Hi there!
Deep Creek is on the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains, and this also makes it a less visited area of the national park compared to other areas.
And for Deep Creek waterfalls, Juney Whank Falls is one of the waterfalls you can see in the Smoky Mountains!
I did the hike to Juney Whank Falls in September. What the weather will be like from year to year can vary (which means the colors can vary!), but this is what it was like for me!
Basics about the trail to Juney Whank Falls
This is a pretty short waterfall hike in the Smoky Mountains, if you were to only hike to June Whank Falls. (And not the other waterfalls in the area.) If you were to go directly to Juney Whank Falls and back, it’s a mostly leisurely stroll, although it’s not a completely hill-free hike and you’ll feel the steepness a little bit. But since this trail is short, it’s not that bad.
You’ll take the Juney Whank Loop Trail to get to Juney Whank Falls.
The distance of this hiking trail to Juney Whank Falls is around 0.6 miles round trip.
You can complete this walk in 20-30 minutes (10-15 minutes to get there), but you may want to continue your waterfall hike by hiking to the other area waterfalls too.
You can very well just hike to Juney Whank Falls and it will make for a nice nature walk through a forest.
Many people also visit 2 more waterfalls alongside a visit to Juney Whank Falls.
You can keep walking the trail past Juney Whank Falls, and a little further along you can follow the signs to end up on the Deep Creek Trail. This trail will then have you on a nice riverside stroll (creekside stroll) that can feel like a nice nature walk to Tom Branch Falls first, and then onwards to Indian Creek Falls.
The trailhead is located in the Deep Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
If you’re coming from Gatlinburg, the drive to the Deep Creek trailhead is around a 1.5 hour drive.
Your destination for google maps can be the Deep Creek Trail trailhead or the Deep Creek trailhead parking. The Deep Creek trailhead is located right near the Juney Whank Loop trailhead.
If you want to make it a waterfalls road trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains, then more popular waterfalls in North Carolina near the Smoky Mountains are Mingo Falls and Soco Falls.
More waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the North Carolina side include Mouse Creek Falls and Midnight Hole.
No dogs on the trail to Juney Whank Falls
Side note! Check the reviews at partner websites included below!
How to save money on your trip to the Smoky Mountains
I use hotels.com to look for the cheapest hotels. You can also try the expedia hotels site (good for car rentals too) or see if you like any of the vrbo vacation rentals or cabins.
/end side note
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In general, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not a pet-friendly park when it comes to hiking trails. Pets are not allowed on the vast majority of hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains, and that includes the Juney Whank Loop Trail that takes you to the waterfalls.
Toilet near the trail to Juney Whank Falls
The Deep Creek campground is located right near the Deep Creek parking lot, and that’s the bathroom I used. It has modern bathroom facilities.
Parking near the trail to Juney Whank Falls
There is a good size parking lot right next to the Juney Whank Loop trailhead.
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And now…
PHOTOS for a little bit of what to expect when hiking in the Deep Creek area on the trail to Juney Whank Falls!
I hiked to Juney Whank Falls in late September 2020. Pictures are from that time.
And as you will see, even though it’s a short hike, there are a number of trail signs posted so it’ll be hard to lose your way getting to Juney Whank Falls!
Juney Whank Loop Trail to Deep Creek Horse Trail, 0.1 miles.
Juney Whank Loop Trail to Juney Whank Falls, 0.3 miles.
And you’ve made it to the waterfalls!
And then once you’ve taken in the views of Juney Whank Falls, you can head back the way you came.
Or, you can head continue on the path walking in the same direction to connect to the Deep Creek Trail to see Tom Branch Falls!
And that’s a bit of what it’s like on the hike to Juney Whank Falls and more waterfalls!
I went to Juney Whank Falls in 2020. Your experience may vary!
Be sure to see the list of more great waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains!
Popular scenic areas of the Smoky Mountains with waterfalls:
HAPPY HIKING THE TRAIL TO JUNEY WHANK FALLS!
Here are more ideas for a few days in the Smoky Mountains!
More of the best things that the Smoky Mountains is known for is hiking!If you're looking for just one solid day hike in the Smoky Mountains, there's the Mount LeConte hike. Most often this is done as a day hike, but you can also stay overnight near the Mount LeConte summit! There is the LeConte Lodge, which claims to be the highest guest lodge in the eastern part of the United States! (It does book up!)
There are also lots more hikes that come with mountain views. See more about some of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains.
There are also a lot of hikes to waterfalls. See more about the best waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains.
You can also go camping in the mountains. See more about the best campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. (No showers in the national park, though!)
Cost to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There is no national park entry fee for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but as of 2023, there is a parking fee.You'll need a parking pass when you go to the Smoky Mountains.
You can wait until you arrive to buy the parking pass, or you can buy it online before you go at recreation.gov.
Depending on how many days you will be in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the cost of parking will be $5 or $15 per vehicle.
Plan out your time in the Smoky Mountains!
Some of the best known things in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove, and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail!For Clingmans Dome, you can get great views from the parking lot, or you can hike up to the highest point in the Smoky Mountains! (No matter what, you do need weather on your side, though! For me, 3rd time was the charm at Clingmans Dome!) See more about Clingmans Dome.
For Cades Cove, it's all about the slow-going Cades Cove Loop Road! You can drive it, bike it, or walk it! You can make stops to walk inside historic cabins, see a historic mill, and even do a waterfall hike! See more about Cades Cove.
The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is also a slow-going road that you drive and make stops along the way, including quiet stops along a creek or waterfalls hikes. See more about the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
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