If a group of hikers desiring to take in a Tennessee waterfall want a challenging day, the Rainbow Falls Trail, just outside of Gatlinburg, may provide them the formidable journey that they seek.

The trail covers a variety of different terrains during the trip up, which the National Park Service officially lists as a 2.7-mile hike, although numerous hikers report that their GPS devices clock the distance at over 3 miles.

From the trailhead—located just 3 miles south of downtown Gatlinburg, beginning to ascend the towering Mt. LeConte—the trail begins its climb running alongside a stream, with just a slight incline.

The scenic LeConte Creek provides some beautiful sights as it tumbles down the hillside near the trail at the onset of the hike, and there are ample flat places to stretch out and relax, but don’t get too captivated. It’s still a long journey.

The trail will soon get steeper at points, and about halfway up, well over a mile in, hikers get an incredible view of Gatlinburg and the surrounding mountains as the trail comes around a bend and the view becomes unobstructed.

Continuing on, the Rainbow Falls Trail gets quite rocky, and hikers will have to cross a narrow wooden bridge—fairly high up, but with a handrail—at one point, and use large boulders to step across a creek at another point.

But here, at the point of using the boulders to cross the water, the traveler is almost to the goal of Rainbow Falls.

Finally, coming up a hill, 1,685 feet in elevation higher than the parking lot 2.7 miles away, a party sees the mountainous prize: Rainbow Falls, the highest single-drop waterfall in the Smokies, in fact.

The water plunges 80 feet into a bowl filled with jagged crags and massive boulders. At times, the water volume can be low; during other times, reportedly—particularly on sunny afternoons with a heavy water flow—the mist surrounding the falls produces an impressive rainbow effect, hence its name.

During extended freezing periods, the mist may actually freeze and create a ring of ice encircling the plunging water.

Take it in, relax, get a photo. Then, prepare for the long descent down the hill.

Or, those who want a seriously strenuous hiking challenge can keep on going an additional 4.2 miles (one-way, adding 8.4 miles to the total trip!) and 2,308 feet in elevation to the summit of Mt. LeConte.

That would be a truly packed day of hiking, a round trip of 13.8 miles and a total elevation climb of 3,993 feet. A hiking party would probably want a summer day for that one, having the maximum amount of daylight hours to attempt that journey.

But just from the parking area to Rainbow Falls and back is a strenuous journey even for the moderately experienced hiker. Even those with a decent level of physical fitness should allow 4–5 hours for the Rainbow trip alone.

(But for the older gentleman who says he jogs the entire almost-3-mile incline in 42 minutes, every day, the ascent seems to be a breeze. . . .)

In 2017 the National Park Service launched a major project to rehabilitate the Rainbow Falls Trail, stabilizing eroding sections of terrain, placing native stones along the trail corridor to mark and secure it, improving drainage and installing over 350 steps through particularly steep passages, making this an even more pleasant and safe destination for hikers.

This hike is not to be taken lightly; it’s not a simple walk in the park. Bring real shoes, bring water. Perhaps bring a walking stick. Make sure enough daylight remains to complete the entire trip. Be prepared to work. Be prepared for leg day!

But the views and the sense of accomplishment are worth it. And you may see a bear!

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Rainbow Falls Trailhead
Cherokee Orchard Loop, Gatlinburg, Tennessee
865-436-1200
nps.gov