Indian Flats Falls in the Smoky Mountains

Indian Flats Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not very well known, but for me, it is a “Top Three” waterfall in the park. It is indeed a spectacular waterfall adventure, and I suspect it would be more popular if it were not so hard to find! The waterfall is hidden at the end of a small footpath that is also hidden from view.

So follow along as we introduce Indian Flats Falls!

What's Inside This Post...

Where is the Indian Flats Falls Trailhead?

The Indian Flats Falls trailhead is in the Tremont area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, our favorite area in the park. From Gatlinburg, it’s a bit over 26 miles and will take an hour to drive, depending on the traffic.

Drive southwest on Highway 441 toward the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Turn right on Fighting Creek Road, which will soon become Little River Gorge Road. Drive another 17 miles, and Little River Gorge Road becomes Laurel Creek Road. Continue straight for 0.3 miles, then turn left on Tremont Road. Continue down Tremont Road for 5.1 miles – it will dead end into the Middle Prong Trail trailhead.

(Click anywhere on the image below to enlarge it.)

Map showing the route from Gatlinburg to the Middle Prong Trail trailhead

If you’re starting from Pigeon Forge, drive southwest on Highway 321/Wears Valley Road for 15 miles, then turn left on East Lamar Alexander Parkway. Travel another 2.2 miles and take a slight right at the fork. Drive 0.2 miles and turn left onto Tremont Rd. Continue down Tremont Road for 5.1 miles – it will dead end into the Middle Prong Trail trailhead.

(Click anywhere on the image below to enlarge it.)

Map showing directions from Pigeon Forge to the Middle Prong Trail trailhead, which leads to Indian Flats Falls

Hiking Middle Prong Trail to Indian Flats Falls

There is plenty of parking at the Middle Prong trailhead. Walk to the far end of the parking area where you’ll find the trailhead. You’ll cross a bridge to begin your hike. Just past the bridge, a trail sign will direct you to take the left fork, next to Lynn Camp Prong, a beautiful rushing stream.

The hike to Indian Flats Falls is almost 8 miles roundtrip. It took us over four hours, but we stopped often to take photos and play at the falls.

The trail itself is well-maintained, and wide, and is a gradual climb to the falls. AllTrails rates it as a “Moderate” hike, due to its length and the elevation gain of 1,177′. We did not find it to be difficult, and we spotted several children and older adults on the trail.

Mary Ellen (author's wife) hiking on Middle Prong Trail

Lynne Camp Cascade plummeting down in the Middle Prong

At just over 0.5 miles into your hike, you’ll come to Lynn Camp Cascades, a beautiful waterfall/cascade formed by the Lynn Camp Prong flowing over a long rock face. There is a bench here where you can sit and enjoy the view. Walk on a little farther and you’ll find an easy spot where you can climb out on the boulders that form the cascade.

Continue on the Middle Prong Trail for another 3.3 miles to Indian Flats Falls. On your left will be the spectacular Lynn Camp Prong, and on your right will be a dazzling display of native plants and wildflowers. Enjoy! This is one of the most beautiful hikes in the Smokies.

Finding the Hidden Trail to Indian Flats Falls

About 2.3 miles past Lynn Camp Cascade, you will come to a trail sign for Panther Trail. Stay on Middle Prong Trail, and continue straight for 1 mile, where you will come to two sets of switchbacks.

(If you’re new to hiking, a “switchback” is “a trail that cuts sharply from one direction to the other while going up a steep hill or mountainside.” Switchbacks make climbing an incline easier. Here’s an example of a road with switchbacks…)

At the beginning of the end of the first switchback (you will have walked up two inclines) is a hidden side trail. There is no sign here, and it is not easy to spot. We missed it the first time! (I hope the graphic below is helpful!)

If you get to the trail sign (shown in the photo below) where Greenbriar Ridge Trail and Middle Prong Trail intersect (like we did), you’ve gone too far and missed it. Walk back down the previous switchback. (You will walk back down two inclines.). At the second turn, between the first and second switchbacks, there will be an open space where the second switchback begins.

