Hiking to Rainbow Falls is a must when visiting the Great Smoky Mountains. Located within the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail in Gatlinburg, the hike to Rainbow Falls is a wonderful mix of old growth forests, large boulders, fire and wind damaged trees and a fantastic 80’ (24.4 m) high waterfall. The trail went through an extensive makeover in 2017 that included trail reparations, drainage elements and the installation of over 350 stone steps all with the intent of creating a better hiking experience for the trail’s visitors. When we visited they were replacing a semi-dilapidated bridge with a new sturdier version using some of the surrounding hardwood.
The parking lot for the Rainbow Falls Trail is about 4.4 miles (7.1 km) into the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and 1.7 miles (2.7 km) from the Noah ‘Bud’ Ogle Place. Give yourself at least 3-4 hours to complete the up-and-back hike including some time to explore around the Rainbow Falls themselves. Be sure to include the Rainbow Falls Trail on your list of Great Smoky Mountains Hiking Trails to explore.
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Hiking Up to Rainbow Falls
The dedicated parking lot for the Rainbow Falls Trail fills up quickly and parking along the side of the road can be a bit hazardous . . . so get there early in the morning if you can. There are facilities at the parking lot that are remarkably clean for public restrooms. In total, this Great Smoky Mountains hike is 5.4 miles (8.7 km) out-and-back, which includes a 1,685’ (513.6 m) gain in elevation. The trail starts off rather innocuously with gravel paths that open up next to LeConte Creek, a constant companion for about a quarter of the way up to Rainbow Falls.
This “moderately difficult” trail is an interesting mix of dirt path, rocks, boulders and steps. In addition to the creek you’ll also encounter what sometimes feels like a boulder park with rocks and boulders of various sizes and shapes appear in every direction you look. Many of the rocks on the paths were installed by the park to create more stability to the trails and combat erosion.
As you continue along the Rainbow Falls Trail there will be natural stops along the way allowing you to walk right down to the creek’s edge. Much of the creek runs swiftly downhill and is filled with rocks and/or boulders so it’s pretty much constant whitewater. Eventually the path begins to move away from the creek as you continue to ascend. You can see all the work done by the forest service on the trails to make them safer and easier to navigate. We even got lucky and spotted a few wild turkeys along the way.
After about 40 minutes along the trail there is a perfect rock bench for a moment’s relaxation as you continue to wind your way around the mountain through a series of switchbacks providing excellent views of surrounding mountains. You’ll see some great rock faces and boulders alongside the trail as well as intricate tree roots extending from massive trees.
At the 1.7 mile (2.7 km) mark you approach the first of two Rainbow Falls Trail bridges. On our visit this bridge was still in repair, forcing the park to close down the trail 5 of the 7 days we were in the park. It was fascinating to see the pulley system they utilized to move massive logs and secure the safety of the makeshift crossing. A nice healthy cascade is seen to your left accompanied by a number of logs and sizable boulders.
The Rainbow Falls Trail has no end of interesting things to see. There is a tree that reminds one of an Alien movie poster as its roots strangle a rock along its base. The paths alternate between dirt, clay and occasionally all rock. We had a cool moment when a tree stump became a perfect conduit for my reflection from the morning sun behind me. We figure this is possible only a few weeks out of the year and then only on a clear morning.
Before getting to Rainbow Falls there are two nice, albeit small, sets of falls you come upon. They are actually part of the same waterway as the Rainbow Falls only further down the mountain. The first has rock piles in front of the falls that create a fun “path” to walk across. The second set of mini falls work their way through a maze of rock slabs and boulders and include a natural bridge for easy access to the other side. One more set of wood stairs, then rock stairs, and you see a large tree that has fallen across the path. Just beyond that is one of the more unique waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Rainbow Falls.
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls is the tallest single-drop waterfalls in the Great Smoky Mountains measuring out at 80’ (24.4 m). The water flow over the edge averages about 16’ (4.9 m) in width and varies dependent on the time of year and amount of recent rainfall. You first catch a glimpse of Rainbow Falls as you scramble up the makeshift rock stairs framed by a large fallen tree. Rainbow Falls can be seen comfortably from a stone platform just before a bridge that extends over the runoff from the falls.
One of the coolest features of Rainbow Falls is the ability to navigate pretty near the falls. There are a ton of large boulders you can hop along to gain closer access. Obviously you need to proceed with caution and I wouldn’t recommend doing it unless you have pretty good coordination and a reliable pair of hiking shoes for grip . . . and please take your time!
While the Rainbow Falls are impressive there is also a significant runoff as the water flow from the falls makes its way down the mountain. The runoff navigates its way through a series of massive boulders into a pool just beyond the bridge. After momentary calm it eventually tumbles its way down the mountainside through a maze of rocks, boulders and fallen trees.
When we began our hike it was mostly sunny but by the time we arrived at the falls it had become overcast. The reason I mention this is Rainbow Falls gets its name when the direct sunlight, best around mid-afternoon, hits the falls producing a rainbow effect through the mist. This creates a catch-22 since the best time for parking at the trailhead is early morning and it takes under 2 hours to hike to the falls! If you hike in the winter the falls can produce amazing icicles that sparkle in contrast to the water-stained 400’ (121.9 m) rock face wall behind the falls.
As with any of the Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls and trails, make sure you always check the park’s Temporary Closures page before committing to any hike.
Hiking Back from Rainbow Falls
The trip back down offers a different perspective despite being the same path. Everything is now seen from a unique angle allowing you to notice details previously unnoticed or, at the very least, under appreciated. You’ll also notice an uptick in foot traffic as the late morning hikers work their way past you on their way up to the falls.
Final Thoughts
In total our Rainbow Falls hike took us about 3 hours and 45 minutes and it was worth every second! There are so many different things to experience on the hike and Rainbow Falls is spectacular. Don’t let an overcast day dampen your plans to hike or make you reschedule. There are great views available but the surrounding trees and vegetation, plus the falls, are the best payoffs.
What is your favorite part of the Great Smoky Mountains? We’d love to hear from you!
