Coupons | Cabins | Condos | Restaurants

Follow Gatlinburg TN Guide:
LogoLogoLogoLogoLogo
  • Coupons
    • Coupons and Discounts
      • Cabin Deals
      • Hotel Coupons
      • Restaurant Coupons
    • Attraction Coupons
      • Gatlinburg Aquarium Coupons
      • Anakeesta Coupons
      • Ripley’s Believe It or Not
      • Dollywood Coupons
      • Biltmore Estate Coupons
      • White Water Rafting Coupons
      • Zip Line Coupons
    • More Savings

      Menu couponsCabin deals menu

  • Lodging
    • Cabin Rentals
      • Cabins for Rent
      • Cabins with Game Rooms
      • Cabins with Indoor Pools
      • Cheap Cabin Rentals
      • Pet Friendly Cabins
    • Hotels
      • Hotels and Motels
      • Hotels with Indoor Pools
    • Condo Rentals
    • Campgrounds
    • Bed and Breakfast
    • Vacation Packages
  • Restaurants
    • Best Restaurants
    • Restaurant Coupons
  • Things To Do
    • Fun Things to do
      • Zip Line Tours
      • Ober Gatlinburg
      • Churches
    • Events
      • Events Calendar
      • 4th of July
      • Fall Colors Forecast
    • Wedding Packages
      • Wedding Photography
  • Webcams
  • Blog
  • Coupons
    • Coupons and Discounts
      • Cabin Deals
      • Hotel Coupons
      • Restaurant Coupons
    • Attraction Coupons
      • Gatlinburg Aquarium Coupons
      • Anakeesta Coupons
      • Ripley’s Believe It or Not
      • Dollywood Coupons
      • Biltmore Estate Coupons
      • White Water Rafting Coupons
      • Zip Line Coupons
  • Lodging
    • Cabin Rentals
      • Cabins for Rent
      • Cabins with Game Rooms
      • Cabins with Indoor Pools
      • Cheap Cabin Rentals
      • Pet Friendly Cabins
    • Hotels
      • Hotels and Motels
      • Hotels with Indoor Pools
    • Condo Rentals
    • Campgrounds
    • Bed and Breakfast
    • Vacation Packages
  • Restaurants
    • Best Restaurants
    • Restaurant Coupons
  • Things To Do
    • Fun Things to do
      • Zip Line Tours
      • Ober Gatlinburg
      • Churches
    • Events
      • Events Calendar
      • 4th of July
      • Fall Colors Forecast
    • Wedding Packages
      • Wedding Photography
  • Webcams
  • Blog

Home / Blog / Things to Do / 5 Most Popular Gatlinburg Waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Laurel Falls
  • Things to Do

5 Most Popular Gatlinburg Waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Aug. 25, 2016

When you visit the Smoky Mountains, you can’t go without seeing at least one of the Gatlinburg waterfalls in the national park!

1. Laurel FallsLaurel Falls in the Smoky Mountains

Laurel Falls is one of the most popular hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and it’s generally one of the busiest trails in the park. The first part of the hike, to Laurel Falls, is about 1.3 miles (2.6 miles round trip).

The hike to the falls is paved, but the last ¼ mile is more of a forest trail, so it’s a little more difficult for strollers right as you approach the waterfall.

We recommend hiking this trail during the morning hours to avoid the larger crowds of people. When you hike later in the day, you may also have some difficulty with parking at the trailhead, so morning is generally the best time of day.

Difficulty: Moderate

Best season to hike this trail: Winter if you are looking to avoid the crowds, spring if you want to see the wildflowers

Trailhead: From Sugarlands Visitor Center, drive 3.7 miles west on Little River Road to the trailhead at Fighting Creek Gap.

To learn more about Laurel Falls: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/laurel-falls.htm

Abrams Falls Gatlinburg Waterfall2. Abrams Falls

Abrams Falls is only about 20 feet tall, but it has the greatest volume of any waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It also has the largest plunge pool. The entire hike follows closely to Abrams Creek.

The hike is about 5 miles round trip and takes about 3 hours to complete. Since the trailhead is located on the Cades Cove Loop Road, it’s a great idea to visit Cades Cove in the morning and finish your afternoon with the Abrams Falls hike.

Difficulty: Moderate. The trail is made of rocky, packed dirt.

Best season to hike: If you want to avoid crowds, the best season to hike this trail is the winter. The spring and summer months are best for photos of the waterfall. It’s also a fantastic swimming hole, so be prepared if you plan to swim!

Trailhead: The trailhead is located about halfway around the Cades Cove Loop Road, so you do have to plan to drive the entire Loop Road.

To learn more about Abrams Falls: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/abrams-falls.htm

3. Grotto FallsGrotto Falls in the Smoky Mountains

If you’re looking for great photos of one of the Gatlinburg waterfalls, this may be the hike for you. Grotto Falls is also a popular hiking trail, so you can expect there to be company with you along the trail, so we recommend starting this hike in the morning hours.

The hiking distance is about 2.6 miles round trip and you should expect the hike to take anywhere from 2-3 hours to complete.

Difficulty: Moderate. The trail is a dirt-packed surface.

