Rainbow Falls

Worth the drive

Is it plungeworthy?

75feet tall

A plunge on Le Conte Creek.

Scale46/60

Documentation15/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Plunge
Watercourse: Le Conte Creek
Coordinates: 35.66221, -83.4632

Get directions →

About Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls is a 75-foot plunge in Tennessee, on Le Conte Creek.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Rainbow Falls 7.5/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

The Smokies' tallest single drop: LeConte Creek falling 80 feet across a mossy amphitheater that throws its namesake rainbow in afternoon sun — and freezes into a monumental hourglass of ice in hard winters. The classic first leg of the Mount LeConte pilgrimage.

Getting there

Trailhead: Rainbow Falls Trailhead, Cherokee Orchard Road, Gatlinburg
Parking: Trailhead lot (parking tag required); fills early
Road: Paved
Hike: 5.4 mi round trip, 1,500 ft of climb (hard)
Heads up: Rocky, rooty, and honest; the 2026 rehab closures apply to the nearby Bullhead Trail, not this one. LeConte Lodge waits four more miles up for the ambitious.

When to go

Spring through fall; after summer storms the amphitheater roars. Winter visits are for the ice column, with spikes and judgment.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Smokies parking tag $5/day
Dogs: Not on trails
Camping: Backcountry sites by permit up-trail
Warnings: Loose rock and narrow footbridges; don't climb beside the falls.

Researched from Wikipedia — Rainbow Falls Trail. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Rainbow Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.