If you’ve been dreaming of a short and sweet hike in Tennessee, one with scenic overlooks, a rocky corridor that belongs in a storybook, and even a bonus waterfall detour, then I have just the trail for you.
Get ready to hike the Stone Door Trail in Tennessee!
Before you venture to the Great Stone Door, there are a few things you should know. As a local Tennessean who’s hiked this trail, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know.
In this detailed trail guide, I’ll share how to get there, the best time to go, what to bring, important know-before-you-go info, a step-by-step trail description, plus an optional detour and other gorgeous trails in the area!
Stone Door Trail Guide: Overlooks, Rocky Corridor & Waterfall
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Directions, Parking & Hours
The Stone Door Trail is tucked inside one of Tennessee’s most impressive, jam-packed state parks, Savage Gulf State Park.
Less than 2 hours from Nashville and Chattanooga, Stone Door is a popular day trip destination for many Tennesseans, including myself! And since it’s in the same state park as Greeter Falls, Suter Falls, and Savage Falls, you could combine all of them into an exciting mini road trip!
From Chattanooga, travel I-24 west and take exit 155 onto Highway 28. In less than 3 miles, turn left onto US-41. In 16 miles, veer onto Highway 56. Then in about 20 miles, turn right onto Stone Door Road. The trailhead is at the end of the road.
Parking for Stone Door is at Savage Gulf State Park’s North Trailhead. This is a large paved lot, but it can fill up quickly, especially in the summer and on weekends. Get Google Maps directions here.
Conveniently at the trailhead are flush toilets, a ranger station, trash bins, and picnic tables. And yes, the flush toilets are open year-round, even in the winter!
Although there is no official gate, Savage Gulf State Park trails are open from sunrise to sunset. If you are camping, you must be at your campsite before dark; night hiking is not allowed.
Know Before You Go
Leashed dogs are allowed on the Stone Door Trail. This is a great hike for dogs because the trail is very easy! The overlooks are quite exposed, though, so keep your pet away from the edges.
Entrance is free. Tennessee state parks and recreation areas are always free! Feel free to donate to the parks if you can.
There’s a waterfall near the Stone Door Trail that most people overlook. Laurel Falls, just 300 feet from the Stone Door trailhead, in the opposite direction, is 100% worth the quick stop!
Don’t forget to bring the essentials. Check out my day hiking essentials guide to find out what to pack!
Many waterfalls are nearby. Combine Stone Door and Laurel Falls with Greeter Falls, Suter Falls, and Savage Falls for an epic waterfall-rich adventure.
Please Leave No Trace when recreating outdoors. Leave the trails, creeks, and waterfalls exactly as you find them. Please do not carve into the trees or rocks, do not move or stack rocks, and do not pluck wildflowers. And make sure to pack out all of your trash.
Bonus points if you bring a trash bag and pick up other hikers’ garbage along the way!
When to Hike to the Great Stone Door
The Stone Door Trail is open and stunning year-round! If your goal is to avoid crowds, I’d steer clear of summer, holidays, and weekends.
We hiked the Stone Door Trail in late January. Snow had recently fallen, so there were no crowds. While the snow had mostly melted, a thick layer of ice inside the Great Stone Door prevented us from hiking it all the way to the bottom. Even with microspikes, it was dicey!
Stone Door Trail Description
- Length: 2.1 miles
- Elevation Gain: 164 feet
- Type of Trail: Out & back
- Difficulty: Easy
- AllTrails Map: Link
From the parking lot, head straight along the paved sidewalk. You’ll pass restrooms on the left before approaching the trailhead sign and trail junction.
To the left is the Laurel Falls Loop, which I highly recommend hiking after the Stone Door! And to the right is the Stone Door Trail.
The first chunk of the Stone Door Trail, from the trailhead to the first overlook, is paved and relatively flat.
At the 0.3-mile mark, you’ll come to a wooden platform on the left side of the trail. This is the first viewpoint: Laurel Gulf Overlook.
From this vantage point, you’ll see the seemingly endless rolling valley and rocky hillsides.
After enjoying the view, continue on the trail. Just after the Laurel Gulf Overlook, the trail changes from pavement to dirt.
In about 0.6 miles, you’ll reach a couple of junctions. Along the edge of the plateau, you’ll find some nice overlooks that you can access via short spurs just before the bridge and just over the bridge.
Now for the main event: the Great Stone Door! To get to the Great Stone Door, veer sharply to the right just before the bridge. You’ll see a 10-foot-wide, 100-foot-deep crack in the rock with steps leading through it. You’ve arrived!
Now you get to walk all the way down the steps! As you descend, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into the pages of a storybook.
We couldn’t get down to the bottom because of how icy the rock steps were (even with our microspikes!) But you should be able to get down it most of the year.
The trail continues all the way through the rocky corridor, and even beyond it. In fact, the trail network beyond the Great Stone Door is so massive you could easily spend several days exploring it.
But if you just want to hike to the Great Stone Door, turn around shortly after you’ve walked through the corridor and retrace your steps to get back to the trailhead.
Before you head back to your car, I have a quick detour for you if you’re interested. A detour that most people skip, overlook, or just don’t know about!
I’m talking about the Laurel Falls Loop!
The Laurel Falls Loop is just 0.3 miles and starts to the left of the trailhead sign, near the ranger station. It leads to a beautiful 25-foot waterfall, Laurel Falls.
The waterfall is only 300 feet from the trailhead, so if you’re short on time, you don’t even have to hike the whole loop. You can simply head down the steps to the waterfall, enjoy the view, and climb back up the same way.
But whether you hike the entire loop or just make the super quick trip to the falls and back, you absolutely shouldn’t miss seeing Laurel Falls!
The waterfall is incredibly stunning, tumbling gently off a ledge into a pool beneath a curved recessed cave.
When we visited, the cave was layered with snow and lined with dangling icicles; it was magical!
NOTE: This Laurel Falls is not to be confused with the three other Laurel Falls in Tennessee, haha. There’s also a Laurel Falls in the Smokies, in the Laurel-Snow Pocket Wilderness, and in Hampton.
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
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