Grotto Falls vs Laurel Falls ⛰ Which Smoky Mountains waterfalls near Gatlinburg TN are more worth it?! ⛰🐻 Tennessee vacation

NOTE: Your decision is made easy! Grotto Falls it is! As of January 2025, Laurel Falls is CLOSED! Per the National Park Service: Laurel Falls Trail is closed as of Jan. 6, 2025 for 18 months of rehabilitation work. Check for current updates.

 

Hi there!

So you want to hike to see waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains!

And you’ve narrowed it down to Grotto Falls or Laurel Falls!

 

I went to Grotto Falls and Laurel Falls in September. What it will be like from year to year can vary, but this is what it was like for me!

 

👆 This is Grotto Falls in September.

 

👆 This is Laurel Falls in September.

 

 

Grotto Falls and Laurel Falls are some of the most popular things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

If you only want to make time for ONE of these waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains… which is better?!

 

 

Now, when it comes to this or that, in this case one waterfall hike (Grotto Falls) or another waterfall hike (Laurel Falls)… as always… it depends!

Lame…

But, it really does depend on what you want out of your Smoky Mountains waterfall hike and what you’re looking for. In terms of location (both are relatively near Gatlinburg), length/difficulty of trail (they are both similar enough), and crowds (they are both popular so will likely have many people), there’s not really one that would stand out too much over the other.

Both of the waterfalls also have large rocks in the area so you can bring a light picnic lunch and enjoy some snacks with views of the waterfalls as you sit on the rocks as your “seating area.”

 

👆 A little bit easier access to the rocks at Grotto Falls

 

👆 Climb down to rocks at Laurel Falls

 

 

Other than this, there are other things that might make you want to choose one over the other. And so, there is a list of some of those things to consider below.

 

First, the general quick info about each of these waterfalls.

And then the list of more things to consider for making the most of your Smoky Mountains vacation.

 

 

Trail to Grotto Falls

• You’ll hike the Trillium Gap Trail
• 2.6 miles round trip hike
• Allow around 2-3 hours
• Gatlinburg to Grotto Falls trailhead is around a 20 minute drive
• Getting back to Gatlinburg might be around 40 minutes since you will be on a one way slow going Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail road
• Official info from Great Smoky Mountains National Park

See pictures from the trail to Grotto Falls

 

 

Trail to Laurel Falls

• You’ll hike the Laurel Falls Trail
• 2.6 miles round trip hike
• Allow around 2 hours
• Gatlinburg to Laurel Falls trailhead is around a 20 minute drive
• Official info from Great Smoky Mountains National Park

See pictures from the trail to Laurel Falls

 

 

More comparisons of the waterfalls of Grotto Falls and Laurel Falls below!

 

 

🐻

 

 

 

Now…

Will you like hiking to Grotto Falls or Laurel Falls better?!

 

1. Are you driving the Cades Cove scenic road?

You might like Laurel Falls better

 

If you have plans to go to Cades Cove (one of the most popular scenic drives in the Smoky Mountains), then it can be easy to tack on Laurel Falls to your day. If you don’t want to spend all day in Cades Cove, that is. Which, it is possible to spend all day in Cades Cove, particularly if you like exploring history. There are many historic cabins in Cades Cove. 

But if your plans for the day are mostly to drive the Cades Cove loop road without spending much time outside of your car, then it can be quite reasonable to go to Laurel Falls before or after Cades Cove.

See more about driving the scenic slow route from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove.

 

 

2. Are you driving the Roaring Fork scenic road?

You might like Grotto Falls better

 

If you have been doing your research and like what the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail offers, then Grotto Falls can naturally be a part of your day. You will drive right by the start of the trail to Grotto Falls as you are driving on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. There are also historic cabins to explore along this road.

 

 

3. Do you want to make it a 2x waterfall hike day?

You might like Grotto Falls better

Now, if you want to make it a waterfalls hiking day, it wouldn’t be difficult to make a plan for it whether you choose Grotto Falls or Laurel Falls.

It could even be reasonable to do both Grotto Falls AND Laurel Falls on the same day if you plan for it.

One in the morning, the other in the afternoon!

But Grotto Falls makes it even easier, because there are 3 waterfall hikes you can do in the Roaring Fork area.

It wouldn’t be reasonable to do ALL 3 in one day, unless you start your day early and you’re ambitious.

And have the stamina.

But if you’re generally fit, it can be easy to also add Rainbow Falls or Baskins Creek Falls to the same day you do Grotto Falls.

 

 

4. Do you want views of the mountains on your hike?

You might like Laurel Falls better

 

You are quite literally IN the mountains for both the Grotto Falls waterfall hike and the Laurel Falls waterfall hike. 

But it’s only on the hike to Laurel Falls that there’s a small opening where you can see mountain views off in the distance.

 

 

With Grotto Falls, you’re basically hiking through a forest the whole time, with no openings to see mountain views. 

 

 

5. Do you want a paved trail that may feel a little bit more easy?

You might like Laurel Falls better

 

Laurel Falls is one of the very few hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains that is paved. (The trail to the Clingmans Dome summit is another.)

It is a rough pavement (meaning broken up a bit), but other than that it’s pretty even surface that you’ll be walking on, generally speaking.

That said, don’t mistake “paved” for “easy”! The even surface may feel easier COMPARED TO the non-paved trail of Grotto Falls. You are still hiking UP to get to Laurel Falls. (A reason you might like to have hiking poles!)

 

 

6. Do you want a trail that feels more like a “real” hike with a dirt trail?

You might like Grotto Falls better

 

By comparison, Grotto Falls is on a dirt path, so it gives off more the feeling like you’re doing a “real” hike through a forest. 

You are also hiking UP to get to Grotto Falls.

 

 

7. Do you want to walk behind waterfalls?

You might like Grotto Falls better

 

You get a pretty unique experience at Grotto Falls as you walk into the half cave (grotto) which takes you behind the waterfalls!

 

 

And finally…

What are the hiking trails to Grotto Falls and Laurel Falls like?

If you want to see specifically what the trails of each of these waterfall hikes is like in pictures, be sure to scroll to the bottom of these posts:

• Grotto Falls Trail
• Laurel Falls Trail

 

Also note that how much water is flowing can make a difference in what the waterfalls look like.

I went to Laurel Falls when it seems like there was not so much water flowing. I think if I would have gone just a few days later, it may have been better, because that would have been after rainfall!

The pictures you see here of Grotto Falls are also pre-rainfall, just for comparison.

I went to Cataract Falls (also near Gatlinburg, a quick waterfall hike) before and after somewhat heavy rain, and there really was a difference!

If you want a guarantee of tons of water flowing, Abrams Falls seems to be a good choice!

 

Also be sure to see hiking trails near Gatlinburg.

Plus the list of more waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains!

And then the list of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains for VIEWS! If you’re looking for a LONG day hike, then continuing on the Trillium Gap Trail past Grotto Falls will take you to the Mount LeConte summit, the 3rd highest peak in the Smoky Mountains. (Although the more popular way to get there is by taking the Alum Cave Trail.) The highest peak in the Smoky Mountains is a short hike on the Clingmans Dome Trail.

And finally, there’s also the big list of things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

 

HAPPY VISITING GROTTO FALLS OR LAUREL FALLS… OR BOTH!