I actually hadn’t heard of the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail until 3 days into our Great Smoky Mountains trip when I Googled “the best place to spot bears.” The top result was Cades Cove, but, after failing to see any wildlife the day before when we got a late start, I wasn’t prepared to deal with the crowds in Cades Cove again.
Our AirBNB had a Sevierville address but was actually closer to Gatlinburg. Cades Cove ended up being about an hour away. I wanted somewhere closer to our Airbnb where I could possibly see a bear. *We did see a bear across the road from the Gatlinburg Trail on the first day of our trip but it was one of those, oh that blob way off in the distance may or may not be a bear, situations.*
Smoky Mountain sunrise on Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail
Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail was second on the list of the top places to spot a bear in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It fit the bill and, quite honestly, it was one of my favorite mornings of the trip. The trail is one lane, one-way route that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your vehicle.
It is about 5.5 miles and takes about an hour because you will, without a doubt, want to get out of your car to take some photos. Be aware that this will be slow going when the trail is crowded and honestly, we probably went slower than most, having the trail entirely to ourselves.
We got there just as the sun was rising and, like I said earlier, had the entire trail to ourselves. The only other person we saw was a Park Ranger. After the major crowds at Cades Cove the day before, this was a welcome breather.
Sunrise on Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail
The trail has so much to offer. Unfortunately, because it was so early in the morning, we didn’t have the option to explore the Noah “Bud” Ogle Place. However, if you have the time and it’s an option for you, the Bud Ogle Place, while technically not part of the trail, is a great place to start your journey.
There are several impressive waterfall trailheads within the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail; these include Rainbow Falls and Grotto Falls, two of the most popular hikes in this area. Rainbow Falls is technically right before the start of the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail, but close enough, right? It is a 5.5 miles, moderate-rated, out and back trail.
Grotto Falls is THE most popular hike on the nature trail and the parking area fills quickly. While it is a bit shorter then Rainbow falls, Grotto is 2.6 miles, moderate-rated and popular, because you can actually walk behind the falls. We didn’t get a chance to do either hike but I would have loved to hike Grotto Falls.
If you are not in the mood to hike, have no fear, you can see several gorgeous waterfalls and/or cascades from the motor nature trail. It’s named Roaring Forks for a reason, as the trail follows the Roaring Forks stream, which is one of the fastest flowing streams inside the park.
The trail also has several historic building and homes that you can explore. One of my favorites was the Ephraim Bales Cabin and the Reagan Tub Mill.
Reagan Tub Mill
I didn’t realize it at the time, but my favorite feature of the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail has a name – it’s called the place of a thousand drips. It was easy for us to stop here because we were the only people on the trail. When its more crowded it’s harder to view this area and get pictures from outside of your car. Keep those windows rolled down, we did and it was a chilly 40 degrees.
It’s not considered a cascade or a waterfall because technically it doesn’t contain enough water to be classified as either. It’s more like thousands of little drips, hence the name. It is truly gorgeous and all I can say is pay attention to the left-hand side of the road closer to the end of the motor trail to take in this elusive place. I can see why so many people end up missing it.
This is what a bobcat actually looks like…
One of the highlights of the trail for me was spotting a bobcat. While we didn’t see a single bear, while on the trail we did spot the more elusive bobcat. It was pure luck that we spotted him, a lucky find that not many people get to see because of the bobcat’s solitary and reclusive nature. I wasn’t able to get a clear picture because they move so quickly but I swear, that’s a bobcat in the photo below.
That blurry little blob is a bobcat, I swear! They are just so fast!
I really enjoyed our early morning drive on the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail and think it’s a can’t miss spot within the park. Particularly at sunrise. When you have the entire trail to yourself.
