The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a popular and pleasant diversion from the hustle and bustle of busy downtown Gatlinburg. Although it takes just minutes to get there from the heart of town, the visitor is transported to a completely different time and place!
The fifteen mile, one way loop is not well-suited for those on a tight schedule. You will rarely be able to maintain the 10 mph speed limit, and you will be compelled to stop the car many times to get out and experience the ancient stream bed and the verdant forest.
There are some overlooks with good views, but this trail is more about Roaring Fork itself. It is a world of rocks and moisture and moss and shade loving plants. You are likely to spot a deer, or if you are really fortunate and observant, a black bear!
A few brave settlers once built small hardscrabble farms along this watercourse, and a few structures have been preserved here in an effort to depict what life was like in the time before the national park was established.
But the journey here is about the theater of the forest, the fragrance of the firmament, and the music of the cascading stream. It's a sensory explosion that overwhelms even the most citified sojourner and beckons them to stay and enjoy a long draught of primeval essence!
To get there from Gatlinburg, simply take Airport Road and follow straight into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and then follow the signs to the trailhead.
Photos Top: Roaring Fork, Bottom" "The Place of a Thousand Drips" courtesy of SmokyPhotos.com
All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate of ERA United Realty Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser 770-827-6225.
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All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate Better Homes and Gardens Metro Brokers, Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser REOS, E-Pro. licensed Auctioneer. 770-827-6225.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and to search the entire Georgia MLS for free with no registration required. Visit CowetaFayetteRealEstate.com! Photos of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. North Georgia Photos.
Richard...this sounds like my kind of Nature trail. 10MPH sounds a bit fast to me.
This looks wonderful. I wish it was closer; I would definately enjoy this experience.
Bill...
It's nice after a long day of hiking to take a leisurely drive along this motor trail in the evening. It's a great time to spot wildlife too!
Joan...
It is wonderful! Thanks for the comment>
Wow, Richard! That looks like a place I could get lost in very easily. But in a good way! It would take me from sun up to sundown! LOL Thanks for sharing this wonderful armchair journey. It's now on my list of places to escape to.
Richard, Your words are as beautiful as the scenery you are describing. Thanks for sharing such beauty in your post and photos.
Richard,
The photos are so real and I can almost hear the water cascading! No thank you on the bears but a big yes on the deer. Love your descriptions!
Carol...
We usually do this when we are too exhausted to hike any more, and we still want to get into the woods! THX for the comment.
Margaret...
And thank you for those very kind words. They mean a lot to me.
Dorie...
Aw, bears are part of the Smokies experience. lol and thanks.
Looks beautiful my friend. Enjoy yourself!
Richard: I feel like I've almost been there from your lovely photographs and vivid descriptions. Love it when you write about your local parks.
Hi Richard!
I didn't think it was possible, but I think you have outdone yourself! Those photos are absolutely breathtaking! I so want to be there in person!
Richard, this looks like a wonderful way to wind down in the evening! I can almost smell it.
The only time I have ever seen a bear in the wild was out there while hiking to a waterfall. The whole area is wonderful.