Before planning your hiking route, it is important to stop by a Visitors Center in order to get up-to-date information. It is also important to not start your expedition without leaving a hiking plan with someone else, so that incase of an emergency you can be located. Below is a list of hiking trails throughout the park. The difficulty of the trail is ranked by a strenuous, medium, and easy, and the mileage given are round-trip figures.
Self-guided nature trails are ideal places to explore the Smokies’ forest and learn about the area’s rich natural and cultural heritage. Numbered stakes found along the trail are keyed to leaflets available at trailheads, which describe points of interest along the way.
Trail – Mileage – Rating – Location
1. Alum Cave – 5 mi- Strenuous – Newfound Gap Road
2. Cosby – 1 mi – Easy – Newfound Gap
3. Cove Hardwood – 3/4 – Easy – Chimney Tops Picnic Area
4. Elkmont -3/4 – E asy – Elkmont Campgrounds
5. Sugarlands – 1 – E asy -Sugarlands Welcome Center
Waterfalls are popular destinations for day hikes, especially on hot summer days. The trails range from easy to strenuous, but no matter what the effort required, teh reward justifies the endeavor.
Trail – Mileage – Rating – Location
1. Abrams Falls – 5 mi – Medium – Cades Cove Loop
2. Grotto Falls – 3 mi – Easy – Roaring Fork
3. Hen Wallow Falls – 4 mi – Medium – Cosby Campground
4. Indian Creek Falls – 2 mi – Easy – Deep Creek Campground
5. Juneywhank Falls – 1.5 mi -Medium – Deep Creek Road
6. Laurel Falls – 2.5 mi – Easy – Little River Road
7. Rainbow Falls – 5.5 mi – Medium – Cherokee Orchard Road
8. Ramsay Cascades – 8 mi – Strenuous – Greenbrier Park
