Updated July 2026
Spruce Flats Falls
Spruce Flats Falls tumbles roughly 30 feet over four tiers in the Tremont area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 1.8-mile round-trip hike begins at the Lumber Ridge Trailhead near the Tremont Institute.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Spruce Flats Falls drops about 30 feet. That makes it the 551st-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 23% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Lumber Ridge Trail / Spruce Flats Falls Trail reaches it about 1.8 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 321 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Townsend. 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. 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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