Status: Open · as far as we can tell, checked Oct 28, 2026

Grotto Falls

25 ft · Great Smoky Mountains NP · Tennessee

The only waterfall in the Smokies with a trail that runs behind it.

By The Waterfall Guide editorial team · Plunge waterfall near Gatlinburg · run by National Park Service

Get directions Places to stay

Official page Weather (NWS)

Grotto Falls dropping over a rock ledge on Roaring Fork in Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Grotto Falls · Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0

Grotto Falls · Maggie Blake, National Park Service, Public domain

Right now

Right now as of Oct 28, 2026

Permit No permit needed. Entry fee: $5 parking tag.

Status note (Oct 28, 2026): Trail open. NPS posted a bear warning for the Trillium Gap Trail on October 27, 2026, and Cherokee Orchard Road is closed to pedestrians. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, the road to the trailhead, is open through November 29, 2026. What the status labels mean

Grotto Falls is a 25-foot waterfall on Roaring Fork in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Gatlinburg. The Trillium Gap Trail passes right behind it, the only trail in the park that does. The hike is 2.6 miles round trip from a trailhead on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, open April 17 to November 29 in 2026. Parking needs a Smokies parking tag.

About Grotto Falls

Grotto Falls is small, about 25 feet according to the National Park Service. It's one of the most popular hikes in the Smokies for one reason: the trail goes behind it. Roaring Fork pours over a rock overhang, and the Trillium Gap Trail ducks underneath.

The overhang lets you stand in the cool space behind the curtain of water. It's the only waterfall in the park where you can do that.

The walk itself is a classic Smokies forest hike through old-growth forest and rhododendron, with several small stream crossings. Past the falls, the Trillium Gap Trail keeps climbing all the way to Mount LeConte.

In a hard freeze the falls can ice over. The road to the trailhead is closed in winter, so most people see it from late spring to fall. Our guide to frozen waterfalls in the US lists falls you can still reach in winter.

Getting there and parking

Grotto Falls starts from the Trillium Gap Trailhead, about 2 miles into the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail from Gatlinburg. Parking there is very limited, and you need a Smokies parking tag.

From downtown Gatlinburg

The trailhead is on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, a narrow, steep, one-way loop road of 5.5 miles. From downtown Gatlinburg, turn at traffic light #8 onto Historic Nature Trail Road and enter the park at the Cherokee Orchard entrance, according to NPS.

The Trillium Gap Trailhead is about 2 miles into the drive. Motorhomes, buses, vans longer than 25 feet and vehicles towing trailers are not allowed on Roaring Fork.

Bear activity has closed Cherokee Orchard Road to pedestrians, as listed by NPS on October 27, 2026. Drivers must stay in their vehicles between the park boundary and the Ogle Homesite. Don't stop to walk along that stretch.

Parking at the Trillium Gap Trailhead

NPS says parking is very limited at this trailhead, and to expect crowds and full parking. Go early in the morning or on a weekday, have a backup plan, and consider a shuttle, as NPS suggests.

Any vehicle parked over 15 minutes in the park needs a Park It Forward parking tag. Tags cost $5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year. Entry to the park is free.

NPS requires a physical tag, and interagency (America the Beautiful) passes are not accepted. Most trailheads don't have tag machines, so get your tag before you drive in. On November 11, 2026, a fee-free day, no tag is needed.

There are no restrooms at the Trillium Gap Trailhead. The nearest are pit toilets at the Rainbow Falls Trailhead, also on the Cherokee Orchard / Roaring Fork route.

Map and nearby falls

Map loads as you scroll. Open in OpenStreetMap

OpenPartly open / seasonalUnconfirmedClosedLarger map

The hike

From the trailhead, follow the Trillium Gap Trail about 1.3 miles to the falls, for 2.6 miles round trip. NPS describes the trail as having occasional roots, rocks and inclines. It is natural surface, not paved, and can be muddy after rain.

At the falls, the trail curves under the overhang and behind the water, then continues uphill toward Mount LeConte. Most people turn around after passing behind the falls.

NPS posted a bear warning for the Trillium Gap Trail on October 27, 2026. Keep food packed away, stay well back from any bear, and never feed wildlife.

When to visit

You can drive to Grotto Falls only while the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is open, April 17 to November 29 in 2026. Outside that season, the falls take a much longer walk to reach.

Roaring Fork road season

The road season decides when you can drive to Grotto Falls. In 2026, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is open April 17 to November 29, according to NPS.

After November 29, the road is closed to cars, so the falls take a much longer walk to reach. NPS lists no winter closure for the trail itself and has not yet posted 2027 road dates.

