Forney Creek Cascade is located 3.1 miles from the Clingman's Dome - Forney Ridge Trailhead in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This long, two-tier cascade slides down wide rock slabs in the upper reaches of a northern hardwood forest.

While the falls are understandably overshadowed by others in the Park, visitors will enjoy views from the Smokies' highest elevations, pleasant summer temperatures, distinct forest types, and access to Clingman's Dome from the trailhead:

Begin on the Forney Ridge Trail, which drops steeply past the Clingman's Dome Bypass Trail (.15 mile) through dense bands of Fraser fir and red spruce. Though swaths of forest exhibit extensive beetle damage, the trail corridor itself appears healthy and verdant.

Forney Ridge drops in rugged stages to the Forney Creek Trail (1.0 miles : 5,736'), which narrows on a variously steep and sloppy descent. Notable along the way are open grassy hillsides - a relative rarity in the Park - which are good places to find bear and turkey.

The trail reaches the top of Forney Creek and turns down beside it (2.15 miles : 4,825'), leaving the vestiges of spruce and fir for an upper-hardwood forest. Birch and rhododendron appear as you head downstream to the first of two Backcountry Campsite #68 spurs (2.65 miles : 4,445').

This is potentially confusing, as the falls and 2nd site are still .4 miles away, and the two are not depicted separately on most maps. Continue through a steep hairpin turn down to the second site #68 at the base of Forney Creek Cascade (3.05 miles : 4,156').

While the drop pool is narrow and limiting, the manicured campsite beside the falls - along with social trails between the two sites and upper tier - offer plenty of room to explore. Grades moderate past the cascade, and those with time can continue a bit further downstream to partially hidden falls along Forney Creek.