Grotto Falls spill 25' into a large pool along Roaring Fork Creek. Grotto Falls is the only waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park where you can walk right behind a waterfall on a designated trail. The Trillium Gap Trail continues behind on to Brushy Mountain and Mount Le Conte.

Side view of Grotto Falls - the grotto is a great place for salamander viewing

Mount Le Conte - seen from the summit of Brushy Mountain

The Trillium Gap leads behind Grotto Falls enabling hikers to look out from behind the waterfall

Grotto Falls seen in the distance on the Trillium Gap Trail

The lower Grotto Falls are also very beautiful

Ferns dominate a section of the Trillium Gap Trail on the way to Mount Le Conte

Grotto Falls is an easy and rewarding day hike - also great for families

Views to the southeast from the Brushy Mountain summit

Multiple small cascades flow along the Trillium Gap Trail on the way to Grotto Falls

Beautiful rhododendron is ubiquitous throughout the Smokies - like these on the Brushy Mountain summit

View from behind Grotto Falls on the Trillium Gap Trail

Brushy Mountain seen from the trail to Mount Le Conte

Painted trillium is found in moist areas on shaded slopes between 3000' - 6500'

Mt Le Conte seen from the Brushy Mountain summit trail - a well defined path leads from Trillium Gap to the summit of Brushy Mountain

Debris and downfall are common along the creek

Brushy Mountain - seen here from the Trillium Gap Trail is named for the thick brush which encases its summit

Water cascading over the grotto and into Roaring Fork Creek

The trail to the Brushy Mountain summit leads through corridors of thick brush before breaking out to the exposed summit

Typical hazed view of the Smoky Mountains from the summit of Brushy Mountain

A hiker descends Brushy Mountain to Trillium Gap - Mount Le Conte looms in the background