Within the road season, spring brings the strongest flow and wildflowers, and summer is busiest. Fall color usually arrives in October and November, though the park publishes no fixed dates.

NPS says to expect crowds and full parking, so arrive early or have a backup plan.

More Smokies waterfalls

Laurel Falls, another popular Gatlinburg-area falls, is closed for trail rehabilitation. NPS expects it to reopen sometime in 2027.

Abrams Falls in Cades Cove and Mingo Falls near Cherokee are other Smokies-area falls on this site.

All visitor facts
Height	25 ftNote: NPS figure; some sources say 30 ft
Trail	2.6 mi round trip on the Trillium Gap Trail, with occasional roots, rocks and inclines (NPS)
Difficulty	Not rated by NPS; roots, rocks and inclines
Entry fee	No entrance fee; Smokies parking tag required to park over 15 minutes ($5 day, $15 week, $40 year). Interagency passes are not accepted.
Permit / reservation	No permit; parking tag needed to park over 15 minutes
Parking	Very limited trailhead lot on Roaring Fork; often full
Hours / season	Road to trailhead open April 17 to November 29 (2026)
Dogs	Not allowed on the trail
Swimming	Not recommended (NPS)
Wheelchair / stroller	No; NPS describes occasional roots, rocks and inclines
Walk behind the falls	Yes
Restrooms	None at the trailhead; pit toilets at the Rainbow Falls Trailhead (NPS)
Best time to visit	Late April to November (road season); spring for flow
Crowds	Very high; NPS says to expect crowds and full parking
Managed by	National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Safety and swimming

The Park Service does not recommend water recreation anywhere in the Smokies; drowning is one of the leading causes of death in the park. Stay on the trail behind the falls and don't climb the rocks around them.

Mist and algae make the rocks very slick, and people have been seriously hurt.

Bears are active along this route. NPS posted a bear warning on the Trillium Gap Trail and closed Cherokee Orchard Road to pedestrians on October 27, 2026. Stay in your car on that road, and give any bear plenty of room on the trail.

Dogs are not allowed on this trail. In the Smokies, only the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail allow leashed dogs.

For general tips, see our waterfall safety page.

Where to stay near Grotto Falls

Compare hotels, cabins and rentals close to the falls around Gatlinburg.

See places to stay nearby

Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Partners do not see or change our waterfall facts. Disclosure.

Photos

View from behind a partly frozen Grotto Falls in January — Photo: Maggie Blake, National Park Service, Public domain

Grotto Falls draped in ice in January 2018 — Photo: Maggie Blake, National Park Service, Public domain

Grotto Falls FAQ

Do you need a parking tag for Grotto Falls?

Yes. Any vehicle parked over 15 minutes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park needs a physical Park It Forward tag. Tags cost $5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year. Interagency passes are not accepted, and there is no entrance fee.

Can you walk behind Grotto Falls?

Yes. The Trillium Gap Trail passes behind the falls. It's the only waterfall in the park where you can do that. Stay on the trail; the rocks around it are very slippery.

How long is the Grotto Falls hike?

About 2.6 miles round trip from the Trillium Gap Trailhead, according to NPS. The trailhead is about 2 miles into the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

Is Grotto Falls an easy hike?

It is short but not paved. NPS describes the 2.6-mile round trip as having occasional roots, rocks and inclines. Wear shoes with grip, since the trail can be muddy and the rock behind the falls is wet.

Can you swim at Grotto Falls?

It's not recommended. The Park Service does not recommend water recreation anywhere in the Smokies, and the rocks around the falls are very slick.

How does Grotto Falls compare with Laurel Falls?

Both are near Gatlinburg, but only Grotto Falls is open now. Laurel Falls Trail is closed for rehabilitation, and NPS expects it to reopen sometime in 2027. Grotto Falls is easiest to reach before Roaring Fork closes to cars after November 29, 2026.

Is Grotto Falls open in winter?

NPS lists no winter closure for the trail itself. But the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is closed to cars after November 29, 2026, so the falls take a much longer walk to reach.

Are dogs allowed on the Grotto Falls trail?

No. Pets are not allowed on this trail. Only the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail allow leashed dogs in the park.

Nearby waterfalls

All waterfalls in Tennessee

City guides: Waterfalls near Blue Ridge, GA · Waterfalls near Cherokee, NC · Waterfalls near Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, TN

On these lists: Waterfalls you can walk behind

Sources

Last verified Oct 28, 2026 by The Waterfall Guide editorial team. Conditions change: confirm with National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park before you go. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.

Photos: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0; Maggie Blake, National Park Service, Public domain. Photo credits