The Sinks is a picturesque location along Little River Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is a man-made 15 foot high waterfall on the Little River located between Elkmont and Cades Cove, 11.7 miles from Sugarlands Visitor Center. It has a small parking lot area and is also the Meigs Creek trailhead.
The Sinks was created in the late 1800s following the use of dynamite by a timber company to end a log jam created by a massive flood. It changed the course of the river and created this hidden attraction accompanied by a small parking lot.
The Sinks is a tempting place to consider a swim on a hot day, but this is definitely not recommended. The current is strong and the area has had at least seven deaths since 1971. There are warning signs about the dangers in the area.
We were there on a weekend in early August following a rainy week in the Smoky Mountains, and the Little River was roaring over the bedrock there. It looks very different when the water level is lower, according to the photos that we have seen online of such times.
