Smokies guide
Smokies Waterfalls
Every publicly accessible waterfall worth the hike, from the thundering payoff of Rainbow Falls to the quiet moss-walled cascade of Juney Whank.
44 entries across 15 locations checked against official sources.
The best open waterfalls in the Smokies are Rainbow Falls, Grotto Falls (where the trail passes behind the water), Abrams Falls and Ramsey Cascades, at about 100 feet the tallest in the park. Laurel Falls is closed until 2027, so choose one of these instead. Heavy rainfall, among the highest totals east of the Pacific Northwest, keeps streams running even in late summer, and the rugged geology carves everything from plunges to horsetails and mossy slides.
This index covers the named waterfalls we have researched: Rainbow Falls, Ramsey Cascades, Abrams Falls (the park's most voluminous), Mingo Falls across the North Carolina line, Linville Falls and several dozen more, from roadside pullouts and short family trails to full-day backcountry hikes. Each page lists approximate height, trail distance and difficulty, seasonal flow and photography timing. Check the park's closures page before you drive, since several trails are closed or damaged.
Waterfalls are among the most dangerous features in the park, more than bears or weather. Swimming near the base, climbing the rocks beside them or wading near the top is how most waterfall deaths happen. Enjoy them from marked viewing spots, keep children back from wet rocks and treat every mossy ledge as slick.
Plan smarter
Follow the rain
Flow is strongest in March through May and after late-summer thunderstorms. In a dry August some smaller cascades run thin. Big falls such as Abrams, Rainbow and Ramsey run well year-round.
Shoot on overcast days
Midday sun blows out highlights and creates harsh contrast. Overcast or lightly raining conditions give evenly lit, saturated results. Early morning and late afternoon also work.
Never climb on or swim under the falls
Slick algae, recirculating currents and submerged debris kill visitors every year. Enjoy waterfalls from designated viewpoints only.
Gatlinburg 11 entries
Gatlinburg, TN
Cataract Falls
Cataract Falls is a narrow 40-foot cascade, a 0.7-mile round-trip walk from the Sugarlands Visitor Center and the easiest waterfall near Gatlinburg. Go after a good rain.
Gatlinburg, TN
Fern Branch Falls
Fern Branch Falls is a 40-foot ribbon of water about 2 miles up the Porters Creek Trail in Greenbrier, with wildflowers, old homesites and fewer crowds than Gatlinburg.
Gatlinburg, TN
Gatlinburg Trail Cascades
The Gatlinburg Trail follows the West Prong Little Pigeon River past low cascades and stone chimneys, one of only two park trails where dogs and bikes are allowed.
Gatlinburg, TN
Grotto Falls
Grotto Falls is the only waterfall in the park where the trail passes behind the water. It is a 2.6-mile round-trip hike on Trillium Gap Trail off Roaring Fork.
Gatlinburg, TN
Huskey Branch Falls
Huskey Branch Falls is a small cascade south of Sugarlands in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, best after rain and best treated as a quiet stop.
Gatlinburg, TN
Laurel Falls
Laurel Falls Trail is closed until sometime in 2027 for rehabilitation. The 80-foot, two-tier falls are not open to hikers now; try Grotto Falls or Rainbow Falls instead.
Gatlinburg, TN
Little River Cascades (various)
The Little River Trail near Elkmont follows an old railroad bed beside chutes and pools, with chimney ruins from the old community. Easy walking, no single big falls.
Gatlinburg, TN
Place of a Thousand Drips
Place of a Thousand Drips is a roadside rock face on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail where dozens of little streams spill after heavy rain. View it from the pull-out.
Gatlinburg, TN
Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls drops 80 feet off a ledge into LeConte Creek, a 5.6-mile round trip with about 1,500 feet of climbing. Afternoon sun can throw a rainbow in the mist.
Gatlinburg, TN
Ramsey Cascades
Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in the park at 105 feet. The strenuous 8-mile round trip climbs more than 2,000 feet through old-growth forest.
Gatlinburg, TN
Walker Camp Prong Cascades
Walker Camp Prong tumbles in small cascades and pools beside Newfound Gap Road near the Chimney Tops and Alum Cave trailheads, an easy streamside stop.
Townsend 5 entries
Townsend, TN
Abrams Falls
Abrams Falls drops 25 feet into a deep pool at the end of a 5-mile round-trip hike from the far end of the Cades Cove Loop. Go for the volume, not the height.
Townsend, TN
Foothills Parkway Cascades
After heavy rain, small seasonal cascades spill across rock faces beside the Foothills Parkway. Treat them as roadside surprises on a scenic drive, not a named destination.
Townsend, TN
Lynn Camp Prong Cascades
Lynn Camp Prong Cascades is a 1.4-mile round-trip walk on a wide railroad bed in Tremont, ending at a run of cascades and plunge pools.
Townsend, TN
Meigs Falls
Meigs Falls can be seen from a large pull-off on Little River Road, about 13 miles west of Sugarlands. Look for the stone wall, since there are no signs.
Townsend, TN
Spruce Flats Falls
Spruce Flats Falls drops about 30 feet in tiers on Spruce Flats Branch near the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, an intimate waterfall on a short, steep walk.
