Let someone else out so you can take the spot. Weekends are generally busy spring through fall even weekdays get busy in the summer.īe patient. That being said, roadways within the park can get backed up and trails can get crowded during peak season. The Blue Ridge Parkway, another national park service maintained property, begins near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center on the south side of the park. This national park has free entry, which makes it enticing for visitors from Gatlinburg and Asheville, but as of March 2023, a paid parking tag is required to park anywhere within the park. The park straddles the state line and lies in both North Carolina and Tennessee. The most visited park in the entire national park system, Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomes over 12 million visitors every year. Navigating Great Smoky Mountains National Park The viewing area is small but can be quite peaceful in the late afternoons or early mornings. The Indian Creek Falls are a short distance up the right trail fork and down some stairs. Once the Deep Creek trail crosses the creek, there are a couple gradual hills until the path forks. If doing all three Deep Creek waterfalls, you should have started with Juney Whank and already passed Tom Branch Falls before reaching the bridge. The Deep Creek Trail is wide and mostly flat up to the bridge that crosses Deep Creek. Part of Deep Creek, this waterfall is also resilient during dry spells. Visitor Center Parking lot / 0.5 Miles round trip / EasyĪ wide rock outcropping in the creek bed creates this beautiful waterfall. Take your time, bring water, and you can do it, too! 4. Cataract Falls This is a long hike for little ones, but they will undoubtedly enjoy playing in the water at the top of the falls. The few that made it that far stashed them on the side of the trail before continuing to the top of the falls. Note that the park rangers won’t let you take a stroller on top of the falls. Strollers are not recommended, but we saw a few parents trying to tough it out with them. I say “somewhat” because it was paved at one time but it gets pretty thin in places nowadays. Roadside parking is available in both directions from the trailhead, and you’ll see others walking along the road towards the trail. Parking lots are located on both sides of the roadway at the trailhead, but the lots frequently fill before noon, especially in peak season. Unless it’s an unusually long dry spell, the falls will still be gushing. Water flow at this waterfall is pretty strong. There are two levels to the waterfall: the paved trail leads to the top level and a moderately easy climb down some rocks accesses the bottom level. One of the most popular waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Check out our complete guide for what to expect when hiking to Laurel Falls. Northside Waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1. Meigs Waterfall Only two of the seven waterfalls require a moderate hike.Įach hike denotes (method of access) / (miles of hike, if applicable) / (difficulty rating). A few waterfalls are accessible right by the road others require an easy stroll down a level trail. Trail difficulty varies from easy to moderate and is noted for each hike. Enjoy these 7 easy to reach waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains on your next trip to Gatlinburg or Great Smoky Mountains National Park!īest Waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, TNĪll waterfall hikes on this list are no more than 2.5 miles round trip, if they even require a hike.Itinerary 1 – See ALL the Waterfalls in One Day.STEAL THESE ITINERARIES: Waterfall Adventures in the Smokies.How Long Does It Take to See the Waterfalls?.Navigating Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Deep Creek Area (Southside) Waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Northside Waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Best Waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, TN.
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