The Great Smoky Mountains offer a unique opportunity to step back in time, relax, and enjoy nature at a slower pace. One of the best ways to experience all these things is to enjoy a Smoky Mountains scenic drive down the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Over just a few miles, you’ll get access to stunning natural wonders like waterfalls and the opportunity to explore historic homes and mills from early settlers. While it can be a challenge to really slow down and relax during your vacation, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail helps you step back into a slower time with its meandering one-way road–there’s no choice but to slow down and enjoy the drive until you reach the end.
Before you embark on your Smoky Mountains scenic drive, get a rundown of some awe-inspiring sights on the trail with our article.
The Noah “Bud” Ogle Place
Before entering the trail, stop at the Bud Ogle Place, where Noah Ogle and his family homesteaded in the 1800s. Take a self-guided nature tour around the property, which boasts authentic structures like the Ogle house, outbuildings, and even the family’s mill. Visiting this site is a great way to get in the mood and set the tone for the historic homes and natural beauty you’re about to see along the trail!
Trillium Gap Trail
Stop for a 3-mile hike along the Trillium Gap Trail to view stunning Grotto Falls. This waterfall is a great picture opportunity, as you can walk behind it without getting (too) wet! If you plan to take the hike, just ensure you’ve budgeted enough time–remember that you have to finish the Motor Trail once you start it!
Jim Bales Place
For another piece of Smoky Mountains history, stop at the Jim Bales Place, where you’ll see his barn and corn crib (although the cabin is not original to the property). Learn more about Jim’s family, and see a homestead as it would have been in the late 1800s.
Place of a Thousand Drips
If you want to see a waterfall without taking a long hike, the Place of a Thousand Drips delivers! You can admire this seasonal waterfall without getting out of your car (although we recommend parking and walking around for a closer look). This waterfall features many rivulets of water that split into channels in the rock, giving the natural feature its name.
Ely’s Mill
While not officially on the Roaring Fork Motor Trail (it’s just past the trail’s end), Ely’s Mill still deserves a mention as part of your Smoky Mountains scenic drive! We’ve covered the attraction in more detail here, but suffice it to say that the historic Mill is a great place to shop for gifts, support the owners in their restoration efforts, and maybe even book a cabin for a quiet getaway.
If you’re willing to step back, slow down, and reconnect with nature, the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is the perfect opportunity. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to explore the homesteads and hiking paths that line the central road, and read up on the local history so you can appreciate the historic homes of local settlers. With a little reading and a mindset of slowing down and relaxing, your time on this Smoky Mountain scenic drive will be one to remember!
