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Details
Distance
1.83 miles
Elevation Gain
577 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Features
Forest
Wildflowers
Waterfall
Scenic
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About this place
Added by Seth Berry
Walk behind Grotto Falls, a 25-foot waterfall! This Great Smoky Mountains National Park hike also has plentiful wildflowers during the spring.
This is an intermediate hike along Trillium Gap Trail. There are four stream crossings on your way to the falls as you hike through an idyll, often wildflower-sprinkled landscape. Late spring is best for catching blooms. Once at the waterfall, you can walk behind the cascade of water.
This is a popular hike, so be sure to arrive early. In the winter, you will need to access this hike via the Rainbow Falls Trailhead, which adds another 3.4 miles to this hike.
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Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and be sure to follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly.
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Tammie Gibson
5/27/2022
Grotto Falls
Awesome hike. First hike behind a waterfall!! Loved it!
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Lucas Bremer
Club
7/14/2020
Walk behind the falls
Get to the trail early or risk having to wait for many other folks getting a picture behind the waterfall.
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Clay Steelman
6/21/2017
Excellent
This is a great, easy hike. I hiked this trail with my wife and 2 kids (7 and 3). It is a beautiful waterfall and well worth the hike.
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Elyse Clark
4/25/2017
This is an easy hike to a gorgeous waterfall that you can walk behind. Since it's so scenic and easy it draws the ...
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db962a3c52f9727ac66ba98c3ca56d9d
5/8/2016
Beautiful Falls
I do this hike at least ten times a year!! It's my favorite quick hike!
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