Home Gatlinburg Exploring Gatlinburg | The 7 Best Waterfalls in Gatlinburg

Exploring Gatlinburg | The 7 Best Waterfalls in Gatlinburg

by Corey Piccirillo
Exploring Gatlinburg and all of its many beautiful waterfalls

Gatlinburg is a beautiful place to go with your family on vacation. The city has many activities for kids and adults alike. Gatlinburg is known for its waterfalls and hiking trails. Exploring Gatlinburg provides something for everyone! In this blog post, we will explore the seven best waterfalls in Gatlinburg that you can explore! *Interactive Map included at the bottom*

1. Rainbow Falls | Exploring Gatlinburg |

Rainbow Falls is a stunning waterfall you must see in Gatlinburg!

This most impressive waterfall in the Smoky Mountains is 80 feet high! Rainbow Falls takes its name from a colorful display of mist that appears each sunny afternoon. The Rainbow Falls Trail is a great trailhead to experience in exploring Gatlinburg! It’s 5 miles round trip with an easy difficulty level. See the map at the bottom of this post, so you’ll be lost!

2. Grotto Falls | Exploring Gatlinburg |

Grotto Falls is breathtaking in Gatlinburg! This waterfall emcompasses a pass through behind the falls creating one of the most memorable experiences when exploring Gatlinburg!

Stand at the edge of a 25-foot tall waterfall! Grotto Falls is one of many beautiful sights in this part of Tennessee, but it has an especially appealing feature: you can walk behind it! Peer through mossy rocks to see its foamy water flow past. If you want memorable photos, this location is prime! The hike to Grotto Falls is 2.6 miles round trip and is considered moderate in difficulty. If you are lucky enough to hike the Trillium Gap Trail on a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday morning, you may see some llamas! The herd of llamas delivers goods up at Mount LeConte.

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3. Cataract Falls | Exploring Gatlinburg |

Cataract Falls illuminates the mountain side as it flows down. Exploring Gatlinburg has never been so pretty!

How would you like to spend a day at Cataract Falls? Located just 10 minutes from downtown Gatlinburg, this 25-foot high waterfall is accessible via hiking. To reach the falls, take Fighting Creek Nature Trail and follow it for 0.75 miles until reaching its end. Whatever you do -do not climb on or around the falls, as this is extremely dangerous! Cataract Falls is perfect for families with young children! The short hike is manageable while still taking in the beautiful scenery.

4. Laurel Falls | Exploring Gatlinburg |

This multi=level waterfall is stunning and a must-see in Gatlinburg!

Laurel Falls is a scenic 80-foot tall waterfall located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can reach Laurel Falls from Sugarland Visitor Center after driving 3.5 miles on Little River Road. This 80-foot high waterfall is on mountain laurel. The hike to Laurel Falls is 2.6 miles round trip and is considered moderate in difficulty. The Laurel Falls Trail is one of only four paved trails in the national park.  Hiking with children can be fun, but it’s essential to keep an eye on them. The trail may have steep drop-offs and wet sections where they might slip.

5. Ramsey Cascades Falls | Exploring Gatlinburg |

Explore Gatlinburg like a pro! This is the tallest waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 100 feet high, it’s also one of many natural attractions that make up this beautiful area! Water from these cascading falls drops over rock outcroppings and collects into a small pool where can find salamanders! The Ramsey Cascades Trail is 8 miles round trip and is considered strenuous in difficulty. Climbing the rocks around the waterfall is dangerous and prohibited.

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6. Hen Wallow Falls | Exploring Gatlinburg |

Hen Wallow Falls is 90 ft high and is a gorgeous waterfall.

Hen Wallow Falls is a 90-foot tall and 20-foot wide beautiful waterfall. When it gets freezing, this waterfall can freeze into an elegant twisted pillar! The trailhead for Gabes Mountain Trail begins near Cosby Picnic Area. The trail runs through Rhododendrons forest, making for an easy 4-mile round trip hike! Most consider this trail to be moderate in difficulty overall.

7. Abrams Falls | Exploring Gatlinburg |

Abrams Falls is a great sight all year round but especially in the Fall season!

Abrams Falls may only be 20 feet high, but it is one of the most powerful waterfalls in the park. Gallons upon gallons of rushing water cascade down the falls. Abrams Falls takes its name from a Cherokee chief. The round trip hike to the waterfall is 5 miles and is considered moderate in difficulty. Swimming in the pool at the base of the waterfall is prohibited and extremely dangerous.

Interactive Map | Explore with ease |

Explore Gatlinburg like a pro with this interactive map

Exploring Gatlinburg has never been so simple! Complete with parking, where to start, and where it ends: you’ll never be lost! Adventure travel done right. Here is an interactive map created to give you a clear direction for your next hike.

Share the adventure!

Well, that’s it. I hope you found this post useful and informative. If you’re interested in seeing more of Gatlinburg or want to know about the other waterfalls we didn’t mention here, feel free to comment below! We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. And don’t forget; if you like our blog posts (or even just one), please share them with your friends on social media! Thanks for reading 🙂

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