Laurel Falls

Laurel Falls is one of the most popular and accessible waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, an 80-foot cascade that tumbles in two tiers over the rocks of Laurel Branch on the Tennessee side near Gatlinburg. A paved walkway crosses the stream at the base of the falls, where the upper and lower sections meet, making it a favorite for families and first-time visitors to the Smokies.

Reached by a paved (though hilly) 2.6-mile round-trip trail through the forest, the falls draw their name from the mountain laurel that blooms pink and white along the path in late spring. The combination of an attainable hike, a beautiful two-tiered waterfall and a scenic forest walk has made Laurel Falls a classic Smokies outing — and one of the busiest trails in the park. For an accessible taste of the mountains’ cascading streams, Laurel Falls is hard to beat.

The draw is the paved, 2.6-mile round-trip hike to the 80-foot falls, where a walkway crosses the stream between the upper and lower cascades. Popular with families and first-time visitors, the trail offers a forest walk, mountain-laurel blooms in late spring, and the reward of one of the park’s most beautiful and accessible waterfalls. It is a classic, attainable Smokies hike rather than a backcountry trek, though the paved trail is hilly and can be slippery.

Late spring brings the mountain laurel into bloom along the trail and good water flow, while spring overall offers the fullest falls from snowmelt and rain. Summer is lush but busy and humid. Fall frames the falls in color. Winter can ice the trail and the falls dramatically — beautiful but hazardous. The trail is one of the busiest in the park, so early morning or weekdays offer a quieter, better experience.

Laurel Falls and its trail take their name from the mountain laurel that blooms along the path. The falls and surrounding forest are part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, dedicated in 1940 to preserve the southern Appalachians’ forests and streams. The paved trail was developed to make this beautiful waterfall accessible to the many visitors of the most-visited national park in America, and it has become one of the most popular short hikes in the Smokies.

Laurel Falls tumbles about 80 feet in two tiers over the ancient, hard metamorphic rock of the Smokies — Precambrian rock uplifted hundreds of millions of years ago and carved by Laurel Branch into the cascade seen today. The two-tiered drop, split by the ledge where the walkway crosses, reflects the layered, resistant rock. The cool, moist gorge and the tumbling stream are typical of the countless cascading waterways that lace the Smoky Mountains.

The forest along the Laurel Falls Trail shelters black bear, white-tailed deer, salamanders and a rich community of birds, with the mountain laurel and rhododendron thickets providing cover. Bears are sometimes seen along this popular trail, so visitors must keep their distance and never feed wildlife. The Smokies’ extraordinary biodiversity — the Salamander Capital of the World and an International Biosphere Reserve — is on display along the streamside forest.

Laurel Falls lies in the lush, moist forest of the Smokies, where the cool, spray-fed gorge supports mosses, ferns, mountain laurel and rhododendron, set within the vast hardwood forest of the most biodiverse national park in America. The tumbling stream and its riparian corridor form a healthy ecosystem within the protected park. Keeping to the trail protects the fragile streamside vegetation and the heavily used path through this rich forest.

As one of the most popular and accessible waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Laurel Falls is a beloved introduction to the mountains’ cascading streams for millions of visitors. The paved trail, the mountain-laurel blooms and the beautiful two-tiered falls make it a classic family outing and a cherished first taste of hiking in the Smokies for generations of park visitors.

Laurel Falls is reached by a paved, 2.6-mile round-trip trail from the Laurel Falls trailhead on Little River Road / Fighting Creek Gap Road, between the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg and the Townsend entrance. There is no entrance fee, though a parking tag is required, and the small trailhead lots fill early. The trail is paved but hilly with drop-offs. Check the National Park Service for current parking-tag requirements and conditions.

The National Park Service protects Laurel Falls and its forest within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors help by staying on the trail to protect the fragile streamside vegetation, keeping a safe distance from bears and never feeding wildlife, packing out everything, and not climbing on the slippery, dangerous falls. Protecting the heavily used trail and the surrounding forest preserves both the experience and the ecology of this popular spot.

Despite the paved trail, Laurel Falls has real hazards — the path is hilly with steep drop-offs, and the rocks around the falls are extremely slippery, with serious injuries and deaths from climbing on or near the falls. Stay on the trail and the walkway, keep back from the wet rocks and edges, and supervise children closely. This is bear country, so keep your distance and store food. The trail can be icy and dangerous in winter.

No entrance fee, but a parking tag is required for parking. Stay on the trail and walkway; climbing on the falls is prohibited and extremely dangerous. Never feed or approach wildlife — keep 50 yards from bears. Pets are not allowed on the trail. Collecting and drones are prohibited. Pack out all trash. Check the National Park Service for current parking-tag and trail requirements before visiting this busy trail.

The Sugarlands Visitor Center, the gateway town of Gatlinburg, and Little River Road with its many pull-offs and the Sinks waterfall lie close, with Cades Cove and Townsend to the west and Newfound Gap and the high country to the south. The waterfalls, trails and scenery of the Tennessee side of the Smokies surround Laurel Falls, making it an easy and popular stop on a park visit.

Hike Laurel Falls early in the morning or on a weekday to beat the crowds and find parking, and secure a parking tag in advance. The paved trail is hilly — wear good shoes — and the rocks at the falls are dangerously slippery, so stay on the walkway and keep children close. Visit in late spring for the mountain-laurel bloom, store food in bear country, and pair it with the Gatlinburg-area sights.