Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Spruce Flats Falls

I returned to Spruce Flat Falls in March 2015. Due to recent rains, the trail had numerous damp, muddy and slick areas. The trail starts at the parking area for the visitor information building at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. The Institute is located near Townsend, Tennessee. From the park entrance, drive 0.7 miles to the Townsend Wye intersection. Turn right on Laurel Creek Road and drive 0.2 miles before turning left onto Tremont Road. Drive 2.0 miles on paved Tremont Road before turning left at the entrance to the Institute.

Hikers can either follow the service road up to a trailhead beyond the last Institute building or follow the Lumber Ridge Trail for a short distance before turning right on the Buckeye Trail and passing the Institute buildings further up the ridge in the woods.

Visitor information and check-in building at Tremont

Alternate trail around the Tremont Institute

Service Road

Stairs near the upper trailhead

Root-bound trail

The two trail options meet at this point

Looking up the trail from the junction

Another switchback at the water tower

The trail continues climbing by way of stone steps 

The major climbing is over at the top of these steps

Views of distant ridges are blocked by foliage later in the year

A wet section of the trail

Spring is still weeks away in this view

Another wet part of the trail

In case you thought the wet trail was the end of the hike

Middle Prong from the trail

Looking back at a log staircase

Spruce Flat Falls

Main falls

Lower cascade

Another view

Downstream view

Entry to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm.