There’s a hiking trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park where you can discover a picturesque emerald swimming hole backdropped by waterfalls and a gorgeous 45-foot waterfall spilling into a raging boulder-littered creek. All in just two miles! Welcome to the first two miles of the Big Creek Trail.
1.5 miles from the Big Creek trailhead, Midnight Hole beckons adventurous swimmers to dip into its shallow, emerald-green waters. This stunning natural swimming hole sits in Big Creek, backdropped by waterfalls and littered with jumbo boulders.
Just a half-mile further up the Big Creek Trail, Mouse Creek Falls, a 45-foot waterfall, cascades down rocks before crashing and tumbling down Big Creek.
In this Mouse Creek Falls hiking guide, I’m spilling all of the details that you need to know to get to these gorgeous, remote destinations. You’ll learn all about the first two miles of the Big Creek Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including what to expect on the trail and how to find Mouse Creek Falls and Midnight Hole.
But first, how to get to the trailhead and important things to know before you go!
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GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK AT A GLANCE
Before diving in, here are a few highlights for planning a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
- Getting There: The closest airport to Great Smoky Mountains is McGhee Tyson, which is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Find affordable flights here.
- Entrance Fee: No entrance fee but you do have to purchase and display a parking pass.
- Where to Stay: Camp in the park or stay right outside the park in the town of Gatlinburg or Cherokee. Read my Where to Stay guide here!
- How to Get Around: You’ll need to rent a personal vehicle to get around the Smokies.
- Best Time to Visit: March – October
- How Long to Visit: 3-5 days
Mouse Creek Falls Hiking Guide (+ Midnight Hole!)
Where Is Mouse Creek Falls? (And Midnight Hole?)
Mouse Creek Falls and Midnight Hole are both located off the Big Creek Trail. The Big Creek Trail is about 10 miles long, but to see Mouse Creek Falls and Midnight Hole, you’ll only have to hike 4 miles roundtrip.
The Big Creek Trail is located on the eastern side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about an hour from Gatlinburg.
The easiest way to get there would be to hop on I-40 E and take it to Exit 451. Then you’ll have access to the entire Big Creek area of the park – trailheads, campground, picnic area, backcountry campsites, etc.
Entrance Fees
There is no entrance fee to get into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. However, you must display a parking pass. Parking passes can be purchased online or at any visitor center.
You can read all about the parking pass program in my full guide.
Hours & Closures
Access to the Big Creek area is always possible, weather permitting. Note that restrooms and campgrounds are seasonal.
Know Before You Go
- Road conditions. The 1-mile road to the Big Creek trailhead is gravel and narrow, and pull-offs are extremely limited. Use extreme caution when traveling this road.
- Restrooms. The restrooms located at the Big Creek trailhead parking lot are seasonal. If you’re visiting in the off-season, use the vault toilets at the Chestnut Branch trail parking area (the first trailhead parking area you come to on Big Creek Entrance Road).
- Cell signal. There is no cell service in the Big Creek area of the park. In the event of an emergency, there is an emergency phone at the Ranger Station, located less than 1 mile from the Big Creek trailhead.
- Crowds. The Big Creek parking lot fills up quickly in the summer. To avoid the crowds, come in the off-season or start early in the day.
Finding the Big Creek Trailhead
To get to Mouse Creek Falls and Midnight Hole, you’ll have to hop on the Big Creek Trail.
The Big Creek Trailhead is located off Highway I-40E. You’ll take exit 451 and turn right onto Waterville Road. Take the paved curves.
Continue driving on Waterville Road for about 2 miles. Once you reach the intersection, you’ll continue straight to the Big Creek Entrance Road. This road is gravel and very narrow. Use caution with oncoming vehicles.
You’ll pass a ranger station and some trailhead parking within 0.3 miles. Keep going. Park at the end of the road in the large gravel parking lot.
You’ll have passed the Big Creek trailhead on your way to the parking area. After you’ve parked, head back down the Big Creek road and the trailhead will be on your left, across from the Group Camp road.
There are seasonal toilets right off the parking lot.
Click here to get Google Maps directions to the trailhead.
