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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Laurel Falls

Sevier County, Tennessee — about 80 ft, mid-height.

Laurel Falls is an 80-foot waterfall reached by a paved 2.4-mile round-trip trail off Little River Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making it one of the most popular and accessible waterfall hikes in the park. The trail closed in January 2025 for an extended rehabilitation.

Height
80 ft
Type
Tiered
Access
Short Hike
Trail
2.4 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
Not documented
Best season
Spring; year-round (note: trail closed for rehabilitation starting Jan 2025)
Land manager
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NPS)
Watercourse
Laurel Branch

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NPS) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Laurel Falls drops about 80 feet. That makes it the 281st-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 62% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Laurel Falls Trail reaches it about 2.4 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Gatlinburg. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NPS) for closures and current conditions.

Spring; year-round (note: trail closed for rehabilitation starting Jan 2025). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

More Tennessee waterfalls

Sources

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