Hen Wallow Falls: Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains

We had high expectations for this hike – after all, with a name like “Hen Wallow Falls” it has to be something special, right? And it has a 4.5 rating on AllTrails, right? So it must be a winner, right?

Continue reading to find out…

Published …Updated January 11, 2025

Overview: Hen Wallow Falls Hiking Trail

Hen Wallow Falls is tucked away in Cosby, TN, a few miles east of Gatlinburg. You will pass the Greenbriar area on your way there. We hiked Porter’s Creek trail, found in Greenbriar, and Hen Wallow Falls on the same day. Double up for double the fun!

The hike is pretty, with lots of wildflowers along the way. And it’s shady. But the trail is not very smooth, and it is a bit steep!

• Distance: 4.2 miles roundtrip
• Duration: Just under 3 hours, including breaks and photo opps.
• Difficulty: AllTrails rates this hike “Moderate”, but some might think it’s a bit more. It is a rocky, rooty ascent all the way to the falls, with an elevation gain of 965′ over two miles. The last 0.1 miles down to the falls is a steep descent, which means, of course, that it is a steep climb coming out. The good news is that it’s all downhill on the way back to the trailhead.

• Restrooms? Yes, in the picnic/parking area. (BONUS: This was the cleanest restroom I used in the entire national park!)
• Parking? Yes, there is ample available parking.
• Dogs Allowed? No
• Crowded? Yes
• Visitor Center? No
• What Else? We recommend hiking boots and hiking poles. This trail is steep, rocky, and rooty. Boots will do a better job of protecting your feet and ankles than sneakers, and they will also give you more traction. Hiking poles will help you navigate the roots and rocks on the trail.

Getting to the Trailhead for Hen Wallow Falls

Hen Wallow Falls is on the far northeastern edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in Cosby, TN. Drive east from Gatlinburg on Hwy 321 for 26 miles. Then follow the sign, turning right into the Cosby entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Travel for about one mile to the picnic and camping area. Park in the lower parking lot – there will be a pavilion right in front of you. Then walk back to the road, turn right, and walk about 30′. On your left will be a sign for Gabes Mountain Trail/Hen Wallow Falls.

Trail Description

Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow begins with an uphill climb and continues to climb until 0.1 miles from the falls. The trail has an abundance of rocks and roots, making it a little more difficult to navigate. You’ll need to watch your step.

The first thing we saw was a red-headed pileated woodpecker. As the name suggests, they have very red heads. They are also very large and have a distinctive call. We were off to a good start!

Another positive is the trail is shady and very pretty. There are plenty of wildflowers to see as you hike. There are all the plants you would expect to see, including rhododendrons, galax, native azaleas, and ferns.

We saw one odd plant here we had only read about before – Indian Pipe. This solid white plant has no chlorophyll – it lives off the roots of other plants. It is also called Ghost Plant. Being native plant nerds, we were very excited about this find!

We encountered three creek crossings on the trail – one with stepping stones, and two with log bridge crossings. All three were easy. But we never stopped climbing. As one reviewer put it, “…the climb was relentless.”

At about 50 minutes into the hike, you will come to a sign – “Hen Wallow Falls 1.2 Miles”. It was hard to believe we had only covered 0.9 miles after 50 minutes of walking, but the climbing and the uneven terrain made for slow progress.

At about 1 hour and 10 minutes in we made it to a sign that told us Hen Wallow Falls was only 0.1 miles away. We followed the sign down a STEEP incline and arrived at the foot of the falls.

Description of Hen Wallow Falls

Hen Wallow Falls is a 95′ high rock face that is more of a cascade than falls. The water seems to slide down the face into a small pool at the bottom. It is a pretty spot, but to be honest, we were a bit disappointed.

The falls are only a few feet wide at the top and not much wider at the bottom. The volume of water coming down the rocks was surprisingly small. (It would most probably be larger after rainfall.) After a two-hour climb to get there, we were hoping for a bit more…

The space at the bottom was also crowded. It was small, and a lot of people were there, leaving us very little space to sit and rest. We found a big rock to the side of the falls where we could take a break. Other hikers were forced to sit where they could not even see the falls.

After a few minutes and a few photos, we began the hike back to the trailhead.

The first 0.1 miles back was very STEEP. We had been warned – almost everyone we met on the trail on the way to the falls had something to say about this section…and none of it had been positive. The good news is, I’m well into my 60’s, and if I can do it, so can you! (It only took us 8 minutes.)

There’s more good news. After this initial climb, the rest of the hike is all downhill. The entire hike took just under 3 hours and around 12,000 steps (according to my Garmin watch).

Where to Stay Near Hen Wallow Falls

Hen Wallow Falls is on the northeast end of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 26 miles east of Gatlinburg. Following are some suggestions about places to stay on the east end of Gatlinburg, and on Hwy 321 between G’burg and Hen Wallow.

