There are 7 Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls you need to explore while in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The trailheads are all within a 30 minutes drive of each other and easily accessible from Gatlinburg. The Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls are each unique not just in composition and size but also location and accessibility. Some are at the end of a long hike while others require no physical exertion whatsoever.
An estimated 200,000 hikers a year chase the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls located throughout the park. We didn’t get a chance to see all of them but we were able to visit seven altogether, many of which also involved Great Smoky Mountains hiking trails. One unique, and very welcome, feature of Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls is the constant water flow. The high annual rainfall (85” or 2.16 m), combined with the extreme elevation shift between the mountain peaks and base, results in falls that are abundant and stunning on a regular basis.
We’ll start with the falls close to downtown Gatlinburg then head west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center.
Jump to a specific section.
Cataract Falls
The Cataract Falls are located at the end of the Cove Mountain Trail, accessible from the Sugarlands Visitor Center in Gatlinburg, TN. The falls consist of two independent parallel streams each falling about 25’ (7.6 m) into a shallow pool which eventually feeds into the Cataract Branch. The ideal time to visit is after a rain when the water is flowing generously.
One word of caution . . . in my zest to get multiple perspectives of the falls, I neglected to see a sign explicitly stating not to climb the hills on either side of the falls. The reason for the warning is a 2015 visitor fell 30’ to their death slipping on some wet rocks. Obviously, once it was brought to my attention I came back down the hill but a good reminder to be more respectful of my surroundings when in nature.
Rainbow Falls
At 80’ (24.4 m) in height, the Rainbow Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfalls in the entire Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The viewing area is close to a football field away but, if you enjoy a good rock scramble, you can get much closer views. Since these falls are so cool, and the hike there is relatively long, we’ve combined the two activities into one post, Hiking to Rainbow Falls in the Smoky Mountains.
Grotto Falls
Grotto Falls can be found about 1½ miles (2.4 km) from the Trillium Gap Trail trailhead in the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Gatlinburg. It is the most unique of the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls in that you can walk behind the falls similar to the Moore Cove Falls in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest and the top section of Bridal Veil Falls in nearby Dupont State Forest. The runoff from the falls can be seen from the trail almost 10 minutes before you reach the actual falls.
A bit further on there is a more active mini falls, tucked in between two massive boulders, that generates quite a good amount of power and noise. Just to the left of a large fallen tree there’s a “path” that brings you down to the water’s edge where you can get a better look. Take note of an amazing tree to the right of the falls, whose roots are almost fully exposed, managing to stay alive on top of yet another massive boulder.
The runoff continues as you pass the creek bed littered with small rock, large rock and boulders. The water is deep enough in some areas, along with bed dropoffs, to create some nice whitewater. To your right the mountain becomes a tower of exposed moss-covered stone supporting small trees and vegetation at its top.
The falls themselves are about 25’ (7.6 m) in height and 9’ (2.7 m) in width. They are surrounded on both sides by a concave shaped rock that angles in to where the water gushes over the edge. In front of the falls are large boulders and tree limbs that help produce a steady turbulent water flow downstream.
Once you reach the top of the stairs you get a full view of the falls as it rushes over the edge, onto the rocks below and into a small pool at its base. Depending on the time of day (and year) this area can get pretty crowded as everyone waits their turn to take a picture of a friend or loved one posing behind the falls. It was reminiscent of our experience with the Devil’s Bridge in Sedona.
The path behind the falls continues on the other side where you get a much different view at the falls and the rocks and boulders at its base. While Grotto Falls isn’t the largest Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls it does have its distinctions that make the hike there well worth the effort.
The Place of a Thousand Drips
Perhaps the most unique of the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls is seen from your car while driving through the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Gatlinburg. Located just before Ely’s Mill towards the end of the motor trail, you’ll know you’re close when the flow of traffic slows down or, in some cases, stops completely. It isn’t that the falls are spectacular so much as there proximity to the road. All told the Place of a Thousand Drips is about 30’ (9.1 m) high, has few sections of steady flow but rather a multitude of small cascades . . . hence the name. Many visitors do what we did by a passenger jumping out of the car before the falls, taking a few pictures, then getting back in when the car arrives at the falls. A great example of the wonderful variety of the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls.
Laurel Falls
One could make a strong argument for Laurel Falls being the most spectacular of the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls. The Laurel Falls measure a total of 80’ (24.4 m) in height with the falls being split into two primary sections. As you approach the falls you first see the lower section to your left. The top portion of the falls appears just after you cross the wooden bridge that divides the two sections. The top itself has multiple layers as well but is dominated by the initial single drop.
The initial single drop then spills over a relatively flat section of rock before working its way over three somewhat parallel bands. The extent of the flow varies as it cascades down the rocks but settles down once it quickly once it strikes the pool below. The pool flows calmly under the bridge until it careens down the other side creating the bottom part of the falls. This middle section, where most all visitors hang out and relax, also features a beautiful view looking down on the forest below.
If you continue along the path to the far side of the falls you get a better visual of how the two sections of the falls are connected. You also get a pretty clear view of the top part of the bottom section as it begins its descent. As you make your way back over the bridge look over the edge for a different perspective of the same section.
We were on our way back down the trail when we noticed an opening to our right that led us down to the base of the lower section of the falls. Luckily the rocks and boulders were dry so the footing was excellent and the payoff was well worth it. While the lower falls weren’t quite as dramatic as the top section it still had plenty of power and personality.
There are some flat rocks that served as a perfect place for a great picture. If the water level is low enough it’s safe to walk out quite a ways to great multiple perspectives of the falls including a glimpse of the top part of the upper section. After a fun scramble back up to the path we were on our back down the Laurel Falls Trail. The multiple sections of the falls, coupled with the variety of different viewing spots, made Laurel Falls one of our favorite Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls.
The Sinks
The Sinks stand out among the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls for a number of reasons. It is located directly off the main road (Little River Road) and, in fact, begins its descent just after the Little River flows underneath the overpass. It’s also more of a booming cascade than a waterfall that came about inadvertently when a dynamite blast (to get rid of a logjam) in late 1800’s created a 30’ (9.2 m) deep chasm in the river bed. This sudden drop, along with the subsequent water pressure, is why park rangers strongly advise no one swims around The Sinks. Finally, it’s the widest of the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls measuring an impressive 86’ (26.2 m) in width.
There’s a pretty large parking lot available that leads down a short path to a spacious overlook. You can also continue around and get several different vantage points including a nice secluded romantic spot on top of a flat rock overlooking the falls. You can’t help but be impressed by the sheer power of the falls and the size of the massive boulders that frame, and redirect, the water flow.
Meigs Falls
Continue less than a half-mile down Little River Road and you’ll see cars parked along the side of the road to your left. They are gathered to catch a glimpse of the 28’ (8.5 m) Meigs Falls that sits some 300’ (91.4 m) in the distance through the trees and overgrown vegetation. There is enough of an opening to get a good view but a telephoto lens is necessary to get a good look. While the falls are distant there is some great whitewater moving along the Little River that runs parallel to the road. The Meigs Falls are also accessible on foot along the 3.6 mile (5.8 km) out-and-back Meigs Falls Trail that begins at The Sinks.
Final Thoughts
Waterfalls are so wonderful because they are all so different from each other. It could be the height, the amount of water flow, the sound as well as our proximity to its incredible power. Each of the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls is unique and interesting in its own right. There is a special reward from seeing falls after a challenging hike just as an appreciation from simply parking your car and walking to a few to view another.
What is your favorite waterfall? Please let us know all about it!
