Cataract Falls drops 40 feet in two tiers on Cataract Branch in Sevier County, Tennessee, inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The falls
The stream falls first about 10 feet, then a taller 30-foot tier, for a total of about 40 feet, up from an older figure of 25 feet for the same falls. The National Park Service lists the same 40-foot total. The falls are narrow and run fullest after heavy rain.
Getting there
From Sugarlands Visitor Center, the route passes the restrooms onto the Fighting Creek Nature Trail, then turns right just after the large bridge; the round trip is 0.7 mile. Parking and restrooms at Sugarlands are accessible, and free GRIT Freedom Chairs are available first-come for an assessed section of the trail. The park has no entrance fee, but parking longer than 15 minutes requires a tag: $5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year; interagency passes do not substitute. A September 2026 check of the park's closure listings did not show the trail as closed.
When to go
The falls run fullest after heavy rain. Parking for popular waterfalls in the park fills up in summer and on weekends.
On site
Viewing is from the bottom of the falls; visitors may not go within 50 feet of the sides or top, or pass posted barriers. Visitors have suffered severe injuries climbing around the falls. Swimming rules, a dog policy and any death or rescue record specific to the falls are not documented.
Nearby
Laurel Falls is about 3.2 miles away, and Baskins Falls is also about 3.2 miles. Place of a Thousand Drips is about 3.5 miles, and Huskey Branch Falls about 3.6 miles.
Distances are straight-line.