13 Best Waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains You Must Visit

The beautiful waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are a must-see part of the park.

Most of these waterfall hikes concentrate around Gatlinburg, Tennessee but there are some that are located in other areas of the state including Townsend, Cosby, and even Bryson City, NC.

Note that many of these waterfalls require a hike to reach, some of them being short or easy hikes ideal for all skill levels.

For those liking a challenge, there are a few waterfall hikes in the Smokies on this list you may enjoy!

Also, please note that if you are planning on parking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you’ll need to purchase a parking permit.

There’s no better way to enjoy the GSMNP than by getting outdoors and connecting with nature with one of these unmissable Smoky Mountain waterfall hikes!

Please help protect our planet & Leave No Trace 🌿

Waterfall Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains

1. Abrams Falls

• Length: 5.5 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Cades Cove Loop (Between Marker 10-11)

Abrams Falls is arguably one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains and in Tennessee. This waterfall is powerful and falls over 24 feet to a large pool below.

Although this waterfall is a must-visit, it is extremely busy during the popular summer and fall months. If you want to avoid the crowds, visit during the winter or spring months or throughout the week.

We hiked to Abrams Falls around 11 a.m. on a Saturday. It wasn’t too busy at this time!

These falls are located inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Cades Cove Loop Road, so a parking permit will be required. They cost $5 a day and can be purchased on-site.

Once you park, walk across Abrams Creek and stay left (you’ll see Wet Bottom Trail towards your right).

Note: Swimming near the base of the falls is NOT recommended as it’s extremely dangerous due to strong currents. If you would like to take a dip on a hot summer day, stay away from the base of the falls.

2. Grotto Falls

• Length: 2.8 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Gatlinburg, TN

Grotto Falls is a very popular waterfall hike near the Smoky Mountains and is just a few miles from Gatlinburg.

Grotto Falls trail will not only lead you to the falls, but it will also lead you directly behind the falls, which is how it got its name Grotto. You’ll find Grotto Falls on the Trillium Gap Trail where you can also hike to Rainbow Falls (see below) and Mt. Lectone.

This is a moderately difficult hike and takes about 2-3 hours to hike and is considered a shorter waterfall hike in the Smoky Mountains.

Keep in mind, Roarking Forke Motor Nature Trails is closed from late November until April, cutting off trail-head access.

3. Ramsey Cascades

• Length: 8.0 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 5-6 hours
• Difficulty: Very Hard
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Gatlinburg, TN

Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as it drops about 100 feet cascading over the rocks beneath.

However, to see this beautiful waterfall, you’ll need to overcome this strenuously difficult trail first. The trail is approximately 8 miles roundtrip, with the last mile being the most challenging.

This is a beautiful hike where you’ll walk underneath towering trees and old-growth such as buckeyes, silverbells, and tulip trees.

As the spray from this waterfall tends to freeze, visiting Ramsey Cascades during the winter in the Smoky Mountains is a great idea as you will find a beautiful frozen display.

Note: Do NOT climb to the top of the falls as multiple people have been killed doing so.

4. Laurel Falls

• Length: 2.6 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 1.5-2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Gatlinburg, TN

Laurel Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains year-round. These falls are named after mountain laurel — a shrub that blooms along the trail in May.

There are two sections to the waterfall, an upper and lower section that is divided by a small bridge.

A majority of the trail is paved, which makes this one of the easiest waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains, but there are still some steeper sections so strollers and wheelchairs are not recommended.

As this is one of the most popular waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and top choices for hikes near Gatlinburg, the trail can become extremely congested.

To avoid the crowds, try visiting Laurel Falls early in the morning and throughout the week.

Note: Please only park in official parking areas— if there are no parking spots, either circle around until someone leaves or choose another hiking destination.

Read next: The Best Cozy Cabin Rentals in Gatlinburg 🏠

5. Whiteoak Sink Falls

• Length: 4.2 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Townsend, TN

If you’re looking for a waterfall in the Smoky Mountains that is not so busy, check out Whiteoak Sink Falls.

The most popular time to visit these falls is during Spring, as the trail is colored in a beautiful display of wildflowers. From phlox to yellow trillium, the ground comes to life with wildflowers approximately within the 1st week of April.

Please be mindful of the flora and stay on the trail at all times.

This waterfall is unique as it’s located in a sinkhole and flows directly into a cave underground. The Indian bat hibernates in this cave and is protected as it’s an endangered species.

The trailhead for Whiteoak Sink is located approximately 1.1 miles from the parking area on Schoolhouse Gap Trail and on the left past Turkeypen Ridge Trail. You’ll know you’ve made it to the trail when you reach a gate that says “No Horses”.

Note: It is prohibited to enter any caves or mineshafts in the national park.

6. Rainbow Falls

• Length: 5.4 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Gatlinburg, TN

Another popular waterfall hike in the Smoky Mountains is at Rainbow Falls. Beware, however, that this hike is not for the faint of heart as it’s extremely strenuous with an elevation gain of 1600 ft.

Any guess on how Rainbow Falls obtained its name?

You got it!

A rainbow can usually be seen in front of the falls on a sunny afternoon thanks to the cloud of mist the waterfall makes after falling over 80 feet.

Crowd levels also tend to be high at Rainbow Falls, try visiting in the early morning hours or late in the evening.

