Laurel Falls Trail - Hike to Laurel Falls in the Smoky Mountains


Trail Features:		Waterfalls
Trail Location:		Little River Road
Roundtrip Length:		2.3 miles
Total Elevation Gain:		314 feet
Avg. Elev Gain / Mile:		273 feet
Highest Elevation:		2677 feet
Trail Difficulty Rating:		2.93 (easy)
Parking Lot Latitude:		35.67208
Parking Lot Longitude:		- 83.58068

Directions to Trailhead:

From the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, drive 3.8 miles to the top of Fighting Creek Gap. The main parking lot for Laurel Falls will be on your right, with additional parking across the street.

From the Townsend "Y" intersection near Cades Cove, the Laurel Falls trailhead is 13.7 miles away.

Trail Description:

Laurel Falls is an extremely popular destination within the park. Thus, parking can be a problem during peak season. If you're looking to avoid crowds, your best bet is to begin your hike early in the morning, during the early evening, on a weekday, or during the off-season.

Due to the extreme popularity, the National Park Service realized at some point that they needed to pave the trail to Laurel Falls. You'll find a lot of families with young children on this trail. If you do plan to hike with young children, I highly suggest keeping a close eye on them at all times. The trail passes next to some very steep drop-offs, especially as you get closer to the falls.

Roundtrip, the trail to Laurel Falls and back to the parking lot is 2.3 miles. You'll climb about 314 feet in elevation before arriving at the 60 foot falls. The hike is well worth it - Laurel Falls is very photogenic!

If your goal is to go home with some excellent photos of the falls, you may want to plan your hike for early in the morning or late in the day. The shade provided by the surrounding mountains will produce a much better picture.

If you still have plenty of energy left in your legs, you do have the option of continuing along the Laurel Falls Trail for another 2.7 miles to the old fire tower atop Cove Mountain.