About Fern Branch Falls
Fern Branch Falls slides about 40 feet down a mossy wall at the end of a 2-mile walk up the Porters Creek Trail in the Greenbrier section of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The route (about 4 miles round trip) passes stone walls, a historic farm settlement and some of the best spring wildflowers in the park.
The hike
The trail starts at the end of Greenbrier Road and follows a wide old road beside Porters Creek, then narrows and steepens near the falls, with high footlog bridges and a few stream crossings. The Park Service calls Porters Creek moderate and usually less crowded than other park trails. Allow two to three hours round trip. Fern Branch Falls is a horsetail drop; the water hugs the rock and fans into a fern-lined pool.
Getting there
Take US-321 east from Gatlinburg about 6 miles to the Greenbrier entrance, then follow Greenbrier Road to the Porters Creek Trailhead at the end of the road. Pets are not permitted on this trail. Entry to the park is free, but any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes needs a parking tag ($5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual). Federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace it, and the tag must be displayed in your vehicle. The lot fills on spring wildflower weekends and in October, so arrive early.
When to go
- Late March to May: Wildflowers carpet the lower trail and the falls run strong.
- Summer: Cool, shaded, and shy of the crowds you find at Grotto Falls.
- Fall: Good color; the lot fills.
- Winter: Ice on the final steep stretch; carry traction.
Know before you go
Do not climb on the rocks around the falls. Black bears are common in Greenbrier, so keep food sealed and give any bear 50 yards. Cell service is spotty.
For a bigger waterfall in the same valley, Ramsey Cascades is the tallest in the park, but the hike is a strenuous 8 miles.
Good to know
- How tall is Fern Branch Falls?
- Fern Branch Falls drops about 40 feet.
- How far is the hike to Fern Branch Falls?
- It is about 2 miles each way, rated moderate.
- Can you swim or climb at the falls?
- Please don’t climb on or around waterfalls. Wet rock and algae are extremely slick, and falls from waterfalls are a leading cause of death in the Smokies. Enjoy the view from the trail.
- Do I need a parking tag?
- A Park It Forward parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Entry is free, and federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace the tag.
