Spruce Flats Falls Trail
The Spruce Flats Falls Trail at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an amazing 1.7 mile out-and-back hike in the Tremont section of the park near Townsend TN.The trail can start in a few different places, but the parking lot is located off of Tremond Rd at the Tremont Institute. Park at the visitor center and take the trail at the sign that says "Lumber Ridge Trail". Follow the trail about 60 feet to a building and stay to the left side of that building - the trailhead to Spruce Flats Falls is right there.
Head up the trail and you'll hit switchbacks early on, but they don't last for very long. After the switchbacks, you'll get a couple of view points of the mountains in the Tremont region of the Great Smoky's. You'll pass two large boulder fields along the trail before the descent to Spruce Flats Falls.
On the descent to the falls is a wooden notch ladder with wooden hand-rails, use this for balance.
You'll reach Spruce Flats Falls after 1 mile and you cannot miss it.
Backpacking is technically allowed on this trail; however, there aren't any places that you can actually camp due to the elevation grade.
