Smoky Mountains Spring Trio - Rainbow Falls

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Smoky Mountains Spring Trio - Rainbow Falls

The Basics:

Event Type:

Hike

Event Location:

Rainbow Fall, Bullhead Parking A

Hike: Smoky Mountains Spring Trio - Rainbow Falls

Date(s) & Time:

Fri, Apr 3 2026 1:30 pm >> Fri, Apr 3 2026 4:10 pm

Registration Opens:

Thu, Mar 5 2026 6:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Thu, Apr 2 2026 9:00 pm

Event Duration:

2 Hours 40 Minutes

Difficulty Rating:

D4: Moderate to Difficult (Exploratory)

Distance:

8 Miles

Pace:

Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Trish T

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Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

1 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Note: This is an "EXPLORATORY" trip. This means that there are parts of this trip, or perhaps the whole trip, that is new to your Trip Leader(s). However, they are confident that this will not be an issue.
This note is here so that you can make an informed decision. When a Trip Leader isn't personally familiar with a trip, there is an increased chance of things not going as planned and you need to be prepared. The Trip Leader may have additional details in the itinerary.

Itinerary:

Join me for a series of three moderate-to-strenous hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Each hike will be posted separately so you can register for each one individually or for all three. The idea is to gain endurance from consecutive days of hiking while enjoying some of the most beautiful trails in the Smokies.

Hike #1 starts at the Rainbow Falls and Bullhead Parking Area. The parking lot does get full, so arrive early. If it is full, there is another parking area further down Cherokee Orchard Loop, 0.75 miles away.

The distance from Gatlinburg, TN to the Rainbow Falls and Bullhead parking area is 3.5 miles.

Rainbow Falls trail climbs steadily along Le Conte Creek. We'll take a moderate pace to warm up our legs from the drive up from Georgia and prepare for the next day. We'll pass a beautiful overlook, cross a couple of bridges and smaller waterfalls. At about 2.6 miles we'll reach Rainbow Falls. If lucky we'll see a rainbow. We will continue onward another mile or so before turning back to the parking lot and to check into our hotels.

Expect an elevation gain of 1800 feet of climbing and 8 mile distance at a moderate pace on this out and back trail.

I will send out a few emails prior to the event to share with my lodging (downtown Gatlinburg) and restaurant plans along the way starting the day after registration so you can make hotel reservations asap.

Thank you Sunnie for the beautiful promo photo!

Required Items to Bring:

Each car will need a parking pass, $5. They are available for purchase online in advance and should be printed and displayed on each car and each trail within the GSMNP.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

Hiking shoes, poles, snack, possible rain jacket, layers, hydration.

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

Carpools can be arranged after determining the number of attendees, parts of town they're coming from and duration of stay. Do be aware there are areas along the drive and in the park where there is no cellular service so prepare/download locations, parking passes and contact info in advance.

Notes:

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy.

Registration for this event opens at 3/5/2026 6:00:00 PM