11. Laurel Falls Trail

Laurel Falls: A Paved Trail?

If you’re looking for a hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park that offers easy access to impressive scenery, Laurel Falls Trail fits the bill. This 1.3 mile paved trail  (yes, it really is paved) leads to an 80-foot waterfall that drops in two tiers, surrounded by lush forest and seasonal wildflowers. It’s named after the mountain laurel that blooms abundantly in the area during spring, adding bursts of pink and white to the landscape.

The path winds through a mixed hardwood forest, providing opportunities to see streams and varied vegetation that changes with the seasons.

IMPORTANT: Laurel Falls Trail is not ADA compliant. Although the trail is paved, it is not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers. The surface is rough and uneven, and several steep drop-offs are slippery when they are wet. Be sure to wear proper hiking shoes on this trail, and please do not wear sandals or flip-flops.

Marc’s Take: This is a very crowded trail. The waterfall is great, the hike is relatively short at 2.6 miles, and it’s paved, so people love it. We saw a number of dogs on our hike, which are prohibited. Fines are high, and dogs don’t belong on the trails. Please don’t bring your dog.

Getting to Laurel Falls Trail

• From Sugarlands Visitor Center: Drive towards Cades Cove on Fighting Creek Gap Road for 3.8 miles. The trailhead is on the right.
• From Townsend: At the “Y” intersection turn left onto Little River Road and drive 13.6 miles to the parking area. The trailhead is on the left.

Parking Information

Parking for about forty-five vehicles is at the trailhead. Please park only in the designated areas. Park Rangers can and will ticket vehicles parked outside the parking zone. Several “No Parking” signs mark areas where parking is prohibited.

You will need a parking tag if you park for more than 15 minutes.

Options include:

• Daily tag: $5.00
• Weekly tag: $15.00
• Annual tag: $40.00

All parking tags are available for purchase online through Recreation.gov, at visitor centers like Sugarlands or Cades Cove, or via partners such as Smokies Life. The closest Smokies Life location is in Townsend. Simply print or display the tag on your dashboard or hang it from the rearview mirror.

NOTE: Exemptions apply for vehicles with state-issued handicap placards, volunteers, or on NPS fee-free days. Otherwise, rangers do enforce this with potential fines. Plan ahead to avoid any surprises, buy your tag before arriving to save time.

Restrooms

Restrooms are not available at the trailhead. The nearest facilities are located at the Sugarlands Visitor Center, about 3.8 miles east toward Gatlinburg, which offers accessible restrooms, water fountains, and additional amenities like exhibits and a bookstore. We highly recommend that you use the toilet before heading to the trail.

If you need to use the restroom while you are on the trail, you have one option, go in the woods. If you choose to do this here are the rules:

1. Bring toilet paper, water, and/or hand sanitizer.
2. Human waste must be disposed of at least 100 feet from any campsite, shelter, water source or trail.
3. Waste must be buried in a hole at least 6 inches deep.

Keep in mind that Laurel Falls is a black bear habitat and you need to be aware of your surroundings. Black bears are wild animals, and not to be approached. Regulations state that you must stay at least 150 feet from elk and bears.

READ: What to Do If You Encounter Black Bears

Pet Policy

• Pets are NOT permitted on Laurel Falls Trail, to protect wildlife, preserve the natural environment, and ensure safety for both animals and visitors. This rule helps prevent disturbances to native species and reduces risks from encounters with bears or other wildlife.
• Pets are allowed in designated areas such as campgrounds, picnic spots, along roads, and in parking lots, provided they are kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times.
• Pets are prohibited inside buildings, including visitor centers. Service animals are exempt from these restrictions but must comply with relevant laws. Emotional support animals are not considered service animals and are prohibited.
• Violations can result in fines, so if traveling with pets, arrange for boarding outside the park or stick to pet-friendly zones.
• The park emphasizes that leaving pets in vehicles is unsafe due to temperature fluctuations.

READ: Paws in the Park Pet Policy

Best Time to Hike Laurel Falls Trail

Choosing the right time to hike Laurel Falls can significantly enhance your experience, especially considering its popularity. When the trail is open, weekdays tend to be less crowded than weekends, where arriving before 9:00 AM or after 3:00 PM helps secure parking and avoid peak hours.

Seasons expectations for Laurel Falls Trail:

• Summer: (June-August) for warm weather and full foliage.
• Fall: (September-October) for colorful leaves, though these periods see the most crowds.
• Spring: (April-May) is ideal for witnessing wildflower blooms, including the namesake mountain laurel, with milder temperatures and fewer people early in the season.
• Winter: (December-February) offers solitude, clearer views without leaves, and potentially icy but beautiful conditions, check for weather alerts and bring traction devices if needed.

Avoid hiking during or immediately after heavy rain, as the paved surface becomes slippery. Early mornings provide softer light for photography at the falls, while late afternoons can offer a quieter descent.

Laurel Falls Trail is quite possibly the most popular trail in all of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Since parking is limited, plan your hike around less crowded times.

Weekends are very crowded, so if you are going to hike on the weekend, arrive early in the morning or late afternoon. Even then, parking spots are at a premium.

During the high season, a large number of people vie to get on the trail. Weekdays are pretty much the same as the weekends. The bottom line: expect crowds. Alternatively, you can visit this trail in the off-season (winter).

Laurel Falls Trail Description

Out of 800 miles of maintained trails in the park, only three miles are paved. Laurel Falls Trail is one of the trails with a paved surface. In the 1930’s, authorities built a fire tower at the top of Cove Mountain and paved the trail to give fire crews access. In the 1960’s, the National Park Service reconditioned the trail to stop erosion.

The 1.3 miles to Laurel Falls is beautiful. In the winter, you can see for miles due to the lack of leaves on the trees. The mountains on the opposite side of the road are amazing to look at from the trail. In the spring and summer, the vegetation is lush and colorful, providing a completely different experience.

Most hiking guides rate the difficulty level of Laurel Falls Trail “easy.” However, the National Park Service rates the trail “moderate.” Take into consideration your own level of fitness and plan accordingly. We decided to rate it “easy”, even though we agree that it is borderline “moderate”.

The good news is that you can sit down along the way on large boulders or even a log bench. The bench in the picture (see the image box at the top) is about halfway up the trail and gets plenty of use.

After church a couple of weeks ago we hiked to Laurel Falls to take a few photos. As usual, the trail was crowded, even for a Sunday in February. Although warning signs advise people not to climb on the falls, they do it anyway. This is very dangerous and a number of people have died. Please don’t do it.

Two footbridges cross over two separate streams on the trail to Laurel Falls. Wildflowers are in abundance during the growing season and are beautiful. In fact, the falls are named after the mountain laurel growing throughout the area in early spring.

Black bears are a favorite sight throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park. However, Laurel Falls is a favorite haunt for the bears. Black bear sightings in the park are amazing, but you need to be safe. After all, black bears are wild animals and can be deadly.

READ: What to Do If You Encounter Black Bears

Nearby Points of Interest

Sugarland Mountain Trail is across the street from the Laurel Falls Trail trailhead. Sugarland Mountain Trail is 11.8 miles in length and terminates at the junction with the Appalachian Trail, near Clingman’s Dome Road. This trail is not on our list of Popular Day Hikes. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful trail with spectacular views and solitude.

Just 3.8 miles east is the Sugarlands Visitor Center, a hub for information with exhibits on park history, wildlife, and geology, plus restrooms, a bookstore, and short nature trails like the Fighting Creek Nature Trail.

To the west, about 12 miles away, lies Cades Cove, an 11-mile loop road featuring historic homesteads, churches, and mills from the 19th century. It’s prime for wildlife viewing, deer, turkeys, and bears are common, and includes the 5-mile roundtrip hike to Abrams Falls, a 20-foot waterfall with a large pool at its base.

Read: A Brief History of Cades Cove

For more waterfalls, head to Grotto Falls via the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail (seasonal, closed in winter), a 3-mile roundtrip where you can walk behind the 25-foot cascade.

In the Elkmont area, the Little River Trail follows the river for an easy, flat walk amid historic logging camp ruins. Further afield, the Tremont region features the Middle Prong Trail, leading to cascades and old-growth forests in a less-visited part of the park.

For panoramic views, drive to Clingmans Dome (about 20 miles south), the highest point in the park at 6,643 feet, with a short paved path to an observation tower offering 360-degree vistas on clear days.