There are 150 Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails from which to choose ranging from Clingmans Dome and the Deep Creek Loop to the infamous Appalachian Trail. While hiking has its own rewards one generally participates for some kind of payoff like a spectacular overlook, whitewater rivers or, our personal favorite, waterfalls. With so many Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails to choose from we focused mostly on waterfall chasing but also enjoyed a few hikes that provided a different experience.
The Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails cover over 800 miles (1,287 km) of territory, including 71 miles (114 km) for the Appalachian trail alone. There are highly strenuous hikes like those up to Mt. LeConte or more leisurely strolls like the Goldmine Loop. There are long hikes like Rocky Top (13.9 miles, 22.4 km), short ones like Spruce-Fir Trail (.4 miles, 06 km) or something in between like the Alum Cave Trail (4.4 miles, 7.1 km). Much like we experienced hiking Sedona, there are no bad views to be found while enjoying this magnificent park.
We’ll start with the Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails to the west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center then move east and south of downtown Gatlinburg including the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
Laurel Falls Trail
Our first attempt to hike the Laurel Falls Trail was thwarted by a fallen tree that closed the trail for a day but we were successful on our second attempt a few days later. The hike to Laurel Falls is a 2.6 mile (4.2 km) loop that begins right next to the parking area just off Fighting Creek Gap Road. There is parking available in a small lot and on both sides of the street that can fill up very quickly. The entire trail is paved as it was originally created to allow fire crews access to the Cove Mountain area.
The mountain inclines up to your right and sharply down on your left. You are surrounded by forests of pine-oak and cove hardwood that rise from the valley below searching for sunlight. There are wonderful rock clusters that are not only pleasing on the eye but can also serve as de facto benches for resting your legs. Surrounding the paved path you’ll see the signs of erosion and nature doing its best to survive.
You’ll pass some large “weeping rocks” until you hit an opening where you get some clear views of the rolling southern mountains. Keep an eye out for trees that have become misshapen due to the high winds at this elevation as well as lighting strikes. Always be mindful of some very steep drop offs to your left.
At about the 1-hour mark you’ll arrive at Laurel Falls. To learn more about the falls and see lots of great pictures, follow this link to Laurel Falls.
After exploring Laurel Falls you’ll begin your trek back down the mountain. While loop trails mean every step you hike is unique, out-and-back trails can take on a similar feel, especially if the trail is long. The direction and intensity of the sun can cause many things to appear different. Such is the case with all of the Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails and the Laurel Falls Trail is no exception. Our hike took about 90-minutes which included a 25-minute stopover at the falls.
Cove Mountain Trail
Next on our list of Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails was the Cove Mountain Trail. To the left of the Sugarlands Visitor Center main building you’ll follow the signs for Cataract Falls. This path will take you first on the Fighting Creek Trail, a relatively wide and flat walk surrounded by a forest full of sycamore and yellow-poplar trees. You’ll then cross over a rock-filled stream followed by a stretch filled with sweetgum and sassafras trees.
The flat, easy to traverse and short (1-mile, 1.6 km) out-and-back trail eventually reaches the Cataract Branch River where large logs have fallen across the water forming a few natural bridges over to the other side. It’s a perfect spot for a picture or two. If you choose to stay on the south side path you’ll encounter a very cool knotted tree just before a bridge taking you over the water.
The path runs parallel to the water and contains some great twisted trees and thick moss-covered tree trunks. The path widens until you reach a rock base wooden overpass. After proceeding under the overpass you’ll see a small bridge to your left that leads to a slight uphill path. At the top of the hill follow the signs to Cataract Falls. Eventually you’ll hear the falls soon followed by a sighting through the trees.
The 25’ (7.6 m) Cataract Falls are not as dramatic as on some other Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails but well worth the short trek. To learn more about the falls along with a few pictures, follow this link to Cataract Falls.
The trip back is highlighted by the rushing water of the Cataract Branch River, which at times appears on both sides of the path. When you cross the bridge don’t miss the massive uprooted remains of the “bridge” tree and appreciate the bright green forests that surround the trail back to the visitor center.
Gatlinburg Trail
The Gatlinburg Trail begins just outside of downtown Gatlinburg. As with many other Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails there is usually parking available along the side of the road. The 3.9-mile (6.3 km) out-and-back trail begins by running parallel to the Cliff Branch River on a wide flat path. A few minutes in you’ll find a perfect, albeit unusual, tree perfect for snapping a quick picture. The river provides a nice whitewater “soundtrack” that is equally pleasant to the ear as it is on the eye. The sound also serves to offset the unpleasant noise coming from the cars driving parallel along the US-441.
At around the ½ mile (.8 km) point there is one of the Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails longest footbridges that will take you onto the other side of the river and away from the US-441. Shortly thereafter, on your left, you’ll reach a slight incline and the remains of an old homestead featuring a chimney and some remaining foundation stones. Eventually you’ll see maintenance buildings on your right marking the best place to turn around and head back.
On your way back try and stay as close to the river shore as possible to really enjoy how the water shapes everything around it. Keep an eye out to your right for a few mini-cascades flowing down the hill feeding the river. One has two parallel flows while the other has a more steady trek and several layers. Along with degree of slope and rocks in the riverbed, the flow from these tributaries results in some fantastic whitewater.
