Accessibility – Moderate+
Height – 50+’
Distance – 2.8 miles (out and back)
Beauty – 6
Photo rating – 5
Solitude – 6
GPS Info: LAT 35.50625 LONG -83.37261
Last Updated – 01-21-2023
Last Visited – 06-21-2020
Home Alphabetical Listing Numerical Listing Location Listing GSMNP
Little Creek Falls is in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, but the easiest access is through the Cooper Creek Trout Farm. Since it involves entering through the trout frm, you need to time this one to arrivr far enough before closing that they will allow you access the falls. You can check their hours and other information on their website. On my last visit, I checked in at the office and one of the employees led us up to the where they wanted us to park.
http://www.cooperscreektroutpond.com/
The trailhead parking is inside the trout farm, upstream of the customer parking. We were escorted up to the parking area by an employee on an ATV. This is where he had us park: 35.49254, -83.37085.
The hike: From where parking area, the hike follows an extension of the road toward the GSMNP. You will enter park property in less than 0.2 of a mile. The old road isn’t in the best of shape and there were a few places that were being washed over by Cooper Creek, forcing some wading. The road will intersect the Deep Low Gap Trail 0.7 from the trailhead. Make a left and continue up the grade toward the falls. You are now following the crek Little Creek Falls, however on the topo map, the creek is unnamed. The hike is a constant uphill, but the grade isn’t too bad, and the Deep Low Gap Trail was in very good shape on my June 2020 visit. The intersection of the road and the Deep Low Gap Trail is the midpoint of the hike. At 1.4 miles into the hike, the Deep Low Gap Trail crosses the creek at the base of the falls. The total ascent is about 700 feet.
The alternate plan: I’ve heard a lot of stories about the Trout Farm not honoring their deal to allow people to hike into Little Creek Falls, and turning people away. Over the last two years, I have explored two other routes that avoid the trout farm. Even on the park website they ask people to avoid the Cooper Creek Trail (which is the one from the trout farm boundary to Deeplow Gap Trail. The shorter alternate hike starts at Mingus Mill on US441 right by the Oconaluftee Visitor center. The Mingus Creek Trail leaves the parking lot from the end of the parking lot by the gate. It is steady climb for 2.8 miles, gaining about 1500 feet to a trail junction. The Mingus Creek Trail turns to the right and the Deeplow Gap Trail continues straight. Take the Deeplow Gap Trail and follow it 3.1 miles to the falls. It’s not a bad hike and the trails were in decent shape when I hiked them in late 2023. Round trip it’s a shade under 12 miles. The other option is to come at it from Deep Creek, but that hike is closer to twenty miles.
