is cool and refreshing on a hot summer day. It is a nice spot to relax with the family as there are rocks to sit on, a shallow side to wade in the water and a deeper side to swim in & cliff jump IF you are daring. Only downsides to this area are that the hillside that you have to navigate to get to the water is steep and requires agility/balance; there are no restrooms; and parking is VERY limited. I would recommend viewing the Sinks and safely swimming downstream from the falls. I would NOT recommend swimming AT the falls or climbing on the rocks AT the falls as drowning deaths have occurred.
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5Genrrose11 5:00 PM Aug 21, 2020
Great Swimming Location!
This is an AWESOME swimming spot! Very fun. It was my first time cliff jumping and was honestly a blast. Be prepared as the water is freezing! I would also recommend wearing water shoes if you have them! I heard some concerns regarding the safety of the area considering the Sinks history. You are able to see the concerns for yourself but as long as you stay away from the waterfall and its plunge pool you will be completely fine! Parking is extremely limited so get there early or be prepared to wait!
