Midnight Hole: The Smoky Mountains Swimming Hole (And How to Find It)

Midnight Hole is a deep, clear swimming hole on the Big Creek Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains, on the Tennessee side of the park near Waterville and Hartford. It sits about 1.5 miles up the trail, framed by big boulders that hikers climb and jump from into the pool below. The hike in is family friendly and mostly gentle, following an old railroad grade along the creek. The water stays cold even in summer, which is the whole point on a hot day. When you are done, the Pigeon River is only minutes away for a raft trip or an easy scenic float.

What is Midnight Hole?

Midnight Hole is one of the best known swimming spots in the Smokies, and for good reason. Picture a wide pool of cold, green blue water at the base of a small drop, boxed in by two huge boulders. On a hot summer afternoon it is packed with families wading in the shallows and teenagers working up the nerve to jump off the rocks.

It is not a secret, and it is not a hard hike. That is what makes it a good one for a mixed group. You get a real Smoky Mountain reward at the end without needing to be a serious hiker to earn it.

Here is the full guide: how to get there, how deep it is, whether it is in Tennessee or North Carolina, and what to do once you have dried off.

Is Midnight Hole in Tennessee or North Carolina?

Short answer: it is on the Tennessee side of the park, in the Big Creek area near Waterville and Hartford. This trips people up because the Great Smoky Mountains straddle the Tennessee and North Carolina line, and searches for Midnight Hole NC and Midnight Hole TN both point at the same place. If you are driving in from the Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge side, you will reach it through the Big Creek entrance near Hartford, TN. That is also where our outpost sits, right on the Pigeon River.

How to get to Midnight Hole: the Big Creek Trail hike

You reach Midnight Hole by hiking the Big Creek Trail, which starts at the Big Creek area of the park near Waterville and Hartford.

The hike at a glance:

• Trailhead: Big Creek Trail, in the Big Creek area near Waterville and Hartford, TN
• Distance to Midnight Hole: about 1.5 miles one way
• Difficulty: easy to moderate, mostly a gentle grade on an old railroad bed
• Time: roughly 45 minutes to an hour each way at an easy pace
• Parking: the Big Creek parking area, which fills fast on summer weekends

A quick word on getting there: do not rely blindly on your GPS for the last stretch. This is the quiet corner of the Smokies, and phone directions can send you the wrong way on the small roads near the river. Road and trailhead access in this area can change, so it is worth checking current conditions before you drive out.

How deep is Midnight Hole, and is it safe to jump?

This is the question everyone asks, so let us be straight about it.

Midnight Hole is deep enough that people jump from the boulders. But seeing people doing it is not the same as saying "that it's safe for everyone". The water is cold, the depth changes with the season and recent rain, and there are rocks under the surface you cannot always see. There are no lifeguards out here, so participating is at your own risk.

If you are going to get in, the smart move is to wade in first, check the depth yourself that day, and let strong swimmers go before the kids. Cold water can take your breath away, so ease in rather than jumping straight from the car ride. Treat it like what it is: a wild mountain pool, not a pool with a deep end painted on the bottom.

What to bring (and when to go)

You do not need much for Midnight Hole, but a few things make the day better.

• Water shoes or old sneakers. The rocks are slick and the trail has roots. Leave the flip flops behind.
• A towel and a dry change of clothes. You will get wet, and the water is cold.
• Water and a snack. It is a short hike, but it is still a hike.
• A dry bag or a way to keep your phone safe. Splashing and phones do not mix.

Best time to go? Early on a weekday if you want the place to yourself. Summer weekends and holidays get crowded, and the small parking area fills up. Fall is quieter and the light through the trees is worth the trip on its own, though the water is colder.

Make a day of it: hike, then hit the river

Here is the part most guides will not tell you. You already made the drive out to this side of the park, away from the strip. The Pigeon River is right here.

Our outpost is minutes from the Big Creek area, on the banks of the river in Hartford. So a lot of families turn a Midnight Hole morning into a river afternoon. Hike in, cool off, dry out, then come raft with us.

• Bringing young kids or want something relaxed? The Lower Pigeon scenic float is a calm ride for ages 3 and up, and it runs into October.
• Group ready for some rapids? The Upper Pigeon whitewater trip is for ages 8 and up, with Class III water and real splashes.
• Want the full day? The Full Day combo does both, the calm float and the whitewater, in one trip.

You will get all your safety gear, a guide who has done this thousands of times, and a new outpost with showers, changing rooms, and a store for whatever you forgot. See all trips on our Pigeon River rafting page, or learn more about our home base in Hartford, TN.

Frequently asked questions

Is Midnight Hole in Tennessee or North Carolina? It is on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains, in the Big Creek area near Waterville and Hartford. Searches for both Midnight Hole TN and Midnight Hole NC point to the same spot, because the state line runs through this part of the park.

How deep is Midnight Hole? Deep enough that people jump from the surrounding boulders, but the exact depth changes with the season and recent rainfall. Always check the depth yourself the day you visit, since there are submerged rocks and no lifeguards.

Is it safe to jump at Midnight Hole? People do jump here, but it is a wild mountain pool, not a supervised pool. The water is cold, the depth varies, and rocks sit below the surface. Wade in and check first, let strong swimmers go ahead of kids, and do not jump if you are not sure of the depth that day.

How long is the hike to Midnight Hole? About 1.5 miles each way on the Big Creek Trail, roughly 45 minutes to an hour at an easy pace. The grade is gentle for most of the way, which makes it doable for families.

What is there to do near Midnight Hole? Whitewater rafting and scenic floats on the Pigeon River, just minutes from the Big Creek area. Our outpost in Hartford runs trips for ages 3 and up, so a hike and a river trip make an easy day out.

Book your Pigeon River adventure with Big Creek Expeditions.