Best Budget Spot

There are a LOT of hotels/motels/inns on the east end of Gatlinburg. They range in price from $60-$90 on weekdays to double (or more) that on the weekends. Take a look at Bear Creek Inn.

Bear Creek has a 4.0 Star rating. It backs up to Roaring Fork. It’s less than 0.5 miles to Anakeesta Theme Park, Ripley’s Aquarium, and all the restaurants and shops in Gatlinburg.

Best Mid-Range Spot

There are also several mid-priced hotels in this area. They range in price from $135 on weekdays to double that (or more) on weekends. Give Baymont by Wyndham Gatlinburg On The River a try.

The Baymont also has a 4.0 Star rating. It backs up to Cliff Branch River, so water views from your balcony. Free breakfast, fitness center, and indoor pool.

Best Luxury Spot

The Buckhorn Inn. This is, by far, our favorite place to stay in the Smoky Mountains. It’s a 12-minute drive east of Gatlinburg, (on your way to Hen Wallow Falls), so it’s a much quieter place to stay.

Buckhorn Inn is a family-owned inn with rooms in the main house and cabins scattered around the property. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING meals are served at breakfast and dinner every day. Very friendly staff. Great location. 4.8 Star Rating!

Cabin Rentals

According to VRBO, there are 9,000 cabin rentals available in the Gatlinburg area! Cabins usually allow you more privacy, the option to prepare your own meals, and a more natural setting – everyone wants to look out the window and see a bear, right?

There are cabins available all along the route to Hen Wallow. Of course the farther you get from Gatlinburg, the less convenient you are to the amenities there…but that may be what you’re looking for!

We would suggest checking all the usual suspects – VRBO, Airbnb, TripAdvisor, Google – to find a cabin that fits your needs. There are also A LOT of cabin rental agencies that are local to Gatlinburg.

Camping Near Hen Wallow Falls

“I love roughing it! No cabin for me!”

If that sounds like you, then I’ve got some good news for you. There are lots of options to choose from if you enjoy the outdoor experience…

National Park Camping

Great Smoky Mountains National Park maintains 10 front country campgrounds. Each campground has restroom facilities with running water (cold) and flush toilets. There are no showers. Individual campsites all have a fire grate and a picnic table.

The closest of these is Cosby Campground, located within walking distance of the Gabes Mountains trailhead.

We recommend that you make reservations as early as possible. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in America. The early bird gets the campsite!

Visit nps.gov for specific info about campsites.

Reservations for campsites are made through recreation.gov.

Commercial/Private Campgrounds

If you Google the route from Gatlinburg to Hen Wallow, then ask Google to show “Hotels”, you will see an abundance of commercial campgrounds. Here are a few, beginning with the closest to Gatlinburg and moving towards Cosby, TN, where the falls are located.

These campgrounds offer a variety of different amenities, including pools, wifi, hookups for RVs, tent sites, fire pits, grills, picnic tables, and much more. Click on links below for more info.

• Twin Creek RV Resort
• Greenbrier Campground
• Arrow Creek Campground
• Adventure Bound Camping Resorts – Gatlinburg
• Smoky Bear Campground and RV Park
• Roamstead Smoky Mountains Campground
• Hidden Stills RV Campground – Smoky Mountains Tennessee

Unique/Unusual Options

Looking for something a bit out of the ordinary? Perhaps the following may be what you’re looking for…

• GLAMP by Stay Minty – Here’s how GLAMP describes itself: “If a boutique hotel and a campground made a lovechild, that’d be us. We’re GLAMP X Stay Minty. Welcome to your next adventure.”
  • Eight geodesic domes (with names like “Night Rider”, “Moon Dance”, and “Riders on the Storm”)
  • Restrooms and full kitchens in each dome; hot tubs on every deck; air conditioning and heating in each dome

• Camp LeConte Luxury Outdoor Resort – Camp LeConte is a family-owned business where you can stay in safari tents, a luxury treehouse, or retro campers! Or you can opt for primitive tent camping. Or bring your own RV!
  • The camp is only 4.7 miles from Gatlinburg. The city trolley even stops at the camp’s general store every 45 minutes, so you can hitch a ride into town.
  • Amenities include Wifi, heated pool, general store

The Verdict – Hen Wallow Falls

There were some things we liked about this hike. The trail was mostly shady. Lots of wildflowers. The picnic/parking area is very nice, with clean restrooms and plenty of parking.

However, we did not care for the trail itself. It was uphill almost all the way to the falls, and the climb back to the trail from the falls was very STEEP. Plus the trail was more crowded than we had expected it would be, given it’s location in the far northeast corner of the park.

But the most disappointing thing about this waterfall hike was…the waterfall. There was not much to see here – the volume of water falling down the rock face was small, and the area at the bottom of the falls was small. This hike felt like a lot of work without much return for the effort.

Our verdict – if you have plenty of time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, pack a picnic lunch and head out to Hen Wallow Falls. If, however, you have limited time in the park, there are better hikes and waterfalls to visit.

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