There is one amazing area of note where a fork in the river is framed by a collection of interlocking exposed tree roots. Eventually the water calms down and the result is a shallow riverbed, which reflects the surrounding trees, but the serene views don’t last long as the whitewater returns. Eventually you hit a spot where you can no longer walk along the river’s edge. The rest of the hike back is highlighted by the footbridge and the wide, relatively flat, path. In all the hike should take about 1 hour to complete.
Noah 'Bud' Ogle Place Nature Trail
One of the more popular stops along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is the Noah ‘Bud’ Ogle Place. It’s the pretty well-preserved remains of an operating farm built in the late 19-century. Just behind the main house is an unmarked nature trail. The path is easy to spot as it splits the woods on either side. You’ll have a small brook with stepping stones to cross first followed by an open patch that eventually leads to another brook with a somewhat more conventional “bridge” to get across. On the other side is a really cool collection of exposed tree roots and rocks.
If you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of some wildlife and keep an eye out for the “dinosaur egg” rock off to your right. It is massive with white speckled patterns all over its surface. One of the highlights of this Great Smoky Mountains hiking trail is the Ogle “tub” mill. It was once used as a gristmill (similar to nearby Cherokee’s Mingus Mill) to grind corn into meal for families and other settlers in the area. The mill was powered by water, diverted from the LeConte Creek, through an 80’ (24.4 m) log fume that turned the grinding devices well enough to crush the corn into meal. The LeConte Creek itself is amazing in this stretch producing fantastic whitewater.
Unfortunately there is a good amount of fire damage to many of the trees. It’s a natural occurrence, primarily due to lightning strikes, but a good reminder to be especially mindful of fire in the forests. Some of the paths back are especially rocky but one stretch has rock walls reminiscent of old New England. Eventually the loop trail meets up just before the wood bridge and then back to the “Bud” Ogle Place.
Rainbow Falls Trail
The Rainbow Falls Trail is one of the more popular Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails. This moderately difficult hike is also one of the longer ones (5.4 miles, 8.7 km roundtrip) so we’ve given it its own post. To learn all about this Great Smoky Mountains hiking trail, including the epic Rainbow Falls, follow this Hiking to Rainbow Falls in the Smoky Mountains link.
Trillium Gap Trail
Continue driving on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail for about 6 minutes and you’ll see a sign for the Grotto Falls Parking Area. Unless you arrive early in the morning expect to continue past the parking lot until you can find somewhere off the side of the road to safely park your car. It can be a bit chaotic but everyone figures it out. The Trillium Gap Trail totals 13.9 miles (22.4 km) but we chose to go only as far as the Grotto Falls, a 3-mile (4.8 km) out-and-back trek. The day we hiked was overcast and very misty, a common occurrence when walking the Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails, which created a very cool, almost mystical, atmosphere.
About 4 minutes in you’ll see a sign with options . . . proceed east to Grotto Falls. You quickly come upon a nice small cascade falls that stretches above and below as far as your eyes can see. The trail is mostly flat and relatively wide surrounded by upward slopes to your left and thick vegetation in hemlock forests dropping down to your right.
There is the usual assortment of uncovered tree roots and fallen hardwoods including one massive uprooted eastern hemlock exposing its entire root structure. While our long distance views were obscured by the foggy mist, beautiful images still appeared, though difficult to completely capture with mere pictures.
The remnants of one destroyed tree produced a colorful jagged stump that closely resembled a piece of modern art. Continuing on, you begin to encounter a series of small crossing cascades that cut across the trail and, the further up the mountain you go, the mist actually lends additional visual depth to the surrounding forest.
Grotto Falls is a 25’ (7.6 m) single-drop falls that has the distinction, much like the Moore Cove Falls in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, of being the only waterfall among our Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails that you can actually walk behind. To learn more about the falls along with a multitude of pictures, follow this link to Grotto Falls.
On the way back down the mist continues to produce beautiful images, albeit somewhat eerie. You also get an even better look at the fallen eastern hemlock’s exposed root structure referenced earlier. There is one particular clump of destroyed tree stumps that take on the look of chess pieces from the descending angle, particularly against the misty backdrop. The entire out-and-back hike, including a 25-minute stop at the falls, took only 90 minutes to complete. The trail itself is not very challenging and the falls are well worth seeing.
Alum Cave Bluffs Trail
The Alum Cave Bluffs Trail is a magnificent 4.4 mile (7.1 km) out-and-back Great Smoky Mountains hiking trail that pays off wonderfully with an 80’ (24 m) high arching rock called the Alum Cave Bluffs. The hike also features a natural rock arch you can walk through and its own inspiration point. There is so much to talk about on this hike that we’ve made it its own post, Hiking to the Alum Cave Bluffs in the Smoky Mountains. Click through to learn all about the hike and the bluffs.
Final Thoughts
Hiking is a wonderful passion that extends beyond just the benefits of healthy exercise. It also allows you to see, in person, some of nature’s most amazing displays like overlooks and waterfalls in addition to the smaller wonders like moss growing on a huge boulder or tree limbs against the backdrop of a bright blue sky. Nature never disappoints and the Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails are no exception.
Please let us know of your favorite hiking trails or any of your experiences visiting the Great Smoky Mountains. For more Smoky Mountain fun be sure to check out our 7 Great Smoky Mountains Waterfalls to Explore.