Highlands 4 entries
Highlands, NC
Bridal Veil Falls (Highlands, NC)
Bridal Veil Falls drops about 45 feet beside US-64 near Highlands, North Carolina. You can no longer drive behind it, but you can walk behind the water.
Highlands, NC
Cullasaja Falls
Cullasaja Falls is a long, churning cascade seen from a narrow pull-off on US-64 in the Cullasaja Gorge, but the stop is tight and dangerous, so take care.
Highlands, NC
Dry Falls
Dry Falls is a 75-foot waterfall on the Cullasaja River near Highlands, North Carolina, where a short paved path lets you walk behind the curtain of water.
Highlands, NC
Glen Falls
Glen Falls (often spelled Glenn) spills about 60 feet in three drops south of Highlands, North Carolina, reached by a short trail with stairs and steep sections.
Bryson City 4 entries
Bryson City, NC
Deep Creek Cascades (various)
Deep Creek, near Bryson City, North Carolina, is lined with small cascades and creek pools, plus three named waterfalls on an easy 2.4-mile loop for families.
Bryson City, NC
Indian Creek Falls
Indian Creek Falls slides 25 feet down sloping rock into a wide pool, about 0.8 miles from the Deep Creek trailhead near Bryson City on an easy path.
Bryson City, NC
Juney Whank Falls
Juney Whank Falls cascades about 80 feet in small streams under a log footbridge, up a short but steep trail from the Deep Creek trailhead near Bryson City.
Bryson City, NC
Tom Branch Falls
Tom Branch Falls is the easiest waterfall at Deep Creek, about 0.3 miles from the trailhead on a flat gravel path with benches facing the falls.
Waterville 3 entries
Waterville, NC
Big Creek Cascades (various)
Big Creek, on the North Carolina side of the Smokies, runs in one cascade after another beside an old railroad-grade trail that is gentle enough for families.
Waterville, NC
Mouse Creek Falls
Mouse Creek Falls is a 41-foot cascade into Big Creek, a 4-mile round trip on a gentle railroad-grade trail. It is the end of the open section of the Big Creek Trail.
Waterville, NC
Upper Midnight Hole
Upper Midnight Hole is a deep green pool below a small cascade on Big Creek, about 1.5 miles up the Big Creek Trail near Waterville, North Carolina.
Cedar Mountain 3 entries
Cedar Mountain, NC
High Falls (DuPont State Forest)
High Falls drops more than 100 feet over bare granite in DuPont State Recreational Forest near Brevard, North Carolina, about a 1.2-mile walk beyond Triple Falls.
Cedar Mountain, NC
Hooker Falls (DuPont State Forest)
Hooker Falls is a wide, 12-foot drop on the Little River, an easy short walk from the Hooker Falls lot in DuPont State Recreational Forest near Brevard, North Carolina.
Cedar Mountain, NC
Triple Falls (DuPont State Forest)
Triple Falls drops about 120 feet in three tiers on the Little River in DuPont State Recreational Forest, about a half-mile walk from the Hooker Falls lot.
Brevard 3 entries
Brevard, NC
Looking Glass Falls
Looking Glass Falls is a 60-foot waterfall beside US-276 in Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina, visible from the road and from a staircase to the pool.
Brevard, NC
Moore Cove Falls
Moore Cove Falls is a 50-foot plunge in Pisgah National Forest where an overhang lets you stand behind the water, reached by a 0.75-mile trail off US-276.
Brevard, NC
Sliding Rock
Sliding Rock is a 60-foot natural water slide on Looking Glass Creek in Pisgah National Forest, open to riders only in the lifeguarded summer season.
Sapphire 3 entries
Sapphire, NC
Rainbow Falls (Gorges State Park, NC)
Rainbow Falls drops about 150 feet on the Horsepasture River in Gorges State Park, North Carolina, 1.5 miles each way from the Grassy Ridge trailhead.
Sapphire, NC
Turtleback Falls
Turtleback Falls is a 20-foot slide of curved rock on the Horsepasture River in Gorges State Park, North Carolina, a little past Rainbow Falls on the same trail.
Sapphire, NC
Whitewater Falls (Upper & Lower)
Upper Whitewater Falls drops about 411 feet in Nantahala National Forest, reached by a paved quarter-mile walk. The Forest Service calls it the highest waterfall east of the Rockies.
Tellico Plains 2 entries
Tellico Plains, TN
Baby Falls
Baby Falls is a roadside ledge on the Tellico River in Cherokee National Forest, a favorite with kayakers and a quick stop on the drive to Bald River Falls.
Tellico Plains, TN
Bald River Falls
Bald River Falls plunges about 90 feet beside Forest Road 210 in Cherokee National Forest, with a bridge view you can reach without a hike.
Benton 1 entry
Cosby 1 entry
Cherokee 1 entry
Cashiers 1 entry
Maggie Valley 1 entry
Lake Toxaway 1 entry
Where to stay
Near Smokies waterfalls region
Most waterfalls are clustered on the Tennessee side (Rainbow, Grotto, Ramsey Cascades, Laurel) or the NC side (Mingo, Juney Whank, Tom Branch). Choose your base accordingly.
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