Parking
Use the large parking area at the end of Deep Creek Road, past Deep Creek Campground. The trail begins at the far end of the lot; follow the Juney Whank signs. A parking tag is required for visits longer than 15 minutes.
Overview
About Juney Whank Falls Trail
Why go
- A close waterfall view from both sides of the footbridge
- Short loop with a clear waterfall payoff
Heads up
- The short climb is steep, with uneven footing on the return
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Great Smoky Mountains map
Full mapElevation1,913–2,106 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
7 active Great Smoky Mountains alerts
- ClosureHurricane Helene trail damage and backcountry restrictionsHurricane Helene damage has restricted backcountry trail access; avoid damaged crossings and observe trail-specific limits.Official details
- CautionBear-related trail, campsite, and road restrictionsBear activity has closed trails, a shelter, and campsites and restricted pedestrian access on Cherokee Orchard Road; stay out of closed areas and follow vehicle-only rules.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide
Your drive to Juney Whank Falls Trail, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Great Smoky Mountains audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Deep Creek Waterfalls and Picnic Area0:00 / 0:34
“You're coming up on Deep Creek, where waterfall walks and a creekside picnic can fill a relaxed afternoon.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Boulders from a Colder Smokies
- Flowers Across the Lake
- Fontana's Wartime Power
- Fontana Lake Overlook
- 200 audio storiesacross Great Smoky Mountains’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Black Bear, Elk, Bald Eagle, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 197 trails, 137 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Juney Whank Falls Trail
The short loop to the fallsJuney Whank Falls Trail is a 0.6-mile loop from the large Deep Creek parking area.
Juney Whank Falls Trail is a 0.6-mile loop from the large Deep Creek parking area. It shares a short stretch with Deep Creek Horse Trail, climbs through the woods to the falls, then descends to Deep Creek Trail for the return. Allow about 30 minutes. The uphill is brief but steep, and the downhill is uneven. Start at the far end of the parking lot and follow the Juney Whank signs; there are a few turns. A parking tag is required for stops longer than 15 minutes, and dogs are not allowed on this trail.
At the footbridgeSeveral small streams join before dropping about 80 feet over the rock wall.
Several small streams join before dropping about 80 feet over the rock wall. A wooden footbridge crosses the cascade, so you can look at it from either side. Spray can reach the bridge when the water is high, and the rocks nearby can be slick. “Juney Whank” is a Cherokee phrase meaning “place where the bear passes.”
The other Deep Creek waterfallsThis short loop is separate from the 2.
This short loop is separate from the 2.4-mile Deep Creek Waterfalls Loop, which adds Indian Creek Falls and Tom Branch Falls. Choose the longer route if you want all three waterfalls, and bring a map for its turns. The closest restrooms are at Deep Creek Campground and are seasonal; food and drinking water on the trail were not found.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Great Smoky Mountains
1,569 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
900 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
142 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
26 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
42 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Smoky Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
