This scenic road also offers easy access to the Roaring Fork Historic District, an amazing collection of fascinating pioneer structures. Stunning waterfalls and scenery are not the only attractions accessible from the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. You'll be fascinated by its countless intricate pathways – perhaps not a thousand, but close!īeyond the Waterfalls, a Glimpse Into Pioneer History Easily accessible (no hiking required), this 20-30-foot cascade pours out of a small cave nestled amid high mountain rocks. Near the end of the Roaring Fork Motor Trail, you'll come to the Place of a Thousand Drips. From there, travel a few miles farther down the road to another convenient parking area, where you can view Roaring Fork Stream, up close, in all its sparkling splendor.īut Wait, There's More – Yet Another Waterfall (Sort Of) The entire Rainbow Falls Trail is 2.6 miles long and brings you back to the trailhead parking lot. But if you're careful, you should have no problem. The rocks behind the falls can be slick and slippery. You may even spot a few native salamanders they flourish in this cool, moist microclimate. You'll love the refreshing feel of the mist and the thundering roar of the water. Grotto Falls is the only Smoky Mountains waterfall you can actually walk behind. And, if you feel hot and sweaty by that point, you're in for a special treat. You'll hike up a gentle grade through gorgeous old-growth forest to reach the shimmering 25-foot falls. The second one, Grotto Falls, is right off the Roaring Fork Motor Trail via the Trillium Gap Trailhead (about 1.6 miles up the motor road). the Roaring Fork area is home to two major waterfalls. On clear days, the sun slanting through the mist creates the rainbow the falls are famous for. Plunging 80 feet over a jagged rock ridge, this thrilling mountain waterfall raises clouds of fairy-like mist. But, once you reach the falls, you'll agree it's more than worth it. The entire hike covers 5.4 miles round-trip, and it's a moderately strenuous climb, up through grassy boulder-strewn fields, with Le Conte Stream roaring on your right. This short, easy walking path leads to an intact 19th-century farmstead, featuring an authentic stream-side tub mill – a turbine-powered grist mill – and a unique, handmade wooden plumbing system.Ī short distance beyond this picturesque farmstead you'll find the trail that leads to Rainbow Falls, the highest single-drop waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Right before you enter the Roaring Fork Motor Trail, stop off for a picturesque stroll along the Noah "Bud" Ogle self-guided nature trail. Start with a Slice of Appalachian History (Closed in winter, the motor trail is open through November 26 to cars, SUVs, and pickups but off-limits for buses, trailers, and motor homes.) For the full Roaring Fork experience, drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, a 5.5-mile one-way loop road that offers access to just about everything you'll want to see in this popular area. That's when it truly roars – and the sound echoes all throughout the neighboring mountains.īut, awesome as it is, the stream is just the beginning. While it's often quite peaceful, this crystal-clear stream swells into raging rapids after every rain. Roaring Fork itself is a cold-water stream that plunges some 2,500 feet from the slopes of Mount Le Conte to the northern end of Gatlinburg – rushing over mossy rocks, winding through old-growth forest, and eventually spilling into the West Fork of the Little Pigeon River.
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