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The shortest and most popular is from Bowen Ranch to the north, but it requires a rough dirt road and a fee for crossing private property. At 2.1 miles a short side trail on the left leads to a bench where hikers can rest and view Mouse Creek Falls.There are a few ways to reach Deep Creek Hot Springs. At 1.4 miles the trail passes Midnight Hole, a deep, picturesque pool below a 6′ falls. Continue straight, past the ranger station, to a large parking area at the road’s end.īig Creek Trail follows an old railroad grade that was used to haul lumber out of the mountains during the logging boom at the start of the 20th century. Turn left after crossing the Pigeon River and proceed 2.3 miles to an intersection. Trailhead: Exit I-40 at Waterville Road (#451). Once you reach the falls you have the option to continue for another 4 miles beyond the falls to the summit of Mount Le Conte. The 5.4-mile roundtrip hike is considered moderate in difficulty. If you visit in the winter, an impressive ice formation builds around the falls.įrom the trailhead to the falls, Rainbow Falls Trail gains about 1,500′ in elevation. The rainbow is visible on sunny afternoons so plan accordingly. The waterfall got its name from the rainbow it makes with the mist from this 80-foot high waterfall. Continue past the Noah “Bud” Ogle homesite to the clearly signed Rainbow Falls parking area. Trailhead: From the parkway in Gatlinburg, turn at traffic light #8 and follow Historic Nature Trail into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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The waterfall is at stop #15Īccess Trail: Rainbow Falls Trail in the Roaring Fork area From the parkway in Gatlinburg, turn at traffic light #8 and follow Historic Nature Trail Road into the park. The parking area to view the falls is along Little River Road 12 miles west of Sugarlands Visitor Center.ĭuring the wet season, this waterfall is dramatic and beautiful. This waterfall might be short in stature but its volume includes the entire flow of Little River. The falls are tucked away on the far side of Little River. The flow rates in winter and early spring are greater because deciduous plants are not using that much water.Įasily missed by car, this hidden waterfall is at the Meigs Falls pull-off at signpost #6. The best time to see the waterfalls in Smoky Mountains National Park is December, February, March, and July. Try to choose times to waterfall watch when the falls are at their most voluminous. Most waterfalls are more dramatic to view when a recent rain has boosted their flow. They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The mountain range rises along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. Elevations in the park range from 876 to 6,643 feet. The crest of the Great Smokies runs in an unbroken chain of peaks that rise more than 5,000 feet for over 36 miles. The Best Waterfall Hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Learn more about pet restrictions in the park. The only two trails in the park that allow pets are the Gatlinburg Trail near the Sugarlands Visitor Center and the Oconaluftee River Trail near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. A parking tag will be required to park in any designated parking spot anywhere within park boundaries. Parking tags will not be location-specific.Not required for motorists who pass through the area or who park for less than 15 minutes.Parking tags will be available for purchase both online and onsite.Each tag will be valid for a single vehicle.Three tag durations will be available for purchase for all vehicle sizes and types:.Display of physical parking tags in each vehicle will be required.Valid parking tags will be required for any vehicles parking in the park starting March 1, 2023.
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Starting next year fees for the Smokies are listed below. Currently the park does not charge a fee for entry – unlike most of the United States National Parks.
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