Mouse Creek Falls
Haywood County, North Carolina
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Haywood County, North Carolina
- Access status
- National park trail; easy walk; parking tag required
- The walk
- About 2 miles each way
- Ground & access
- Easy, steady climb on an old road, gaining about 500 feet.
From Asheville take I-40 west about 50 miles into Tennessee and take Exit 451. Turn left under the interstate, then right and left onto the road across the Pigeon River, and immediately left on Waterville Road back into North Carolina. After about 2 miles the road enters the park and turns to gravel; continue about another mile to the Big Creek day-use parking area. The Big Creek Trail starts just before the lot and follows an old road gently uphill along Big Creek. Pass Midnight Hole, a swimming hole, at about 1.5 miles, and in another half mile reach Mouse Creek Falls, a 45 foot falls entering Big Creek from the far side.
Plan your visit
Big Creek day-use parking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Big Creek Trail past Midnight Hole to Mouse Creek Falls
Waterfall Hero gives about 4 miles round trip. The National Park Service says Big Creek Trail is open for its first two miles, to Mouse Creek Falls.
Easy, steady climb on an old road, gaining about 500 feet.
Where to start
Big Creek day-use parking area. Published trailhead coordinates: 35.75159, -83.10977. A park parking tag is required: daily $5, weekly $15, annual $40.
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 trail damage. This walk stays within the open section.
Before you go
Display a Great Smoky Mountains parking tag. Most trailheads have no tag machines, so buy one online or in advance.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- West Prong Mouse Creek FallsHaywood County, NC1.1 miS
- Upper Mouse Creek FallsHaywood County, NC1.1 miS
- Gunter Fork CascadesPartial: route closed beyond Mouse Creek Falls by storm damage; long park trail with a deep fordHaywood County, NC4.2 miSW
- Gunter Fork FallsHaywood County, NC4.4 miSW
- Hen Wallow FallsResearched visit notesCocke County, TN6.1 miW
- Buzzard Roost Falls130 ft (39.6 m) · Cocke County, TN6.6 miN
- Little Fall Branch FallsPartial: short informal path; exact spot not publishedHaywood County, NC8.9 miE
- Enloe Creek FallsPartial guide: the final quarter mile is off trail with no path, and which of two Enloe Creek falls the point marks is not confirmedSwain County, NC11 miSW
- Lower Enloe Creek FallsSwain County, NC11 miSW