Hi there!
So Meigs Falls is often listed as one of the top waterfalls to see if you’ll be driving along Little River Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
These are waterfalls that flow into Little River.
I saw Meigs 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!
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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Can you see Meigs Falls from the road?
Yes, Meigs Falls can be seen from the road! You’ll want to stop at the designated roadside parking area along Little River Road so that you can get out of the car and see it better across the river!
Planning a visit to Meigs Falls
Cades Cove is one of the most popular areas of the Smoky Mountains.
And if you’re staying around Gatlinburg and you’ll be driving from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove, then a perfect time to stop to see Meigs Falls will be on your drive there, or on your way back.
Meigs Falls is about half way between Gatlinburg and Cades Cove.
Explore the map.
Or, if you’ll be staying in Gatlinburg, in Townsend, or at Elkmont Campground, then it can also make sense to make a separate activity out of driving Little River Road, with a stop at Meigs Falls.
From Gatlinburg to Meigs Falls is about a 30 minute drive.
Explore the map.
From Townsend to Meigs Falls is about a 15 minute drive.
Explore the map.
From Elkmont Campground to Meigs Falls is around a 20 minute drive.
Explore the map.
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Finding Meigs Falls along Little River Road
First, it will be best to download offline google maps before you go. There’s a good chance you won’t get data service as you’re driving around the vast majority of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Then, when you’re driving, you can put in Meigs Falls as your destination.
Once you’re on Little River Road you’ll want to start paying attention to google maps.
You can then use the GPS (this will generally still work around the park) to know when you’re getting close to Meigs Falls so you can be prepared to slow down and pull over.
This is one of the bigger pullover parking areas you’ll find along Little River Road. It’s located right along the side of the road, and along side the river.
And then basically directly at this parking spot, you can get a bit of a distant view of Meigs Falls.
I guess there are people who also go down to the river level and then walk across the river to get a closer look of Meigs Falls. (Read the reviews.)
They seem to have walked off to the side of the parking area to find a shallow area of the river to make a water crossing.
If you choose to do this, take care in doing so.
The river can be powerful! There can be fast moving currents when you least expect it.
Also, the beauty of the waterfalls can depend on how much water is flowing!
If you look at the weather forecast and you see there’s rain in the forecast, you might want to wait to visit Meigs Falls so you can see more water flow! (After rains would also likely having a faster flowing river, so take greater care if you decide to make the river crossing if you’re going and it’s rained in the previous days.)
If making a river crossing here doesn’t sound like something you want to do, there are plenty of waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains that can get you up close and personal with waterfalls without having to wade through the water.
And that’s a bit about seeing Meigs Falls!
Be sure to also see more stops to make on the drive from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove!
This can include the popular Laurel Falls Trail.
And if you’re chasing waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains, then be sure to look into Abrams Falls Trail for when you go to Cades Cove.
Plus, here is a list of the best waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains!
HAPPY VISIT TO MEIGS 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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