Tennessee's tallest waterfall in the park at 105 feet, accessed via a strenuous 8-mile hike, no dogs allowed.
Great Smoky Mountains parking tag required for any parking over 15 minutes
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Based on this listing's approximate location — see the note on coordinates below.
Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, towering at 105 feet and accessed via a strenuous 8-mile round-trip hike. The trail includes significant elevation gain and is best suited for experienced, well-conditioned hikers. Spring and early summer offer the most reliable water flow and pleasant temperatures.
Access requires a GRSM parking tag. No dogs are allowed on park trails except at two specific locations. An earlier bear-activity closure was lifted as of April 2026, and the trail remains open with no current closure advisories.
Spring and early summer for strongest flow and warmest temperatures; trail open year-round.
4–5 hours
Not wheelchair accessible.
You prefer shorter or moderate hikes; this is 8 miles round-trip with significant elevation gain.
Great Smoky Mountains parking tag required for any parking over 15 minutes
Via a 8-mile round-trip trail rated strenuous by the managing agency.
No — the managing agency's page states dogs are not permitted here (or on the specific trail/area needed to reach the falls).
We track 6 waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains.
There are 4 other waterfalls we track in Sevier County. All Great Smoky Mountains waterfalls →
nps.gov
NPS GRSM current conditions page (nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/conditions.htm), checked Sept 2026, lists only Laurel Falls Trail and Bullhead Trail as currently closed — Ramsey Cascades Trail is not listed as closed (an April 2026 bear-activity closure noted in park news appears to have been lifted). Tallest waterfall in the park per NPS.
Checked September 2026.