Little Bottoms Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features River/Creek · Wildflowers

The trailhead is located 1.3 miles up the Cooper Road Trail from the Abrams Creek Ranger Station on the right hand side of the trail.

The trail moves through old farmland, which flourished in this "bottom." The west side of the creek was farmed by Andersons while Jim and Kate Johnson ran a farm on the east side. The fields have been absorbed by a forest of hemlocks and white pines.

Leaving Cooper Road Trail, you pass a small spring that seems to come out of a hemlock tree. The trail climbs a pine ridge and drops into the Abrams Creek Drainage where it starts to follow Abrams Creek. The terrain rolls through this part of the journey, making it more than an easy trail. At mile 1.6, Campsite #17 sits near Abrams Creek and an old homesite. Water for the campsite comes from the creek, but make sure to sterilize your water before using it. The trail starts to climb as it approaches Hatcher Mountain trail. The trail gains 200 feet of elevation gain in a .4 mile stretch. Near the end of the trail, damage from an EF4 tornado in 2011 can still be seen. The tornado scarred the mountains from Chilhowee Lake to the park boundary at Ace Gap. At mile 2.3, the trail intersects with the Hatcher Mountain Trail.

From here, you have several options. Abrams Falls is 1.9 miles away if you turn right and follow the Hatcher Mountain Trail and the Abrams Creek Trail. You could also take the Hannah Mountain Trail and turn right on the Rabbit Creek Trail to follow it back to the Abrams Creek Ranger Station and your car. You can also return to your car via the the path that you traveled.