Parka

Great Smoky Mountains National Park hiking guide

Rainbow Falls Trail

A 5.2-mile out-and-back with 1,600 ft of climbing in Roaring Fork, rated moderate.

Rainbow Falls Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Photo: xoque

Key facts

Length
5.2 mi (8.4 km)
Elevation gain
1,600 ft (486 m)
Route type
Out and back
Difficulty
Moderate
Area
Roaring Fork
Highest point
4,220 ft
Lowest point
2,610 ft

About Rainbow Falls Trail

Descend through a lush forest to reach a stunning 100-foot waterfall. The trail features a unique landscape with burnt trees, offering an otherworldly view. The hike is a reverse trail, meaning it's downhill to the falls and uphill back, making it a moderate challenge.

Route map

Route map of Rainbow Falls Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park0.5 miN
Start and finishNorth is up. Drawn from the route in the Parka app.

This route was checked by Parka editors.

Elevation profile

Elevation profile of Rainbow Falls Trail3,0003,5004,000024Distance (miles)Elevation (ft)High 4,220 ftLow 2,610 ft
Elevation runs from 2,610 ft to 4,220 ft over 5.1 miles of mapped route. The profile is sampled from elevation data along the route.

Nearby in Roaring Fork

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