Gunter Fork Cascades

Haywood County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: Not recorded
Location: Haywood County, North Carolina
Access status: Partial: route closed beyond Mouse Creek Falls by storm damage; long park trail with a deep ford
The walk: About 16 miles return
Ground & access: Difficult, very long day hike. The Big Creek ford is deep at normal levels and impossible in high water. No dogs.

Waterfall Hero: Gunter Fork Falls (GSMNP) directions

From I-40 Exit 451 at the Tennessee line, take Waterville Road about 3 miles to the Big Creek day-use parking area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Hike Big Creek Trail 5.8 miles past Midnight Hole and Mouse Creek Falls to Walnut Bottom, continue 0.5 miles on Camel Gap Trail, then turn left on Gunter Fork Trail, which immediately fords Big Creek. Gunter Fork Trail crosses Gunter Fork five times. Between the third and fourth crossings the lower Gunter Fork waterfall is visible from the trail with a path to its base; the trail crosses the base of the taller Gunter Fork Falls at the fifth crossing. This is a partial guide: this guide's coordinates are about 100 feet from the lower waterfall and about 0.2 miles from the main falls, and the source does not use the name Cascades.

Plan your visit

Big Creek trailhead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Big Creek Trail, Camel Gap Trail and Gunter Fork Trail to the Gunter Fork waterfalls

Waterfall Hero gives a 16 mile round trip to Gunter Fork Falls. The lower waterfall on Gunter Fork, which is the drop nearest this guide's coordinates, is a short distance before it, so the distance is about the same.

Difficult, very long day hike. The Big Creek ford is deep at normal levels and impossible in high water. No dogs.

Where to start

Big Creek day-use parking area at the end of the gravel park road. Published trailhead coordinates: 35.75159, -83.10977.

Timing & water

The National Park Service lists Big Creek Trail as open only for its first two miles, to Mouse Creek Falls, and closed beyond that because of significant trail damage from Tropical Storm Helene. That closure cuts this route; do not plan this hike until the park reopens the trail. When it is open, do not attempt the Big Creek ford in high water.

Before you go

National park. The source states no dogs on this trail. Check the park for any parking tag requirement; none is stated in the source read.

Visitor information

Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.

Explore North Carolina

Waterfall location

Haywood County, North Carolina.

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