Wondrous Waterfalls
Hike through the Great Smoky Mountains to see breathtaking waterfalls
Inspired by a Wandering Smoky Mountains article, we’re hiking through the scenic Great Smoky Mountains to see some of its breathtaking waterfalls. There’s no better time than spring to enjoy this majestic area.
Home base is Gatlinburg. From there, you can hike trails lined with lustrous vegetation to spectacular waterfalls. We recommend booking an overnight stay in Gatlinburg so you can fully enjoy the experience.
We’ve chosen Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg as the starting point to all trails for the purposes of providing distance estimates, but Gatlinburg offers plenty of other accommodations. Learn more at gatlinburg.com/places-to-stay/hotels-and-motels.
The Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg is situated on the west prong of the Little Pigeon River. Rooms on that side of the hotel include balconies so you can enjoy the relaxing sounds and view of the water as it trickles by.
STARTING POINT:
Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg on the River
293 Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
wyndhamhotels.com
Start and end your waterfall journey in downtown Gatlinburg, where you can choose from various resorts and restaurants.
Cataract Falls
Sugarlands Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
1420 Fighting Creek Gap Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
3.3 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
cms.smokymountains.com/park/hikes/cataract-falls-hike
Considered one of the Great Smoky Mountains’ best kept secrets, the ¾-mile Cataract Falls trail is perfect for families and leads to a beautiful 25-foot waterfall. A canopy of trees provides shade as you meander alongside Fighting Creek.
Grotto Falls
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, Tennessee (parking lot)
1.6 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
nps.gov/places/grotto-falls.htm
Experience the sensation of walking behind a 25-foot waterfall while hiking the roundtrip 2.6-mile journey that starts at the Trillium Gap Trailhead. You’ll cross over bubbling streams and meander through old-growth forest and rhododendron. You also have the option to continue on to Mount LeConte, Tennessee’s highest peak.
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Fall, Bullhead Parking B, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
4.5 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
smokymountains.com/park/hikes/rainbow-falls-trail
This 5.4-mile roundtrip trail to 80-foot rainbow falls is one of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s oldest and most well-traveled. It’s worth the time and effort, but prepare for a more difficult climb than other trails featured here. Your reward: Seeing the park’s tallest single-drop waterfall and, if you’re lucky to hike on a sunny day, catching a stunning rainbow shimmering through the fall’s mist..
Ramsey Cascades
Ramsey Prong Road, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
10.4 miles from downtown Gatlinburg
hikinginthesmokys.com/ramsey-cascades
Prepare for a moderately strenuous roundtrip 8-mile hike with a 2,190 elevation gain over rugged terrain. The trail follows the remnants of an old gravel road and meets up with the old Greenbrier Pinnacle Trail, which is now overgrown. It continues east into the largest old-growth forest remaining in the Smokies. Once you reach 100-foot Ramsey Cascades, you’ll see one of the park’s tallest and most spectacular waterfalls.
HIKE A LITTLE FURTHER OUT
If you don’t mind driving an hour or more to experience some of the Great Smoky Mountain waterfall trails a little further out, add these to your agenda.
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