Hidden In Great Smoky Mountains National Park Is An Overlooked Waterfall Hike With Stunning Views

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America's most visited national park, features famous hiking trails and gorgeous mountain overlooks along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. It's also home to majestic waterfalls, including Baskins Creek Falls, a 40-foot, two-tiered cascade tucked away in the woods in a lesser-visited section of the park.

Some say the three-mile out-and-back trek to Baskins Creek Falls is the region's most underrated waterfall hike. But it's relatively overlooked, seeing few visitors compared to Grotto Falls, another popular attraction nearby. Both are located off the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, a scenic one-way drive that winds through the park's lush old-growth forest, passing streams and historic log cabins along the way. Many visitors pull over at the Trillium Gap Trailhead to hike to Grotto Falls — at least when it's possible to do so, as the parking area is often full — and others continue to the evocatively named Place of a Thousand Drips, a scenic mountain waterfall located on the roadside. 

But those who break the journey at the Baskins Creek Falls trailhead are rewarded with a quiet waterfall hike with stunning mountain views. "Few hikers on the trail with us," said one recent visitor on AllTrails. "Waterfalls were beautiful, worth it!" reported another. "It gets a fraction of the traffic," wrote an East Tennessee-based outdoor travel blogger who's also a volunteer in the national park. She noted that the hike is "only a little longer and a little steeper than the route to Grotto Falls, but equally as impressive." If you love the idea of Baskins Creek Falls, check out these other secret spots in Great Smoky Mountains National Park most tourists miss, including impressive rock formations, a gold rush-era ghost town, and a (supposedly) haunted schoolhouse.

To begin the hike, navigate to the trailhead, which is located on the left side about 0.2 miles into the drive along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The adventure begins with a short climb — about 0.25 miles into the journey, you'll be able to take in views of the Smoky Mountains off to the west (the visibility is best in winter and early spring, when there's less tree cover to block the surrounding peaks). From there, the trail levels off, then descends along a steep slope. Cross a small creek, then hang a left at the trail junction to approach the last section of the trail, a rugged stretch that ends up at the waterfalls.

Once you reach the falls, take a break to enjoy views of high moss-covered cliffs, the rushing cascades of Baskins Creek, and the beautiful natural pool they flow into. It's a lovely picnic spot, and hikers can splash around in the water to cool off. Just be aware that the trip back is mostly uphill, so make sure you allow enough daylight hours for the return journey — and, of course, bring plenty of water.

The Baskins Creek Falls trailhead is about 7.5 miles from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a breathtaking mountain city with affordable lodgings and lively distilleries. But due to slow travel times along the park's winding mountain roads, it takes about 40 minutes to get there by car. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, but visit the park's website before heading out to check for seasonal or weather-related road closures. Entrance is free, but you'll need a parking pass ($5 per day) to leave your car anywhere in the national park for more than 15 minutes.