Take a trip to this stunning Carolina lagoon for some fun in the sun!

Yes, is looks like a  whimsical fairy tale.  Yes, it is a real place and you should check it out! A friend of mine asked if I wanted go chasing mermaids in the Great Smokies, so the obvious answer was..Let’s ride! Midnight Hole,  in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,  is a lagoon featuring  gorgeous emerald green water at the base of a small waterfall. It is a popular swimming spot for locals and for many that have heard about the area on social media. Midnight Hole is a great start to your visit to America’s most visited national park.

Let’s talking about getting there. From the Greenville-Spartanburg area, the trek will take you about 2 hours (one way).  Pack some delicious snacks and set up a nice road trip playlist to help your time float by faster.  To get to the trail head you will need to enter “Big Creek Trail” into your GPS.  This will take you to a parking area that will undoubtedly packed with summertime visitors. The parking area is pretty small and was quite congested during my visit. You will probably have to park on the side of the narrow gravel road. Be very careful entering and exiting your car with traffic trying to navigate the road that is generally a one-car at a time situation. From the trail head  you will hike a mile and a half to Midnight Hole. The trail is moderate with some gorgeous views and inclines headed towards Midnight Hole.  There were plenty of kids on the trail, however,  there are some rocky areas and steep falls on the wide path.

 

Note: Getting down into the swimming hole takes some careful maneuvering, especially with small children. Once you arrive to Midnight Hole, you will be stunned by the emerald color of the water and how frigid the mountain stream is. Please pack water shoes!!! I cannot say this enough. I had to learn the hard way that hard rocks and trying to get to your favorite spot across the lagoon don’t mix. Ouch!

 

This swimming hole is quite popular and is not a quiet spot to be one with nature. There are folks swimming in the lagoon and jumping off of the rocks into the deep water (Personally not recommended). However, there are plenty of places to set up camp and hang a hammock while enjoying a delicious lunch.  Even with the crowd,  its a wonderful place to sit and cool down from the southern summer heat.  Happy adventuring!