Hiking Trails in Gatlinburg TN with Waterfalls
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Hiking Trails in Gatlinburg TN with Waterfalls
Getting tired of the same old sights and scenery? Did you know that there are plenty of hiking trails in the Gatlinburg TN area that feature majestic waterfalls? Did you also know that hiking in these locations can also be referred to as waterfalling? Well if not, let’s dig a bit deeper, shall we?
What is “Waterfalling”?
1.) Using a waterfall as the destination of your day hike, scramble, or as the reason for touring a spur on a thru-hike. It is considered an unofficial sport, and is counted in with the passions of Mountaineering with passionate community.
2.) The kind of experience from which you’ll return with a new perspective on 42.
3.) An obsessive need to collect waterfalls by finding, visiting, and documenting them in some way. This often includes bushwhacking and requires an ability to read maps the way a musician might read music.
From my understanding of Waterfalling, it’s not a Mountaineering sport that can be easily or quickly defined because it becomes something different to everybody. For some of us thru-hikers, Waterfalling can be as simple as taking a spur on a long trek specifically to see the waterfalls on our way. On the other hand, there are hikers, trekkers, scramblers, and bushwhackers who do what they do specifically for the thrill of setting eyes on the natural beauty of a waterfall, documenting its cascade… trickle… roar…, seeing the pool or tributary, and feeling the misty wet environment you find with some.
The Great Smoky Mountains
The Great Smoky Mountains is the section of the Appalachian (a-puh-la-chn not a-puh-la-shin) Mountains originally settled by the Cherokee. They called it the Shaconage- place of blue smoke. We call these the Smoky Mountains because there’s an ever present layer of smoke- or bluish fog- that seems to just sort of settle into the mountain range. It doesn’t matter if the day is sunny and 95°F or rainy and soaked through.
It’s like the mountains just have this need to be nestled in somehow. When I was kid, I asked my teachers, mom, Nana, and Grandma and Grandpa to the point of driving them mad if the Smoky’s were really smoky. For some reason, I just couldn’t believe that they were that way all the time. I always imagined it was just something which occurred like the fog blankets of the Ozarks that I grew up with.
Imagine my awe and wander the first time I drove through Gatlinburg with my husband. He went mad with hurry because I made him pull over on several occasions so I could take pictures. With all of the peaks, ridges, and smoke is it any wonder of all the waterfalls in the area?
Gatlinburg Waterfalls
For one reason or another, we’re attracted to waterfalls. Their natural beauty, variety, or the sense of accomplishment we feel when we get to one at the end of a long trail calls us to chase them. If you’re in or near Gatlinburg Tennessee any time of year, the local trails host home to several waterfalls worth seeing- not to mention the trails themselves.
Mount LeConte reaches 6,593 feet making it the third highest peak in the Smoky’ s but it’s also the tallest mountain in the Eastern United States measured from peak to base. The attraction to Mt. LeConte is often the panoramic views the peak offers, and the views of waterfalls along the way. Also, there’s more than one way up. Taking Mt. LeConte via Rainbow Falls Trail you’ll hike 13 miles out and back, gain a total elevation of 3,993 feet on your way, and the trail is rated as Strenuous. Like many of the trails we’ll discuss here, Mt. LeConte via Rainbow Falls starts at the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Lodge which is closed from December through Mid-March.
For an easy and quick day hike, you might consider the hike to Baskins Creek Falls – or Baskins Falls. This trail is 6.4 miles out and back with a total elevation gain of 1,738 feet. You’ll start out the first quarter or so with a short easy climb before it levels out giving you the opportunity to take in some views of the westward trailing mountains. Along the way, you’ll come to a spur which will lead to the Baskins Cemetery in an opposite direction of the falls. You’ll also have the opportunity to take the trail across Baskins Creek at another trail junction or continue further on to the falls where you’ll eventually find a steep and rugged terrain at the falls.
An enthusiastic day hiker will find Brush Mountain via Trillium Gap Trail an exhilarating challenge which starts at Roaring Fork Motor Nature Lodge. This trail gains a total elevation of 1,745 feet over its 6.8 miles (round-trip) and is rated as difficult or strenuous. You’ll find more than its access to Grotto Falls though. For hikers, there’s the view, the challenge, and the flora. Trillium Gap Trail is home to large eastern hemlocks which make for an old-growth forest with beauty worth seeing. That’s nothing to mention the trillium which give this trail its name, white violets, Dutchman’s breeches, and stitchwort that make themselves known during the spring.
The Gatlinburg Trail is a 3.8 mile out and back trail that starts off at the Sugarlands Visitor Center just outside of Gatlinburg, Tn. It’s relatively flat and an easy hike. The trail is also open to dogs and bicyclists. You’ll cross the Little Pigeon River with the assist of a foot bridge, and likely have plenty of company. The visit to Cataract falls takes you along the Cove Mountain trail as an additional treat if you’re interested.
Cove Mountain trail is an easy to intermediate 8.7 mile point to point trail with an elevation gain of 2,862 feet. You’ll find the trail head at the Sugarlands Visitor Center, and the main attraction at the summit of Cove Mountain. It’s a good area for a picnic lunch if you want to hike it in. Along the way you’ll get a chance to see Cataract Falls; not named for its type. Additionally, those of you feeling a little extra adventurous, you can opt in for an added 4 miles to add in Laurel Falls Trail on your way.