Tip: If you’re looking for more excitement after hiking to Rainbow Falls, continue on the trail for 4 more miles where you will reach the summit of Mount Le Conte for beautiful views of the Smoky Mountains.

7. Baskins Creek Falls

• Length: 3.2 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Gatlinburg, TN

Baskins Creek Falls tends to be overlooked as it’s close in proximity to other popular waterfall hikes such as Rainbow Falls and Grotto Falls.

So, if you’re looking for a beautiful waterfall hike without the crowds, Baskins Falls may be it.

Keep in mind that this waterfall has two trailheads, so you can enter through one and leave out another.

Baskins Falls is a two-tiered waterfall and is approximately 40 feet high. When exiting, be on the lookout for an old pioneer cemetery.

Note: The trailhead for Baskins Creek Falls is harder to find than other waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains. Park near Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and walk up the trail approximately 0.2 miles, where the trailhead will be on your left.

8. Fern Branch Falls

• Length: 3.6 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Laurel, TN

One of the best waterfalls to visit in the Smoky Mountains during the spring is Fern Branch Falls.

The hike to the falls is just as beautiful as the waterfall itself, as Porters Creek Trail is surrounded by lush moss growth and over 40 species of wildflowers that bloom in late April to early May.

Porters Creek Trail is also full of history as you’ll pass by old buildings and a cemetery.

These falls are beautiful year-round but are even more spectacular after heavy rain.

9. Spruce Flats Falls

• Length: 1.8 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 1-2 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Townsend, TN

Known as one of the shortest waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains, Spruce Flats Falls is a beautiful waterfall to visit any time of the year.

This hike is considered moderately difficult as it’s narrow, has many rocks and tree roots, and is next to a steep drop-off. So take extra caution if the trail is wet.

Spruce Flats Falls is a hidden gem on a less-known trail, so it won’t be as crowded as other Smoky Mountain waterfalls.

Once you reach the falls, you’ll be in awe of the picturesque scene it provides as it tumbles down over 30 feet a pool below.

10. Mouse Creek Falls

• Length: 4 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Big Creek, NC

Follow the Big Creek Trail for approximately 4 miles and you’ll reach the beautiful Mouse Creek Falls in the Smoky Mountains.

Along the trail (approximately 1.5 miles in) you’ll pass Midnight Hole — a deep pool of emerald green beneath a 6-foot waterfall. You’ll also see many wildflowers and rhododendrons lining the hiking path, making this a beautiful hike.

The hike to Mouse Creek Falls is secluded and about an hour’s drive from Gatlinburg, TN, so don’t expect to see too many people on this trail.

11. Hen Wallow Falls

• Length: 4.8 miles out & back
• Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Cosby, TN

Hen Wallow Falls is a beautiful waterfall hike near Cosby, TN, and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Along this 4.8-mile hike, you’ll walk through a lush green forest full of hemlocks and rhododendrons. This waterfall is great for visiting during winter or spring or after heavy rains. If you visit through winter, expect a beautiful frozen display.

This is not a popular waterfall hike, so crowd levels will be low.

Hen Wallow Falls is approximately 90 feet tall and crashes into a rock formation below.

12. Lynn Camp Prong Cascades

• Length: 1 mile out & back
• Hiking Time: 0.5 – 1 hour
• Difficulty: Easy
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Tremont, TN

Lynn Camp Prong Cascades is one of the shortest waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains.

Start by hiking along The Middle Prong Trail at the upper end of the parking area. This area used to be the site of an old logging community of Tremont, and you’ll walk along areas where many buildings stood including the Tremont Hotel, a post office, and a doctor’s office.

Don’t expect to see many people on this trail as the trailhead is not marked and is not very well known.

The falls aren’t grand but they are still beautiful, falling approximately over 30 feet over rock formations.

To find the trailhead, follow Tremont road past the Tremont Environmental Education Center, and once you reach a gravel road continue for approximately 5.1 miles until you reach The Middle Prong Trail at the upper end of the parking area.

13. Tom Branch Falls

• Length: 0.6 miles
• Hiking Time: 0.5 – 1 hour
• Difficulty: Easy
• Pet-Friendly: No
• Parking: Permit required after 15-minutes
• Near: Bryson City, NC

If you’re looking for a short and easy waterfall hike in the Smoky Mountains, then Tom Branch Falls will be perfect.

Toms Branch Falls is accessed via the Deep Creek Trail and is only three-tenths of a mile from the trailhead. Once you reach this 80-foot waterfall, you’ll see many benches allowing you to sit and admire the beauty of nature.

If you’d like, you can continue on this same trail for just another 0.6 miles where you’ll reach another waterfall in the smokies called Indian Creek Falls.

Once you return to the parking lot, you’ll have the opportunity to see a 3rd waterfall within close proximity. Hike just 0.5 miles from the parking lot to see Juney Whank Falls.

Note: Deep Creek & Indian Creek Trails are one of only 3 trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that allows bicycles.

Do you have any waterfall hikes that you recommend in the Smoky Mountains?

As always, pack out all trash you pack in and follow the Leave No Trace principles. Let’s protect our outdoors and keep it wild and safe for everyone to enjoy. 🌿

Featured Image: Abrams Falls