Best season to hike: The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is closed from December 1 to March 31 each year, so spring and summertime are the best times to hike to this waterfall. You can still reach Grotto Falls when the motor nature trail is closed, but your round trip hiking distance nearly doubles from any other access point.

Trailhead: The start of the hike begins at the parking area of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

To learn more about Grotto Falls: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/grotto-falls.htm

Ramsey Cascades waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park4. Ramsey Cascades

Ramsey Cascades is a great hiking trail for anyone who only has a single day to spend in the national park. It is known for springtime wildflowers, old growth forests and cascading streams. Ramsey Cascades is one of the highest Gatlinburg waterfalls in the national park and many people would claim it is the prettiest of all of the falls.

The National Park Service claims that the waterfall is 100 feet tall, but many accounts say that the waterfall is only about 60 feet tall. The trail is about 8 miles round trip and you should expect it to take about 5-6 hours to complete.

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous with quite a few steep sections

Best season to hike: It’s best to hike this trail in the springtime to see the wildflowers along the way to the waterfall.

Trailhead: The Ramsey Cascades trailhead can be found by turning right at traffic light #3 in Gatlinburg, then after 5.9 miles, you will turn right onto Greenbrier Road. After another 3 miles, you will see the road and signs to the Ramsey Cascades trailhead.

To learn more about Ramsey Cascades: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/ramsey-cascades.htm

5. Rainbow FallsRainbow Falls in the Smoky Mountains

Rainbow Falls gets its name from the rainbows you can see on a sunny day, in the mist that is created from the falling water. The waterfall is formed as LeConte Creek rushes over a hanging ledge and falls over 80 feet to the ground. Rainbow Falls is a pretty popular hike, but keep in mind that it’s not an easy hike to make. For kids and first time hikers, this is not recommended; there are other Gatlinburg waterfalls with less strenuous hiking trails that would be a better choice.

The hike is about 5.5 miles and takes about 4 hours to complete.

Difficulty: Strenuous with many steep areas. The trail is covered in rocks, so it makes for a bumpy hike to the waterfall.

Best season to hike: This hike is also great in the spring months because it is covered in spring wildflowers.

Trailhead: The trailhead is the Rainbow Falls trailhead and it is located on Cherokee Orchard Road. You turn at traffic light #8 in Gatlinburg onto Historic Nature Trail Road. Stay to the right once you come upon an intersection, then follow the signs (the intersection can be a little confusing, so just remember to stay to the right!)

To learn more about Rainbow Falls: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/rainbow-falls-pyv.htm

Final Thoughts

Have you ever visited one of the Gatlinburg waterfalls? Which is your favorite? Tell us below!

Related Posts:

  • gatlinburg welcome sign light
    Top 5 Things to Do in Gatlinburg in December
  • ole red sign gatlinburg
    Top 5 Things to Do in Gatlinburg for Adults
  • aerial tram at ober gatlinburg
    Ober Mountain Ski Resort in Gatlinburg TN
  • gatlinburg sign in the fall
    Top 5 Things to Do When You Visit Gatlinburg in the Fall
Related topics:
great smoky mountains national parkhikingthings to do
There are 2 Comments on this post
  • Liz Cordero
    December 8, 2016 at 9:47 am

    We visited Spruce Flats Falls in the Tremont area, and we thought it to be absolutely stunning in beauty. The reward was well worth the difficult hike. We were surprised that this falls does not receive as much mention as the others.

    Leave reply
  • Carmen
    September 14, 2017 at 3:34 pm

    We did Laurel Falls with our four children in August, it was a tough trail but worth it, just don’t start it late in the day so you don’t get stuck in the dark! Lol!

    Leave reply
Post a Comment
Cancel Reply

MOST POPULAR TIPS
  • Cabin Rentals
  • Hotels and Motels
  • Condos for Rent
Search
Recent News
  • the greenbrier restaurant in gatlinburg

    The Ultimate Guide to an Adults Only Gatlinburg TN Vacation

  • ober gatlinburg sign

    Ober Gatlinburg Sold to Sevier County Natives: What to Expect

  • fireworks gatlinburg tn

    New Years Eve Gatlinburg TN 2022

  • ripley's aquarium in gatlinburg

    The Ultimate Guide for an Affordable Gatlinburg Vacation




Topics
  • Coupons and Discounts
  • Events
  • Gatlinburg TN Guide
  • Lodging
  • News
  • Restaurants
  • Shopping
  • Things to Do
Recent Posts
  • the greenbrier restaurant in gatlinburg

    The Ultimate Guide to an Adults Only Gatlinburg TN Vacation

  • ober gatlinburg sign

    Ober Gatlinburg Sold to Sevier County Natives: What to Expect

  • fireworks gatlinburg tn

    New Years Eve Gatlinburg TN 2022

Topics
  • Coupons and Discounts
  • Events
  • Gatlinburg TN Guide
  • Lodging
  • News
  • Restaurants
  • Shopping
  • Things to Do
Lodging
  • Cabins
  • Cabin Deals
  • Pet Friendly Cabins
  • Hotels and Motels
  • Hotels with Indoor Pools
  • Condos
  • Campgrounds
The Best
  • Coupons
  • Fun Things To Do
  • Best Places to Eat
Popular
  • Gatlinburg Events
  • Gatlinburg Webcams
Company
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023