The Best Waterfall Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains get more than 60 inches of rain a year in places, and all that water has carved a remarkable collection of waterfalls. The park has dozens of named falls, but only a handful are easy to reach on well-built trails. This guide ranks the best waterfall hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains by effort and payoff, so you can match a hike to your group whether you have toddlers or trail legs.

Laurel Falls: The Easiest Big Waterfall

If you want a major waterfall with minimal effort, start with Laurel Falls. The 2.6-mile round-trip trail is paved the entire way and climbs gently from a trailhead on Little River Road between Gatlinburg and Elkmont. The 80-foot, two-tier cascade splits across a footbridge that crosses right at the base. Because it is so accessible, it is also the most crowded waterfall in the park, so arrive before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. and be aware the paved path has steep drop-offs in places.

Grotto Falls: Walk Behind the Water

Grotto Falls is the only waterfall in the park you can walk completely behind, which makes it a favorite with kids. The 2.6-mile round-trip hike follows the Trillium Gap Trail through an old-growth hemlock forest off the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail near Gatlinburg. You may even share the path with llamas, which the park uses to resupply the lodge atop Mount LeConte. The motor road is closed in winter, so save this one for spring through fall.

Abrams Falls: Power Over Height

What Abrams Falls lacks in height it makes up for in volume. Only about 20 feet tall, it pushes a huge amount of water into a wide, deep plunge pool. The 5-mile round-trip trail begins in Cades Cove and rolls along Abrams Creek through pine forest. The pool looks inviting but has dangerous undertows, so admire it rather than swim.

Ramsey Cascades: The Big Challenge

For experienced hikers, Ramsey Cascades is the prize. At 100 feet it is the tallest waterfall in the park, and reaching it requires an 8-mile round trip with about 2,200 feet of climbing through some of the largest old-growth trees in the eastern United States. The trailhead sits in the Greenbrier section near Gatlinburg. Give yourself a full day, bring plenty of water, and skip the slick rocks at the top where injuries happen every year.

Quick-Reference Waterfall Comparison

• Laurel Falls: 2.6 miles round trip, paved, easy, very crowded.
• Grotto Falls: 2.6 miles round trip, moderate, walk behind the falls, seasonal access.
• Abrams Falls: 5 miles round trip, moderate, powerful pool, starts in Cades Cove.
• Ramsey Cascades: 8 miles round trip, strenuous, tallest in the park, old-growth forest.
• Rainbow Falls: 5.4 miles round trip, strenuous, 80 feet, freezes into an ice column in winter.

Tips for Safe Waterfall Hiking

Waterfalls in the Smokies are responsible for the most serious accidents in the park, almost always because someone climbed on wet rocks. Never climb on or above a waterfall. The rocks are coated in slick algae and a fall can be fatal. Wear shoes with real tread, start early to find parking, and check whether the Roaring Fork or Cades Cove roads are open for the season before you drive out.

Build a Waterfall Day Into Your Trip

You can chain two or three of these hikes if you plan geographically, since the Gatlinburg-area falls cluster together. To weave the best waterfalls together with Clingmans Dome, the Alum Cave Trail, and Cades Cove without backtracking across the park, follow our 3-day Great Smoky Mountains itinerary. It pairs an easy waterfall morning with a bigger summit day so your legs get a break between the hard climbs.