Mingo Falls With Dogs: 163 Steps to a Waterfall in Cherokee, NC Near the Smoky Mountains

When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. See our Affiliate Policy. After our 3-mile hike along the Oconaluftee River Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, we were looking for one more thing to do with our dogs before heading back to Gatlinburg and Pittman Center for the evening. We were only spending the weekend in the Smokies while visiting from Alabama, and since one of our dogs is 14 years old, we wanted something scenic, short and close by that we could all enjoy. We opened Google Maps to see if there were any nearby dog-friendly stops worth checking out and were surprised to find a 120-foot waterfall was less than 15 minutes from the Oconaluftee Visitor Center (right where the Oconaluftee River Trailhead is). All warmed up for our waterfall climb! Since we were already hot and a little tired from hiking, visiting Mingo Falls sounded like the perfect way to see more of the surrounding area (it’s not located in the Smokies) without going on another couple mile long hike. In the Cherokee language, the word Mingo translates to “Big Bear”. How to Get to Mingo Falls From the Oconaluftee Visitor Center We hiked the Oconaluftee River Trail because it’s one of only two dog-friendly trails in the Great Smoky Mountains. The other is the Gatlinburg Trail in downtown Gatlinburg. Downtown Gatlinburg can be fun, but the purpose of this trip was for us to get out and into nature for a relaxing weekend getaway. Driving to the Oconaluftee River Trailhead took us a little over 1-hour south of Gatlinburg and Pittman Center and deeper into the mountains. Mingo Falls sits just outside the national park in Cherokee, North Carolina, on the Qualla Boundary, the land of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. From the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, the drive was about 6.4 miles and roughly 15 minutes. The drive was easy, and we drove straight to the trailhead after finishing our hike. From the visitor center, you head south along US-441 for about 1.4 miles before turning left onto Big Cove Connector Road / Saunooke Bridge Road. From there, you follow Big Cove Road the rest of the way to the falls. The small parking area is just across the bridge on Mingo Falls Bridge Road. Mingo Falls Parking and Trailhead Overview We really liked the setup of the parking lot, which probably sounds like an odd thing to say about a waterfall hike! But after visiting quite a few trailheads, you start to appreciate how well thought out some setups are. The parking area itself was easy to find and seemed to have space for a good number of cars (probably 20+). There’s also a large “Mingo Falls” sign that includes English and Cherokee, an informational board about the falls and surrounding area, plus a row of port-o-potties at the end of the lot near the base of the staircase leading up to the trail. This AllTrails map needs analytics cookies to load. These cookies cover both our site and the embedded content. Or View on AllTrails The 163 Stairs Up to the Falls The Mingo Falls trail is short on distance (about 0.8 miles round trip), but it’s basically stairs the entire way there. Since we had just finished with a 3-mile hike, we didn’t think that our dog Toby would be able to handle the stairs on his own. Since he’s 14 years old, we also try to avoid letting him use stairs to help prevent back injuries, so we carried him both up and down. Our other dog, Lily, had no trouble on the climb. When I was first reading about this trail, I couldn’t find exactly how many stairs there were, so I counted them on the way up. There are 163 steps total to reach the top. From the bottom, the staircase curves up into the trees, which makes the climb up feel a little deceiving at first, almost like it might go on forever. But it’s not a very long climb, just consistently uphill. It took us about 6 minutes to reach the top, but that includes stopping for photos and carrying Toby. It’s 163 stairs to the top The Mingo Falls viewing platform What to Expect at the Top of Mingo Falls Once we made it to the top of the stairs, we were surprised to see that it wasn’t just a waterfall overlook. There’s a whole viewing area with a bridge spanning Mingo Creek, along with two benches where you can sit on and enjoy the falls. From the viewing platform, you get a beautiful view of the 120-foot waterfall dropping straight down the rock face. It felt much bigger in person than it looks in photos. One thing we weren’t prepared for was the mesh-like surface that’s used on the viewing platform. Neither of our dogs liked walking on it very much, including Toby, who doesn’t usually care what surface he’s walking on (as long as it isn’t wet). Our pups weren’t fans of the mesh deck There are two benches with a view of the falls From our recent visit to the Boardwalk Trail in Congaree National Park, we already knew Lily gets nervous walking across surfaces she can see down through. We ended up carrying both dogs across the platform to a bench so they wouldn’t have to walk on the mesh. I honestly think it may have hurt their paws to walk on. Things to Know Before Visiting Mingo Falls If you’re planning to visit Mingo Falls with your dog, here are a few things that stood out to us from our visit: Mingo Falls is dog-friendly The hike is short, but it’s basically stairs the entire way up There are 163 steps to get to the waterfall There are port-o-potties in the parking lot The mesh-style viewing platform might bother some dogs Is Mingo Falls Worth Visiting With Dogs? Yes, especially if you’re already in the Cherokee or Great Smoky Mountains area and are looking for more dog-friendly things to do. It also pairs really well with a stop along the Oconaluftee River Trail, which is less than 15 minutes away. This is a great stop if you want to see a beautiful waterfall, aren’t looking for a long hike, but also don’t mind walking up some stairs. It’s a great stop for: Visiting Cherokee, NC or Great Smoky Mountains National Park Dog-friendly stops in and around the Smokies (especially if you can carry smaller or older dogs if needed) Quick scenic stops instead of full hikes Waterfall photography without a long hike It’s probably not the best if you’re: Your dog struggles with stairs or steep climbs You’re looking for a long or remote backcountry hike Cooling off after the stair climb Hiking the Oconaluftee River Trail first and then heading to Mingo Falls made for a really great half-day in the Smokies. We got a solid hike in during the early afternoon, then followed it up with a quick stop at a beautiful waterfall. If you’re driving through Cherokee or the Smoky Mountains with dogs, this is such an easy addition to your trip. It doesn’t take much time, but the view is definitely worth the climb. Even if you have to carry your 14-year-old pup up 163 stairs to get there.