Rainbow Falls Trail - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The 2.7 mile trail to Rainbow Falls climbs over 1600 feet in elevation.  The over 11% grade is continuous from start to finish.  If that weren't enough, rocks and roots in the trail require constant attention for almost every step.  While that might sound like enough reasons to take another hike, the 75 foot high waterfall at the end draws numerous visitors.  I chose one of the more popular times to visit the falls on a Sunday afternoon in June 2014.  

To reach the trailhead from Gatlinburg, turn off of US 441 at traffic light #8 onto Historic Nature Trail / Airport Road.  At 0.6 miles stay to the right as the road merges into Cherokee Orchard Road.  Drive another 2.1 miles before the two-way road splits into a one-way loop.  Continue another 0.6 miles to a parking area, vault toilets and a parking area on the right.  If the parking area is full, additional parallel parking is available at marked locations along Cherokee Orchard Road and another parking lot is only ¼ mile down the road.  

Trail route

Trail elevation profile

The rocky trail climbs beside rocky Le Conte Creek

A quiet place along the stream and trail

Boulders jumbled in the creek

A typical lower section of the trail with lots of rocks in the open forest

Park maintenance personnel have expertly removed many trees that fell across the trail

In places, the trail seems to be made of rocks

In other places, the trail seems to be made of roots

Switchback at 1.2 miles

Footbridge over Le Conte Creek at 1.9 miles

Le Conte Creek from the footbridge

Downstream from the footbridge

A typical section of the trail with rocks and roots

Erosion caused by people seeking shortcuts to the established trail

More erosion created by people seeking to save time instead of saving special places

The second switchback at 2.2 miles

A rock staircase leads the trail ever higher

A small waterfall on an unnamed branch at 2.4 miles

A closer view of the 8 to 10 foot falls

Looking back at the waterfall and the rock-hopping stream crossing

More rocks on the trail

The second crossing of Le Conte Creek is by rock hopping

Remains of the bridge that crossed Le Conte Creek

Le Conte Creek at its second intersection with the trail

The creek bed is a massive jumble of boulders

This is not a trail for those seeking solitude

Rainbow Falls

Le Conte Creek falls over a small rock ledge near the trail

Rosebay rhododendron along the trail

View from on overlook on Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail

There is no entry fee at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

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

Rainbow Falls State Park - Hilo, Hawaii

After leaving Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park on our February 2014 visit to the Big Island, we continued east to Hilo.  After visiting the Hilo farmer's market, we stopped at Rainbow Falls in Wailuku River State Park.  The entire park is only about 16 acres and includes geologic and scenic views.  It lies just north of Highway 200, Waianuenue Avenue, just over 1½ miles from Hilo Bay.  Sufficient signs are in place to guide visitors to the park.

On sunny days, the mist from the 80 foot waterfall creates a rainbow across the plunge pool.   Parking is rather limited for the number of visitors, but space has been reserved for the numerous tour buses that stop.  As the park is in the city, restrooms with running water are available.  A short stroll from the parking lot along a paved trail leads to the overlook of the falls.  According to Hawaiian tradition, the lava cave behind the falls is the legendary home of Hina, the mother of Maui.

An overview of Rainbow Falls

During periods of high water flow, the lava cave is almost completely hidden

Visitors above the falls

A glimpse of the rainbow

The river continues to carve a notch in the cap rock

A slightly different rainbow perspective as the sun came out again.

There is no entrance fee at Rainbow Falls.

The park website is http://www.hawaiistateparks.org/parks/hawaii/index.cfm?park_id=57.