![]() The Newfound Gap Road is the lowest elevation drivable pass in the Great Smoky Mountains at an elevation of 5,046 feet. Historic Mill along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail. You will also find trail access for Grotto Falls and Place of a Thousand Drips. The Roaring Fork Motor Trail is also home to several popular hiking trails, including the Rainbow Falls Trail, which leads to an impressive 80-foot waterfall. However, the drive is well worth it as the views are spectacular.Īlong the way, visitors can stop at several historic buildings, including a grist mill, a cabin, and a barn that early settlers lived in. The road is narrow and winding, with several spots where drivers must maneuver around tight curves and narrow bridges. The trail starts at the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail entrance, located just outside of the Gatlinburg city limits. ![]() The motor trail is a 5.5-mile-long loop trail along a narrow, winding road that takes you along the Roaring Fork mountain stream, past historic buildings, and past jaw dropping mountain views. ![]() Roaring Fork Motor Nature trail is anotherone of the most scenic views in the Great Smoky Mountains. It is located at about the half-way point of the drive and offers restrooms and a bookstore. There is also a visitor center located in Cades Cove. Be sure to check with NPS before your visit for exact times. On select days and times (usually Saturday and Wednesday mornings) the road is closed to auto traffic and open to bikers only. An early morning drive will also help you avoid the massive crowds that are drawn to this area of the park and the backed-up traffic that results. Plan for at least 2-4 hours for visiting Cades Cove, especially if visiting during high traffic times.Īrriving early in the morning or later in the evening will give you the best chance of viewing the area’s black bears, white-tailed deer, coyote, and other wildlife roaming the area. From Cades Cove, you can access the Abrams Falls trail, the Cades Cove Nature Trail, Thunderhead Mountain trail, and Rocky Top trail. Today the area offers beautiful scenery with towering mountains as the backdrop, historic buildings to explore, miles of hiking trails, and roaming wildlife to admire.Īlong the drive you will find plenty of pull-outs where you can stop and admire the views. Cades Cove was a hunting grounds for the Cherokee Indians for hundreds of years and the site of a European settlement in the 1800’s. The 11-mile drive around the Cades Cove valley is one of the most scenic areas in the Smoky Mountains. ![]() View from the path leading to Clingman’s Dome. After catching the sunset, stick around to find amazing night sky views. The climb to the top is about a half mile along a paved walkway, and the views at the top are well worth it. Climbing this point at sunset will give you unparalleled views, if you are lucky enough to catch a cloudless day. The observation tower at the top of Clingman’s dome gives you 360-degree views of the Smoky Mountains. The 45-foot-high observation tower, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offers breathtaking views of the Smokies and on clear days visitors may see as far as 100 miles. The Dome is accessible via a 7-mile road that begins just past Newfound Gap and leads up the mountain to the Forney Ridge Parking Area, 330 feet below the summit. At 6,643 feet, Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the highest point in Tennessee. Clingman’s Dome is undoubtedly one of the most stunning views in the Great Smoky Mountains. ![]()
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