Best smokies waterfalls in gatlinburg and cherokee areas?

I tried figuring out where you’re going...Ramsey looks very far from Elkmont...so IDK. My favorite Falls in that general area is Foster Falls.


It’s a rock climbing spot, so the trail down from the falls hugs the, mostly overhanging, crags. The river is stunningly beautiful as well...so you hike as far as you want down against the crags, then walk down to the river and make your way back up to the falls. Place is awesome. You can camp there as well.

Picture I took coming back up the river.

Yup. Another hike in that area gets to a place called the Walls of Jericho...research that too.

Lol, not elkmont city. Elkmont campground in the smokies.

Relatively close (45 mins drive) to Elkmont is Middle Prong Trail, one of the best and most underrated hikes in the Smokies and really not difficult. Leads to a couple of waterfalls.

Closer, maybe 30 minutes, is Spruce Flats Falls, a not so well known but very attractive falls. The trail starts from the Great Smoky Mountains Institute parking lot in Tremont.

If you're going to Cherokee, you must go see Mingo Falls. I believe it is the tallest falls in the Smokies, although technically outside the park. It isn't really a hike, you just park and go up about 200 stairs to a viewing spot. We did go off trail and climb up to see a couple of levels of the falls that you can't see from the viewing area.

Soco Falls is also very beautiful, only about 10 minutes from Cherokee and a super easy hike. Well worth seeing if you're going to Cherokee.

Thanks, I had looked at soco and mingo. Will check the others out for sure.