Mostly uneven trail but not to bad if you are stable or use poles. Not only is it illegal, but feeding a bear guarantees its demise! The Laurel Falls hike is considered easy to moderate (depends on who you ask! This trail is not to be missed! GRAND TETON WY And then more of the best waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains. In the winter, you can ice-fish and ice-skate at Laurel Lake. Purchase maps from the Catskills Visitor Center in-person or online here, You can learn more about the Kaaterskill Wild Forest from the NYSDEC by clicking here, Find a free map from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference here, Visitors must be at least 6 feet from the edge of any cliff, Visitors cannot enter the stream or water less than 150 feet from the falls, Kaaterskill Clove (including the falls) is closed 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. If navigating by GPS, use 1065 Skyline Drive, Farmington, PA 15437 as the address this will take you to the Visitors Center parking lot. It is steep with rocks. LANAI Although there were no formal measurements, anecdotal accounts suggest crowding at other locations such as Elkmont day-use area may have increased. Many people have fallen to their death at Kaaterskill Falls doing exactly this. Penns Cave in Centre Countyoffers the only cavern tour in the United States that is conductedcompletely by boat! Race Information | Laurel Park Great hike with lots of beautiful scenery. 97% of parking reservation tickets were sold and confirmed, Only 16% of reservation holders did not show up for their reservation, No out of bounds parking for Laurel Falls Trail was observed, Crowding at Laurel Falls was substantially reduced, Litter was reduced from the pre-pilot average of 2.2 grocery bags of litter per 6-hour shift to only 0.5 grocery bags per shift during the pilot, Shuttles were 30% full on average with an average daily ridership of 83 people, Visitors stayed for an average of 104 minutes, well within the 2-hour reservation time block. What other regulations do I need to know?Over the years, crowds have grown and people have been significantly hurt or have died at Kaaterskill Falls. Laurel Oak Family Aquatic Center Outdoor aquatic facilities will open for the 2023 summer season on Friday, June 2, weather permitting. Parking can be challenging. The fire tower was completed three years later. WHAT TO WEAR SNORKELING A safe and enjoyable visit to Kaaterskill requires some planning and preparation. Beautiful hike!! The Laurel Falls trailhead is located directly along Fighting Creek Gap Road. Google maps would be helpful to ease your mind so youll know when youre getting closer. There are no lifeguards at Laurel Lake. Do not approach within 50 yards or any distance that disturbs a bear. Provide better access, improve safety, and protect resources, 107 Park Headquarters Road Terrific ammenities and ranger station on site. Other programs include fitness/aquatics classes and various special events. The entire trail width is required for setup of the drill rig, leaving no space for pedestrians to safely pass. Falls were lovely. Gatlinburg, Boating: electric motors only, canoes, kayaks, seasonal boat rental. Do you need a reservation for Laurel Falls? | Hiker Rest Stop Print/PDF map. Make a right onto Olde Scotland Rd and a left onto PA-997. Make sure to do the loop, so many people turned around at the overlook but the trail continues and makes an easier ascent than walking back up the stairs. Dispose of litter in bear proof garbage containers or take it home with you. The paved hiking trail to the falls is the perfect starter trail for families with smaller children. Boat rentals are available 7 days a week at Laurel Lake during the summer season. For complete records of National Park Service visitation and other statistics, check out the, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Dont forget your bug spray. Laurel Oak Family Aquatic Center is a full-featured aquatics facility, including such amenities as short course lap lanes, body slide, a large dinosaur to crawl and play on, floating frogs to play on, additional smaller slide, zero depth entry and a sand play area. It is dog friendly too! Because the trailhead is located directly along Fighting Creek Gap Road, this means that its really not difficult to find the Laurel Falls trailhead. Laurel Caverns is billed as "Pennsylvania's Largest Cave", and is a great way to spend an hour or two BENEATH the Laurel Highlands! Do not climb on rocks around the waterfall. Indian Echo Cavernsis a beautiful show cave located3 miles west of Hersheyin Dauphin County. Laurel Falls - U.S. National Park Service PEARL HARBOR HI Laurel Falls Trail temporarily closed December 12-13. BIG ISLAND You may end up on this road naturally if youre doing a scenic drive through a park to go from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove. GULF ISLANDS FL Laurel Falls Trail is the longest of four paved trails in the park. Vehicles traveling South on I-81 take exit 47A to PA-34 South. 