All Nolan could talk about was our hike to Laurel Falls, so we decided to take the short walk to Cataract Falls the next day as it was listed as a perfect hike for small children.  He had been so excited to explore the outdoors, so with his walking stick, Nolan led the way on the 3/4 mile roundtrip trail toward the falls.

The pathway was started out paved and shortly turned to stone with a bridge built over the Fighting Creek.  Nolan loved having his photos taken, so we pointed out scenic spots for him to pose.

The floor covering was a beautiful green with plants and ivy.  Thick trees provided shade from the sun bringing the temperature down a few degrees.

The trail goes under a bridge with stones on each side and is on average, four feet wide with a gentle grade.   We had the trail all to ourselves and we reached the falls fairly quickly.

A few feet away from the bridge we could hear the falls.  Nolan’s face lit up when he realized he was hearing the rushing of the water and started running down the path.

Once the newness of the falls wore off, Nolan was more than excited to play at the base of them.

Within minutes, Nolan was calling us over to show us the snail that he had found.

It was difficult to leave, seeing how excited Nolan was for the hike, the waterfalls and little creatures, but it was close to dinnertime and promising him we would be going to visit Margaritaville, you would have thought he would have sprinted back to the start of the hike.  I guess that little guy was hungry.

Have you hiked the Cataract Falls?  What was your experience?  I would love to hear from you if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my visit to Cataract Falls and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN  37738
Telephone:  865 436 1200

Where to Stay:

Firefly Chalet
Highway 321 North
Gatlinburg, TN  37738
Website:  www.vrbo.com

Where to Eat:

Bennett’s Bar-B-Que
2910 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN
Telephone:  865 429 2200

What to Eat:

• Barbecue