Right now
Right now as of Oct 27, 2026
- Status Closed since January 6, 2025 for a full trail rebuild. As listed on October 27, 2026, the Park Service anticipates reopening the trail sometime in 2027.
Status note (Oct 27, 2026): Closed since January 6, 2025 for a full trail rebuild. As listed on October 27, 2026, the Park Service anticipates reopening the trail sometime in 2027. What the status labels mean
Laurel Falls is an 80-foot, two-tier waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Gatlinburg. It sits at the end of a 2.6-mile round-trip paved trail. The trail has been closed for a major rebuild since January 6, 2025. As of October 27, 2026, the Park Service anticipates reopening it sometime in 2027. Grotto Falls is open until the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail closes on November 29, 2026; other Smokies falls stay open.
About Laurel Falls
Before the closure, Laurel Falls was one of the busiest trails in the Smokies, with more than 300,000 hikers a year. Laurel Branch drops about 80 feet in two tiers. The name comes from mountain laurel, an evergreen shrub that lines the trail and blooms in late spring.
What the rebuild changes
The trail was first paved in 1963, and decades of heavy use left the asphalt cracked, uneven and missing in places. The NPS hike page still notes that some sections have cracked, uneven pavement.
The Park Service is repaving and widening the trail and building new viewing platforms at the falls. It is also adding about 50 parking spaces and a guardrailed pedestrian path at the trailhead.
The parking-area improvements are funded by recreation fee revenue from campgrounds and parking tag fees, according to the Park Service.
The original plan called for about 18 months of work. Crews then hit unexpected geotechnical conditions while building the lower viewing platform, and the reopening slipped into 2027.
Getting there and parking
The Laurel Falls Trail is closed for a rebuild, so you can't reach the falls until it reopens. The Park Service anticipates reopening sometime in 2027.
Directions to the Fighting Creek Gap trailhead
The trailhead is at Fighting Creek Gap on Little River Road, 3 miles west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg, according to the Park Service. The NPS Laurel Falls page also suggests taking a shuttle.
During construction, the trail is closed from the trailhead on Fighting Creek Gap Road up to the junction with the Little Greenbrier and Cove Mountain trails. The nearby Sugarland Mountain Trail parking lot is also closed, and no drop-offs are allowed.
Parking tags
There is no entrance fee to the park. But the Park Service says parking tags are required for all vehicles parking for longer than 15 minutes, anywhere in the park.
Tags cost $5 for a day, $15 for a week or $40 for a year. You can buy them on Recreation.gov, at visitor centers, or at card-only machines in the park.
Map and nearby falls
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The hike
When the Laurel Falls Trail reopens, the hike will be 2.6 miles round trip on a paved path to the falls, 1.3 miles each way. The Park Service hasn't published an elevation figure or difficulty rating that we could find.
Before the rebuild, the old pavement was cracked and uneven enough that the trail wasn't listed as accessible. The Park Service hasn't yet said whether the new trail will meet accessibility standards.
Laurel Falls vs Grotto Falls
Grotto Falls is the closest match while Laurel Falls is closed. It's also 2.6 miles round trip, from the Trillium Gap Trailhead on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
The two falls differ in character. Grotto Falls is about 25 feet tall, and the Park Service says it is the only waterfall in the park with a trail that passes behind it. Laurel Falls is taller, at about 80 feet in two tiers.
Grotto Falls is reachable only when the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is open. In 2026 that season runs April 17 to November 29, per the Park Service.
Other open alternatives
The Park Service suggests these other open options during the closure:
- Cove Mountain Trail to Cataract Falls
- Baskins Creek Trail
- Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls
- Little River Trail
Plan Grotto Falls soon if it's your pick. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail closes for the season on November 29, 2026, per the Park Service.
Farther west in the park, Abrams Falls in Cades Cove is another Smokies waterfall hike to consider while Laurel Falls is closed.
When to visit
As of October 27, 2026, Laurel Falls can't be visited. The trail has been closed since January 6, 2025.
When will Laurel Falls reopen?
No exact date has been set. The Park Service's Current Cautions and Closures page, updated October 27, 2026, says: "Due to unforeseen site conditions, the park anticipates reopening the trail sometime in 2027".
Check that page for a firm date before you plan a trip around this trail.
