Top 5 Hiking Trails Near Gatlinburg to Explore This Fall

Fall is a beautiful time in the Smoky Mountains! The leaves are changing colors and the weather is getting cooler, so there’s no better time to do some exploring in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! If you’re staying in Gatlinburg, you won’t have to go far to explore! Check out these top 5 hiking trails near Gatlinburg to explore this fall:

1. Twin Creeks Trail

An easy trail you will want to explore in the fall is Twin Creeks Trail. The roundtrip length is 4.5 miles, and you’ll travel through dense wooded forest. With all of the trees along the hike, you’ll get to enjoy all of the beautiful colors as you make your way along the path. Twin Creeks Trail is known for being an area where you see wildlife as you hike, so you might spot squirrels, birds, and maybe even a bear! Also, you might want to find the House of the Fairies, a hidden gem in the Smoky Mountains!

2. Gatlinburg Trail

If you’re a beginner or you’re looking for a relatively flat hiking trail near Gatlinburg, you should hike Gatlinburg Trail. The roundtrip length is 3.8 miles, and it is considered easy to hike. You’ll pass over the Little Pigeon River on a footbridge, and you might even spot some wildlife along the hike! In a few spots along the trail, there are places where you can see mountains in the distance. Plus, when the leaves change color, you’ll walk through a beautiful forest!

3. Baskins Creek Trail

Want to enjoy a waterfall that’s off the beaten path? You should hike to Baskins Creek Trail! This hiking trail near Gatlinburg is considered moderate with a roundtrip length of 3.1 miles. You’ll make your way through a beautiful forest where the leaves will be bright reds, deep oranges, and golden yellows. The trail descends as you get closer to Baskins Falls, which is what makes the trail considered moderate as you hike back. Once you see the beautiful waterfall, your hike will have been worth it!

4. Grotto Falls

Another trail you will want to explore this fall is Grotto Falls! This easy-to-moderate hiking trail follows alongside the creek, so you can enjoy listening to the water rush over the rocks as you make your way to the waterfall! You’ll be able to look around at the beautiful fall foliage as you hike up the mountain. Once you hike the 1.5 mile stretch to Grotto Falls, you’ll see the falls pour into a pool at the bottom. This is the only waterfall you can walk behind in the national park!

5. Rainbow Falls

One of the best hiking trails near Gatlinburg you will want to explore this fall is Rainbow Falls. This trail is considered moderate at 5 miles roundtrip. As you’re hiking to the falls, you will go through dense forest that will be brilliant with changing leaves in the fall. Rainbow Falls is 80 feet tall, and it is the tallest single-drop waterfall in the park. The waterfall is named after the rainbows you can see in the mist in the afternoon.

Planning on being in the Smokies in the summer? Check out these summer hiking trails near Gatlinburg!

You’ll have so much fun exploring in the national park when you go on these hiking trails near Gatlinburg in the fall! Wondering what else you should do when you stay with us? Check out these other fun things to do in Gatlinburg!