Grotto Falls
- Height
- 25 ft
- Hike
- 2.6 mi round trip
- Road
- Paved
- Permit
- Not required
- Dogs
- Not allowed
Grotto Falls drops about 25 ft in Sevier County, Tennessee. Reaching it is a 2.6 mi hike round trip.
Closures and warnings
NPS: water recreation is not recommended in Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to hazards; drowning is a leading cause of death in the park. Trail to Grotto Falls can be muddy and slippery after rain or high water. As of September 28, 2026.
The falls
| Height | 25 ft |
|---|---|
| Flow note | 25-foot waterfall in a mountain cove; only waterfall in the park with a trail that passes behind it (Trillium Gap Trail continues to Mount LeConte). |
Access
| Hike | 2.6 mi round trip |
|---|---|
| Road | Paved |
| Road note | Trillium Gap Trailhead is on the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. |
| Parking | Limited parking at Trillium Gap Trailhead on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail; lot often full. NPS suggests a shuttle backup plan. |
| When it fills | Parking lot often full, especially in summer. |
| Fee | Parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual (over 15 min). America the Beautiful passes do not replace it. |
| Reservation or permit | Not required |
| Managed by | National Park Service (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) |
Rules
| Dogs | Not allowed |
|---|
Common questions
Common questions
Is Grotto Falls open?
NPS: water recreation is not recommended in Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to hazards; drowning is a leading cause of death in the park. Trail to Grotto Falls can be muddy and slippery after rain or high water. As of September 28, 2026.
How tall is Grotto Falls?
Grotto Falls drops about 25 ft.
How long is the hike to Grotto Falls?
It's a 2.6 mi hike round trip. The road in is paved. Trillium Gap Trailhead is on the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Parking: Limited parking at Trillium Gap Trailhead on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail; lot often full. NPS suggests a shuttle backup plan. Parking lot often full, especially in summer.
Do you need a reservation for Grotto Falls?
No reservation or permit is required.
Is there a fee at Grotto Falls?
The fee is Parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly, $40 annual (over 15 min). America the Beautiful passes do not replace it.
When is Grotto Falls flowing?
25-foot waterfall in a mountain cove; only waterfall in the park with a trail that passes behind it (Trillium Gap Trail continues to Mount LeConte).
What are the rules at Grotto Falls?
Dogs are not allowed.
Nearby
Camping nearby
Public land
Grotto Falls is inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park .
Sources
4
- https://www.nps.gov/places/grotto-falls.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs manager, waterfall.heightFt, waterfall.flowNote, access.hikeDistanceMi, access.hikeDistanceBasis, access.parking, access.parkingPattern, access.roadNote, hazardNote)
- https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/fees.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.fee, access.permitRequired)
- https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/pets.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs rules.dogs)
- https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs hazardNote)
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