Once it reopens, spring is the classic time to go, when mountain laurel blooms along the trail. Before the closure, the trail drew more than 300,000 hikers a year, so expect company.
| Height | 80 ftNote: two tiers |
|---|---|
| Trail | 2.6 mi round trip on a paved trail (closed for rebuilding) |
| Difficulty | Not rated by NPS (paved) |
| Entry fee | No entrance fee; Smokies parking tag required for any vehicle parked over 15 minutes ($5 day, $15 week, $40 year) |
| Permit / reservation | No permit; parking tag needed when the trail reopens |
| Parking | Trailhead lot closed during construction |
| Hours / season | Trail closed until sometime in 2027 |
| Dogs | Not allowed on the trail |
| Swimming | Not recommended |
| Wheelchair / stroller | Not currently listed as accessible; post-rebuild access not yet announced |
| Walk behind the falls | No |
| Best time to visit | Spring, when mountain laurel blooms (after reopening) |
| Crowds | Very high; more than 300,000 hikers a year before the closure |
| Managed by | National Park Service, Great Smoky Mountains National Park |
Safety and swimming
Don't go around closure barriers. The trail is an active construction zone.
When it reopens, stay on the trail and the new platforms. The rocks around the falls are steep and slippery, the Park Service says, and the new viewing platforms are partly meant to keep people off them.
Dogs are not allowed on the Laurel Falls Trail.
Conditions change: confirm with the National Park Service before you go. Our waterfall safety guide has more tips.
Where to stay near Laurel Falls
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Photos
Laurel Falls FAQ
When will Laurel Falls reopen?
Sometime in 2027, with no exact date yet. As listed on October 27, 2026, the Park Service says it "anticipates reopening the trail sometime in 2027". The trail has been closed since January 6, 2025.
Why is Laurel Falls Trail closed?
The trail is being repaved and widened, new viewing platforms are being built at the falls, and about 50 parking spaces are being added. Unexpected site conditions at the lower platform pushed the reopening to 2027.
How long is the Laurel Falls hike?
2.6 miles round trip on a paved trail to an 80-foot, two-tier waterfall, according to the Park Service.
How hard is the Laurel Falls hike?
The Park Service hasn't published a difficulty rating or elevation gain that we could find. It is a 2.6-mile round trip on pavement, but the old surface was cracked and uneven. Check the rebuilt trail's details when it reopens.
Which is better, Grotto Falls or Laurel Falls?
Right now Grotto Falls, because Laurel Falls is closed. Both hikes are 2.6 miles round trip. Grotto Falls is about 25 feet tall with a trail that passes behind it, while Laurel Falls is about 80 feet in two tiers.
Can I bring my dog to Laurel Falls?
No. Pets are not allowed on the Laurel Falls Trail. Only the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail allow leashed dogs in the park.
What waterfalls can I visit instead?
The Park Service suggests the Cove Mountain Trail to Cataract Falls and the Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls, among others. Grotto Falls is open when the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is open (April 17 to November 29 in 2026).
Nearby waterfalls
Grotto Falls8 mi straight-lineOpen25FT
Abrams Falls17 mi straight-lineOpen25FT
Mingo Falls21 mi straight-lineOpen120FT
Soco Falls27 mi straight-lineOpen120FT
Bald River Falls41 mi straight-lineOpen90FT
Bridal Veil Falls47 mi straight-lineOpen45FT
Dry Falls47 mi straight-lineOpen75FT
Glen Falls49 mi straight-lineOpen70FT
Sliding Rock52 mi straight-lineOpen60FT
Moore Cove Falls52 mi straight-lineOpen50FT
Looking Glass Falls53 mi straight-lineOpen60FT
Whitewater Falls56 mi straight-lineOpen411FT
City guides: Waterfalls near Blue Ridge, GA · Waterfalls near Cherokee, NC · Waterfalls near Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, TN
Sources
- NPS: Current Cautions and Closures (updated Oct 27, 2026)
- NPS: Laurel Falls
- NPS: Laurel Falls Trail rehabilitation (updated with 2027 timeline)
- NPS: Hike to Laurel Falls (updated July 31, 2026)
- NPS: Great Smoky Mountains fees and parking tags
- NPS: Park It Forward parking tags
- NPS: Grotto Falls
- NPS: Seasonal roads (Roaring Fork 2026 dates)
Last verified Oct 27, 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.