Ramsay Cascades Trail

Hiking trail to a beautiful waterfall in Great Smoky Mountain National Park

The trail leads hikers along the Middle Prong of the Little Pigeon River to one of Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s most beautiful waterfalls: Ramsay Cascades. Along the way hikers pass by some of the largest chestnut oaks in the Smokies, as well as a grove of tall black cherry trees. From there the trails picks its way through some massive boulders, which signals the beginning of the approach to Ramsay Cascades.

The trail is in and back 4 mile trail (8 miles roundtrip), with the in journey being uphill. The last miles is steep and can be extremely slippery during wet and cold weather, many hikers rank this as being a difficult trail due to length, ascent and slippery terrain. The first 1.5 miles is an old logging road with gravel, but then changes to a more traditional 1 person wide trail past that. At 2.6 miles the trees get very large and you can see 7+ feet diameter Tulip Trees.

From US 441 in Gatlinburg, turn east on US 321, follow US 321 5.9 miles and turn right (south) on Greenbrier Road at the Greenbrier entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Follow this road 3.2 miles and then turn left at a sign for Ramsay Cascades. You will cross a bridge and then in another 1.5 miles you will reach the parking lot and trailhead.