Big Creek Trail to Midnight Hole
The Big Creek Trail is incredibly scenic. It’s a bit rocky, but nothing too difficult. This trail is rated as easy.
For the first 1.4 miles, you will gradually climb. Big Creek will be next to you then you’ll be above it, looking down on it, mountain peaks visible in the distance. (The mountain peaks might not be visible in the summer due to tree cover). Then you’ll be right next to the creek again.
The first waypoint is Midnight Hole Falls. This is not the Midnight Hole swimming hole.
Midnight Hole Falls will be off the trail around the 1.4-mile mark. A short path leads from the trail down to the water, where you’ll find a deep, rocky pool, large boulders, and tumbling waterfalls. Again, you might think this is Midnight Hole, but it is not.
The photos below are of Midnight Hole Falls, not the official Midnight Hole swimming hole.
The second waypoint is Midnight Hole. You can read everything you need to know about this picturesque swimming hole in my full guide (including exact coordinates, what to bring, what to expect, etc), but I’ll share some basic info below for good measure.
Around the 1.4-mile marker, start looking for a couple of wooden bridges. Roughly 600 feet after you cross the second wooden bridge, and after passing Midnight Hole Falls, take the rocky path through the trees to the left. The canopy of trees is exposed above the path, and you’ll be able to see the swimming hole from the trail.
The path down to the water isn’t long, but it is steep and rocky. If you’re bringing kids or elderly, you may need to assist them.
You’ve arrived at the Midnight Hole! There are plenty of boulders and emerald water to go around.
READ NEXT: Finding Midnight Hole: A Remote Swimming Hole in the Smokies
Midnight Hole to Mouse Creek Falls
When you’re ready to continue your hiking adventure, hop back on the Big Creek Trail and turn left. It’s just a 0.5-mile trek to Mouse Creek Falls from Midnight Hole.
On our first visit to Big Creek, we chose to have our picnic lunch between Midnight Hole and Mouse Creek Falls. If you go in the summer, those two spots will likely be crowded with people, so find a spot along Big Creek (any spot!) and enjoy your lunch in solitude.
After hiking 0.5 miles down the Big Creek Trail from Midnight Hole, you’ll start to hear louder rushing water – water that sounds heavier and stronger than the creek cascades. This is Mouse Creek Falls!
Mouse Creek Falls is located off the trail, to the left, just past a wooden horse fence. (Refer to the pic below). There are horseback riding tours that venture onto this trail, and this is the spot where they rest.
There will be a clearing in the trees just past that wooden horse fence, and you should see the falls! To get a better view, scramble down the boulders and get a front-row seat to this magnificent show.
The way the Mouse Creek branch merges with Big Creek and the way the water cascades down the rock shelves and tumbles ferociously across the maze of giant boulders is a sight you won’t want to miss.
On one of our visits to Mouse Creek Falls, we saw someone climbing the falls and slick rock shelves. This isn’t recommended due to how slippery the rocks are and how strong the current is in this area! There are many other, safer places to swim in the creek (like Midnight Hole!)
Big Creek Trail continues past Mouse Creek Falls for another 4 miles; it continues to follow Big Creek, leads to backcountry campsites, and connects with other trails. You can continue or head back to your car. Your choice!
If you choose to head back to your car, retrace your steps and take the same path back.
Leave No Trace
As always, respect the landscape by packing your trash out. NEVER litter.
Always follow these 7 Leave No Trace Principles:
- Plan Ahead & Prepare
- Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
- Dispose of Waste Properly
- Leave What You Find
- Minimize Campfire Impacts
- Respect Wildlife
- Be Considerate of Others
Read more about Leave No Trace and how you can do your part to protect these natural spaces here.
Finish Planning Your Trip to the Smokies
No matter what season you’re visiting, I’ve got a guide to help you plan your trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park!
- Smoky Mountains in the Summer: What to Expect
- Smoky Mountains in the Fall: What to Expect
- Smoky Mountains in the Spring: What to Expect
- Smoky Mountains in the Winter: What to Expect
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
- Kayaking to Burgess Falls
- Cummins Falls State Park
- Gorges State Park
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Rock Island State Park
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