Updated July 2026
Rainbow Falls
An 80-foot waterfall on LeConte Creek in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, often cited as the tallest single-drop waterfall in the park. It is named for the rainbow that can appear in its mist on sunny afternoons.
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 National Park Service / Great Smoky Mountains National Park for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rainbow Falls drops about 80 feet. That makes it the 274th-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 Rainbow Falls Trail reaches it about 5.4 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 1,500 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous. The nearest town is Gatlinburg. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with National Park Service / Great Smoky Mountains National Park for closures and current conditions.
year-round. 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
- Abrams Falls · 20 ft
- Bald River Falls · 90 ft
- Benton Falls · 65 ft
- Big Falls (Old Stone Fort) · 30 ft
- Burgess Falls · 136 ft
- Cane Creek Falls · 85 ft
- Coker Creek Falls · 40 ft
- Conasauga Falls · 35 ft
Sources
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