The 80 ft. high Laurel Falls and Laurel Branch are named for the mountain laurel visitors find in bloom during May. There are two sections to Laurel Falls; upper and lower sections are separated by a walkway. This is one of the most popular destinations the park and the trail to the falls is paved rough and uneven. Also, keep in mind that there are often black bears active in the area so always consult with the National Park Service for alerts and other notices you should be aware of during your visit.
Rainbow Falls is so named for the rainbow the mist from its 80ft fall creates on sunny days. During the winter, if it gets cold enough long enough, chasing this waterfall might just land you a view of ice formations around the falls. Rainbow Falls Trail, itself, is a 5.4 mile out and back that hikers may find moderate to difficult. You can hike Rainbow Falls Trail as part of a singular mission to collect the fall itself, or add it in to a larger hike up Mt. LeConte.
You’ll find Grotto Falls through Trillium Gap. This is a 25 foot high waterfall with access behind the downpour. Just watch your footing. It’s bound to be wet. With a short 3 mile hike up to the waterfall, it’s a great day hike with a singular mission for the kids.
Finally, Alum Cave Bluffs Trail takes hikers past the Alum Cave Bluffs below the summit of Mt. LeConte. It’s a 4.6 mile round trip with an elevation change of 1,200 feet. Additionally, the summit of Mt. LeConte is accessible from the bluffs at 5.1 miles, but the main attraction here is the frozen falls. During warm months, this trail is one of the most popular trails in the Great Smoky Mountains, but during the winter, droplets of water falling off the bluff face leave hikers with a view of dripping falls frozen in time. It’s not a frozen fall you can climb, but it’s worth the visit. An absolute worthy and solid addition to a list of hiking trails in Gatlinburg TN with waterfalls.
Types of Waterfalls
Of the falls listed here, how many types are there?
To date, there isn’t a uniform method of classifying waterfalls. There are so many different types of waterfalls which exist in such a diverse set of circumstances, is it any wonder we have trouble classifying and typing them in a single uniform way?
Niagara Falls is wide and long dumping tons of water at such a rate that the fall creates a powerful force. Some waterfalls trickle slowly down multiple steps and phases of hard rock while others have burrowed their way through chutes. Some are wide and some are narrow. Some waterfalls dry up during the hot months, and others freeze completely in time through the winter.
Some waterfalls are seasonal, some are great year round. Regardless, the where and when of the matter when you waterfall may be dependent on the fall itself.
Scientists prefer to classify waterfalls by height, width, and based on the average volume of water spilled in a fall. The most popular classification is the least scientific but also the most descriptive and helpful for Waterfalling: Type.
- Block
- Cascade
- Chute
- Fan
- Frozen
- Horsetail
- Multi-step
- Plunge
- Cataract
- Punchbowl
If I’ve missed any, let me know.
Within each of these types there are various categories, and come who classify waterfalls this way have varying opinions on the number of types. Some say 6 some say more. Still others have differing lists of 10 or so types.
A Block waterfall drops from a wide stream. The most popular example of a block waterfall is Niagara Falls, but some waterfalls like Niagara Falls can be classified in two types. Niagara Falls also meets the type definition of a Cataract Fall. A Cataract is literally defined as “a huge waterfall” and “an enormous downpour.” Cataracts are wildly beautiful and incredibly powerful.
A Cascade Waterfalls descend over rock steps much like a Multi-Step. The different between a Multi-Step and a Cascade Waterfall is a Multi-Step fall will have plunge pools at each level. Cascades will flow uninterrupted. A Chute is typed by a very narrow passage which forces water through at high pressure. Fan waterfalls are so-named because they look like an inverted fan. The water surface at the top is narrow but it widens as the water descends; fanning out as it goes.
Horsetail waterfalls maintain contact with the rock which forms them as they flow down. A sub-type of the horsetail type of waterfall is a slide. Contrarily, Plunge waterfalls are so named like a diver taking a full-on plunge. They let go of any contact with their underlying rock structures as they descend. Punchbowl waterfalls may keep contact with their bedrock or not. They’re named for the (usually) gentle and wide pool at the bottom of the fall.
One specifically seasonal type of fall is a Frozen Fall. I’ll let you figure that one out.
Otherwise we also have:
- Moulin falls which are formed inside of glaciers but disappearing rapidly.
- Segmented falls where one waterfall becomes two distinct falls when something impenetrable forces the flow of water in two directions
- Tidefalls are rarer than most and are found in coastal regions.
Hiking Trails in Gatlinburg TN with Waterfalls - Conclusion
When it comes to hiking trails with waterfalls, Gatlinburg TN is an abundant resource. Their majestic beauty helps provide an extra layer of immersion to your outdoor adventures. We definitely suggest giving a waterfall trail a try if you haven’t already! If you’re looking for other destinations, consider checking out our article “Backcountry Camping in Kananaskis Country“. Finally, always make sure you’re prepared by reading our comprehensive page “DIY Mini First Aid Kit Guide for Safety“! Happy traveling!
