Mouse Creek Falls is one of the finest waterfall hikes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a two-tiered 45-foot cascade where Mouse Creek spills down a mossy rock face and empties straight into the rushing water of Big Creek. Tucked into the park's quiet, uncrowded Big Creek section near Waynesville, North Carolina, it rewards a walk that is remarkably gentle for the scenery it delivers, and it comes with one of the best swimming holes in the Smokies thrown in along the way.

The hike runs about 4.2 miles round trip with only around 605 feet of elevation gain, taking most people two to three hours. What makes it so approachable is the trail itself: the Big Creek Trail follows an old railroad grade built by the Crestmont Lumber Company in the early 1900s to haul timber out of these mountains during the logging boom. That heritage left behind a smooth, even, gradually climbing path, which makes this an outstanding choice for young hikers, novices, or anyone who wants big Smokies scenery without a punishing climb.

The trail delivers twice. At about 1.4 miles you reach Midnight Hole, a justly famous spot where a six-foot falls drops into a broad, deep plunge pool of exceptional clarity, ringed by big boulders. It's a swimming destination in its own right and a popular turnaround for families. Roughly three-quarters of a mile further on, a hitching post marks the short side path to a bench overlooking Mouse Creek Falls, positioned for exactly the view you came for. Hikers with more in the tank can continue about three more miles past an old carriage bridge to Walnut Bottom, the site of an old logging camp.

Access is via Interstate 40 to the Waterville Road exit, Exit 451, with parking at the Big Creek Picnic Area beside the trailhead and Big Creek Campground. Note that pets are not allowed on the Big Creek Trail, a National Park Service rule that applies to nearly all trails in the park. Because Big Creek sits in a far corner of the Smokies, it stays quieter than the Gatlinburg-side hotspots, though the lot can fill on summer weekends.

The falls run best in spring and after rain, while summer draws swimmers to Midnight Hole and fall paints the whole corridor in hardwood color. The creek rocks are slick and Big Creek runs cold and fast after storms, so water shoes and a careful eye on the current are worth it if you get in. Bring water, sun cover for the open stretches, and a picnic; between the old railroad grade, the swimming hole and the falls, Big Creek packs an extraordinary amount of the Smokies into four easy miles.