Waterfall Hikes in Tennessee

Waterfall Hikes in Tennessee at a Glance

This page lists 12 waterfall hikes in Tennessee from the Summit Seeker trail database. Summit elevations run from 990 ft (Big Falls (Old Stone Fort)) to 4,390 ft (Ramsey Cascades).

12 of the 12 routes have a distance we can quote from a published source. The shortest is Fall Creek Falls at 0.8 mi; the longest is Ramsey Cascades at 8 mi. Elevation gain ranges from about 1,500 ft (Rainbow Falls (Smokies)) to 2,000 ft (Ramsey Cascades). Together the quoted routes add up to 37.9 miles of hiking. By their own ratings they break down as 1 hard, 1 strenuous.

9 of the 12 guides name a specific trailhead or parking area; the others give the summit location and route line only.

Figures are as recorded in each trail's own data and are planning estimates (≈ marks a figure estimated from the mapped track); confirm conditions and route length with the land manager before you go.

Every waterfall hike in Tennessee, with route facts

Trail	Summit	Route	Distance	Gain	Time	Difficulty	Trailhead
Ramsey Cascades	4,390 ft	—	8 mi round trip	2,000 ft	—	Strenuous	Ramsey Cascades Trailhead, Ramsey Prong Road, Greenbrier
Rainbow Falls (Smokies)	4,290 ft	Rainbow Falls Trail	5.6 mi round trip	1,500 ft	—	Hard	Rainbow Falls Trailhead, Cherokee Orchard Road
Margarette Falls	2,600 ft	—	2.7 mi round trip	—	—	—	Margarette Falls trailhead parking area
Laurel Fork Falls	2,240 ft	Appalachian Trail	2.6 mi round trip	—	—	—	Dennis Cove trailhead
Emory Gap Falls	2,190 ft	Emory Gap Trail	3 mi round trip	—	—	—	Panther Branch Trailhead
Foster Falls	1,750 ft	Fiery Gizzard Trail	1 mi round trip	—	—	—	Foster Falls (Fiery Gizzard South) Trailhead
Benton Falls	1,720 ft	—	3 mi round trip	—	—	—	—
Fall Creek Falls	1,580 ft	Base of the Falls Trail	0.8 mi round trip	—	—	—	Fall Creek Falls Overlook parking, Scenic Drive Loop
Abrams Falls	1,560 ft	—	5 mi round trip	—	—	—	Abrams Falls Trailhead, Cades Cove
Upper Piney Falls	1,450 ft	Piney Falls Trail	2.2 mi round trip	—	—	—	Piney Falls trailhead, Firetower Road, Grandview
Gee Creek Falls	1,300 ft	Gee Creek Trail	2.6 mi round trip	—	—	—	—
Big Falls (Old Stone Fort)	990 ft	Enclosure Trail	1.4 mi loop	—	—	—	—

Route notes

Ramsey Cascades — 8 mi round trip from Ramsey Cascades Trailhead, Ramsey Prong Road, Greenbrier, 2,000 ft of elevation gain, rated Strenuous.
Rainbow Falls (Smokies) — 5.6 mi round trip via the Rainbow Falls Trail from Rainbow Falls Trailhead, Cherokee Orchard Road, 1,500 ft of elevation gain, rated Hard.
Margarette Falls — 2.7 mi round trip from Margarette Falls trailhead parking area.
Laurel Fork Falls — 2.6 mi round trip via the Appalachian Trail from Dennis Cove trailhead.
Emory Gap Falls — 3 mi round trip via the Emory Gap Trail from Panther Branch Trailhead.
Foster Falls — 1 mi round trip via the Fiery Gizzard Trail from Foster Falls (Fiery Gizzard South) Trailhead.
Benton Falls — 3 mi round trip.
Fall Creek Falls — 0.8 mi round trip via the Base of the Falls Trail from Fall Creek Falls Overlook parking, Scenic Drive Loop.
Abrams Falls — 5 mi round trip from Abrams Falls Trailhead, Cades Cove.
Upper Piney Falls — 2.2 mi round trip via the Piney Falls Trail from Piney Falls trailhead, Firetower Road, Grandview.
Gee Creek Falls — 2.6 mi round trip via the Gee Creek Trail.
Big Falls (Old Stone Fort) — a 1.4-mile loop via the Enclosure Trail.

1,560 ft