Rainbow Falls Trailhead: Rainbow Falls and Mount Le Conte, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
Rainbow Falls Trailhead: Rainbow Falls and Mount Le Conte
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Mount Le Conte (6,593’) is the 3rd highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the tallest from base to top in the eastern United States. Of four routes leading to the summit, the Rainbow Falls Trail is arguably the most challenging. But with the extra effort come a few compelling distinctions. Hikers will enjoy ecological diversity, exceptional blooms, sensational views, light traffic, and a memorable stop at Rainbow Falls en route to Mount Le Conte.
| Related Trails: | Mount Le Conte via the Rainbow Falls Trail Rainbow Falls |
Hikers will enjoy following Le Conte Creek on the way to Rainbow falls and Mount Le Conte
A millipede on the Rainbow Falls Trail - they are commonly seen in the park
Rainbow Falls is located 100 yards off trail at the base of a rocky slope
Sandmyrtle can be found growing in the park's higher elevations including the summit of Mount Le Conte
Rainbow Falls - named for the colorful prism produced by sunlight reflecting off its mist
Views from atop the broad summit of Mount Le Conte are excellent - the Cliff Tops and Myrtle Point provide the best vistas
Rainbow Falls is 80 ft high and produces a striking ice flow during the winter freeze
Tunnels of rhododendron lead up to the Mount Le Conte summit
Smaller waterfalls dot Le Conte Creek on the way to Rainbow Falls
The average millipede has between 100 and 400 legs - not 1000 as the name suggests
Rhododendron waiting to burst
Rainbow Falls bleeds through countless rocks creating small waterfalls
From the summit of Mt Le Conte, a short side trail cuts through thick brush to exposed rock ledges named the Cliff Tops
Rainbow Falls is where Le Conte Creek flows over gently-dipping beds of Thunderhead Sandstone
Views from the Cliff Tops highlight the Smoky Mountain haze
Myrtle Point, a brief hike from the Mt Le Conte summit provides some of the park's best views
The Mount Le Conte Backcountry Shelter is located near the summit - the shelter is available by reservation only
Rhododendron dominates the Rainbow Falls Trail and is found throughout the hike
While the USGS officially lists famous geologist Joseph Le Conte as the mountain's benefactor, many now believe the mountain to be named after John Le Conte, Joseph's lesser known brother and South Carolina physics professor
The summit is marked by a giant 'cairn' - a rock pile which designates the peak of the mountain
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