Wading Little River to See Mannis Branch Falls

White wood asters blooming in the forest on Monday

Wading Little River to See Mannis Branch Falls 

Monday 9/7/2020

Kenny & Dana Koogler 

Pictures are here starting with the current frame 

Mannis Branch Falls waypoint on Tennessee Landforms 

   I had wanted to ford the river to see Mannis Branch Falls up close.  I didn't feel comfortable going alone.   Kenny and I have both done this several times, but it had been a long while between visits.    We had yard work chores to do on Monday so we knocked those out.  It was hot, tiring work, but we were relieved when it was done.   I talked Kenny into going to the river with me to ford across and see the falls.  It would not take long, and the water would feel good after the chores.  He agreed.   We went and found the pull off without too much trouble.   

      Mannis Branch Falls is similar to Meigs Falls in that it can be viewed from the road.  It is not as easy to see as Meigs Falls though, especially in Summer.  It is further back in a holler and the trees obscure it from view.    Usually Summer is an easy time to visit the waterfall owing to the lower water levels.   We had plenty of rain lately which made the falls really pretty today.   I just picked a line across the river and went almost straight over.    Kenny was about 20 feet up from me trying to cross.  Our trekking poles started buzzing about half way across.   It got to the point where just to pick up one foot was difficult.  You could feel how slimey the rocks were in the river bed.   Lifting a foot to take a step made things worse. You could feel the current trying to sweep you off your feet and take you downstream.

    I was six inches from a ball of tree roots growing out into the river.  It was submerged, but I knew if I could just get onto that I'd be ok.   Kenny was up from me and had further to go to the bank than I did.  I was in a rather deep hole up to my waist.   Finally I was able to get onto the tree roots and my ordeal was over for the moment.  Kenny was cursing and muttering to himself about why did he let me talk him into such dumb things.  He was DONE!  DONE! Going back to wait in the vehicle.   I sheepishly said to him from the bank, "I've got the keys."   He kept fussing and I got the point. He was pissed off at me.  The divorce-o-meter was pegged into the red.   I crawled up the rocky bank, ducked under a log, and finished my scramble up to the stream.    

     I walked up toward the falls very carefully.   I set my pack down and began getting out camera gear.  I figured I could not do much to fix the spousal situation right then so I might as well take some photos and video.   I'd deal with the fall out later.   I figured all that work to ford the stream should at least count for something.

I got started with the Go Pro camera first.  I have used it so little the past several months I have gotten very rusty at it.   I was still shooting video tape with it when I turned around to see Kenny coming up the creek toward me.   He'd thought better of it and come back.    He went back across. Calmed down and found a much better, safer place to ford.  It was only 25 feet or so upstream from our original position.   He was alright now.  

   Below was my initial view of the falls.

    

Mannis Branch Falls has an upper and lower part.  The lower cascade is separated from the upper by a run of about 30 feet.   Its total height is listed as 30 feet.

It is within the boundaries of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Tennessee side.  It lies in Blount County.    There is a dry feet way to reach this falls, but that is not easy either.   It is a partial hike on a trail and partial bushwhack.  I think if I got to the river and could see the road over there it would be very hard for me to force myself to go back round the long way.   Once you've forded the river though in even moderately high water it sobers you right up. Usually one or two people per year drown in Little River.  

        Below is a view looking back down the gorge toward the river and the road. 

     

Beautiful and deep green.  You cannot see the road or the river from here.

        Above: This is a progressive view of the falls.. I am approaching the upper part now.   It doesn't look like much in this photo.  The scale of it standing beneath that rock cliff is much more impressive than my photo illustrates.

Below is a silky water shot of the falls main rooster tail.

Above: a very mossy, verdant green tree trunk. It looks like one of the Ents on Lord of the Rings.  You can see my backpack and Kenny to the far right.

Above: a large downed hemlock or pine tree in the falls.  

Above:  lower cascades isolation shot.

A last look at the falls from this angle.  This photo shows better how large the tree is and how jagged it looks.  

     I was thrilled to finally be back over here soaking up the experience up close and personal.   Kenny didn't act thrilled about it, but he did say the falls was pretty.  I suspect the only reasons he came at all were that I helped him with the lawn work and because he didn't want me to get hurt or killed.   

      I enjoyed the deep green tranquility of the little side gorge the falls lies in.

Finally we began our trek back toward the river.    Fording on the return trip was much simpler.    We made it there and back unharmed.    I fit in a short waterfall visit to my Labor Day.     

      Below is a video of Mannis Branch Falls. I apologize up front for the blurry spot on the lens at the start.  The Go Pro case had a water droplet on it that I failed to catch and wipe off.   The view clears up after a few seconds into the video.   

      Back home we went tired, but happy.    I feel blessed to live so close to pretty places like this.