Grotto Falls Trailhead Pullout

This is a trailhead first and a roadside stop second. From the lot you hear Roaring Fork running fast over boulders beneath hemlock and rhododendron, but you don't get a long view. The reason to stop is the walk: an easy to moderate trail of about 1.3 miles each way climbs gently along the creek to Grotto Falls, the one waterfall in the park where the trail passes behind the falling water.

• Parking: very limited. The National Park Service notes that parking at this lot is tight, and cars regularly spill into marked no-parking zones, so arrive before 9 a.m. on weekends or come midweek.
• Rules: a parking tag is required, and the National Park Service notes tags can't be bought in this area, so buy one before you drive in.
• Llamas: the trail is also used by supply llamas heading up to LeConte Lodge, so step aside when they pass.
• Season: the 2026 road season runs mid-April to November 29.

Roaring Fork is a 5.5-mile, one-way, narrow and steep loop. Buses, trailers and motor homes are not permitted, and the National Park Service advises that vehicles longer than 25 feet should not enter. The drive takes 45 minutes with stops, longer when the lot at Grotto Falls is full.

If the lot is full, don't circle; keep driving and come back at the end of the loop. For other short walks that avoid the crowd, Rainbow Falls starts from a lot near the start of the road, and the Noah "Bud" Ogle nature trail is a gentle option. Laurel Falls Trail, the other classic short waterfall walk, is closed and not expected to reopen until 2027.