107 Park Headquarters Road The top falls had a cave at the back which you can walk in so you can see behind the falls, this was so cool. Generally, we open at 9:00 am and close at 4:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 6:00 pm, or 7:00 pm. From Laurel Falls to Metcalf Bottoms picnic area is about a 15 minute drive. For more information about the planning process for the Laurel Falls Trail rehabilitation, visit the park website. Laurel Falls Trail is the longest of four paved trails in the park. Woodward Cave in Centre Countycontains 5 large rooms, hundreds of yards of tunnels and passageways, andthe largest stalagmite in Pennsylvania! First discovered by Native Americans thousands of years ago, Laurel Caverns has been a popular show cave for many decades now. SLEEPING BEAR DUNES MI First-aid is available at the office located at the rear of the Main Stand. We did encounter a ton of bugs so bring bug spray. The full trail closure is necessary for the safety of hikers and efficiency of drilling operations. During the summer season a snack bar is available at the beach, selling items such as fries, funnel cakes, hamburgers, hotdogs, pretzels, chips. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 1 h 7 min to complete. NORTH DAKOTA Basically, to lower your expectations, it may be best to think of your Laurel Falls Trail as being a 5-10 minute longer hike than you originally thought. If you have plans to go to Cades Cove, Laurel Falls can be found along the way, on the drive from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 13 min to complete. Consider repackaging any food or snacks into reusable containers prior to your visit to avoid the chance of leaving something behind accidentally. GRAND CANYON AZ You may want to download offline google maps before you go (its free), as you may not have signal in the park. The area is especially busy on weekends year-round and on weekdays during summer. Official MapQuest website, find driving directions, maps, live traffic updates and road conditions. If you want to see the falls are you planning on just looking at them from above or are you trying to go to the bottom as well? Trail Notes: The roundtrip distance to the waterfall is 2.6 miles and the hike is considered moderate in difficulty. ROAD TRIP AMERICA Mildly challenging, the falls are definitely worth the effort. Lovely hike. Are there bathrooms?There are no flushing toilets at Kaaterskill Falls. You'll need to leave pups at home dogs aren't allowed on this trail. Sunday afternoon's rainfall in West Point totaled more than 7.5 inches in six hours, . Drive 6 miles and take slight right to continue on 34 South. 2023 Rusty Glessner Photography, LLC / PA Bucket List. When I went, there was no bathroom directly at the Laurel Falls trailhead. Carry drinking water with you. Beautiful gulch below the falls but you cannot access them easily. Vehicles traveling North on I-81 take exit 20. Visitors experience a well-ordered flow of foot traffic to the falls. We did the Stone Door, Big Rim, Greeter Falls, and Laurel Trail and somehow missed this, so we came back to see the falls! The traffic and pedestrian danger are incredibly high on 23A due to sharp curves and a high volume of cars. Definitely some incline to navigate but shaded most of the way too. Short and sweet. This is a popular Smoky Mountains waterfall hike. Round Trip Length: 2.6 miles. The Jumonville Cross in Fayette Countyis the tallest cross in Pennsylvania! 138 Bushkill Falls Trail, Bushkill, PA 18324. Great trail, busy on the weekends. This is a very popular trail to the third tallest waterfall in the Columbia Gorge. The restrooms are located in the corner of the parking lot between the Outfitters and The Story of Bushkill Falls. Trail Features: Waterfall. Grotto Falls Trail 4.5 935 reviews #12 of 104 things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Hiking Trails Visit website Call Write a review What people are saying " Great hike if you arrive at trailhead at daybreak. #1 of 7 Fun & Games in Mount Laurel Bowling Alleys Water Parks Game & Entertainment Centers Closed now 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM Visit website Call Email Write a review About WHAT TO WEAR HIKING, 2023 Flashpacking America | US outdoor travel blog, current Great Smoky Mountains parking fees, more pictures from the Laurel Falls Trail, Best hikes with mountain views in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, things to do in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, best scenic drives in the Smoky Mountains, epic hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Love this little loop!! These are both a 10-15 minute drive from the Laurel Falls trailhead. Tytoona Cave in Blair Countyis owned by theNational Speleological Societyand is maintained as a natural cave, with no lights or staircases. It takes about 2 hours to hike to the waterfall and back. Easy hike just alot of steps. Black bears are often active in this area. MAUI Make repairs to the trail and falls viewing area. For the latest traffic updates please check https://www.511pa.com/, Cumberland Valley Coffee & Chocolate Trail, Cumberland Valley Lodging: Distance to Carlisle Events, Pine Grove Furnace State Park Recreational Guide (.pdf), Pine Grove Furnace State Park Camping Map (.pdf). Discover Ohiopyleoffers an array ofrustic cottages and cabins, luxurious honeymoon spots and retreats, hotels, campgrounds, and even more unique options, like tree houses! This trail was super kid-friendly. The trail ascends Cove Mountain (elev. Laurel Falls Trail Easy 4.4 (8738) Great Smoky Mountains National Park Photos (7,309) Directions Print/PDF map Length 2.4 miElevation gain 403 ftRoute type Out & back Experience this 2.4-mile out-and-back trail near Gatlinburg, Tennessee.