Standing in the open space at the bottom of the second incline, you will see a rock face, 5′-7′ high, with a large rhododendron shrub to the right and in front of it. A kind soul has placed a cairn on top of an old log here.

Cairn marking the trail to Indian Flats Falls

Stand directly in front of the rock face, close enough to touch it, and behind the rhododendron on your right is a small, narrow footpath. WooHoo! You’ve found it! Follow this small trail for 0.1 miles to the waterfall.

Indian Flats Falls Revealed

Not only is Indian Flats Falls difficult to find, but it also has a secret to reveal – it is a multi-step (multi-level) waterfall with four separate levels. But it will take some work to see every level.

The Top Step (Level One)

Two waterfalls side-by-side spilling into a large pool surrounded by rock face on three sides

The top step, (the uppermost level) is the first thing you will see when you get to Indian Flats Falls, and it is a stunning sight. The water spills down 20′ in three separate streams into a beautiful pool at the base. To the far left of the pool is what looks like a large grotto.

The pool is only ankle-deep at the farthest point from the falls but gets deeper the nearer you get to them. In autumn, brightly-colored leaves float on its surface. A large boulder at the edge of the pool provides a wonderful place to sit and take in the view.

Multiple sections of Indian Flats Falls plunging into a beautiful pool at its base

The Second Step (Level Two)

Beneath the top step is a hidden, second step, but it requires you to do some effort to fully see and explore it. There’s no trail to it, so we did a bit of “bushwhacking”, making our own trail.

Keeping the water on your left, make your way downstream through the mountain laurels and large rocks. In a few steps, you will spy the next waterfall and its base pool.

The bushwhacking was not very difficult – I’m in my mid-60s and had little trouble. If you decide to take on this challenge, please do be careful. It requires some climbing on boulders and navigating some slippery terrain.

The second level of Indian Flats Falls, with the waterfall emptying into it

At 18′, this second set of falls is almost as high as the first. The waterfall is framed on both sides by rock walls. There is a ledge about midway up that allows you to walk over next to the falls and view them from the side.

The pool at the base of the falls is large and beautiful, reflecting the sunshine and the scenery.

One of the four waterfalls that make up Indian Flats Falls

The Third Step (Level Three)

We’re not done yet! There’s a third step, this one only 9′ high, but still gorgeous. And like the previous step, this one requires some bushwhacking. As before, the scrambling through the brush and boulders was not especially difficult.

This section has three separate streams of falls pouring over a ledge into a pool at the base. It is well worth the effort it takes to see it.

The third level, or step, of Indian Flats Falls - three separate falls dropping into a pool at its base

The Fourth Step (Level Four)

We had no idea there was a fourth step – we only learned about it a couple of weeks after hiking this trail – so we missed it. The fourth step is downstream, 18′ past the third step. This section of the waterfall has a 12′ drop. We’ll catch it on our next visit!

“I Have a Question…”

“What if I Can’t Find the Waterfall?” Don’t worry – you’ll find it. Just carefully follow the directions I’ve outlined in this post.
“Is This a Good Hike for My Kids?” Your kids will love this waterfall, and the hike there is mostly along the Middle Prong, which is one cascade after another. But be aware that the hike is almost 8 miles long, and half of that is uphill.
“Can I Bring My Dog on This Hike?” I’m afraid not. Dogs are only allowed on two trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park – the Oconaluftee River Trail and the Gatlinburg Trail. They must remain on leashes when on these trails.
“Is There Anything Near Indian Flats Falls I Should Visit?” Why yes, there is! You passed Spruce Flats Falls, another Top Three waterfall, on your drive down Tremont Road. The trailhead begins in the parking lot behind Tremont Institute. When you leave the area, turn right off Tremont Road, and you’ll soon be at Cades Cove.

The Verdict – Revealing Indian Flats Falls – A Spectacular Waterfall Adventure in the Smokies

Yes! YES! YES!!!

Indian Flats Falls is so much fun! There’s the challenge of finding it. It’s four waterfalls in one. There’s bushwhacking through the brush. And the place is amazing. Do it!

Happy Hiking!

Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Rocky Mountains poking their heads above the clouds, and Indian Flats waterfalls flowing into its base pool