The road follows Roaring Fork Creek a good part of the way, and the finale is a small waterfall called "The Place of a Thousand Drips," right beside the road. There are several good hiking trails starting along the road, including Trillium Gap Trail that leads to Mt. Among the sites are several old cabins and the Alfred Reagan place, which is painted in the original blue, yellow, and cream, "all three colors that Sears and Roebuck had," according to a story attributed to Mr. Along the road are many opportunities to stop your car and get closer to nature. Numbered markers along the route are keyed to 16 stops highlighted in the booklet. Stop and pick up a Roaring Fork Auto Tour booklet ($1) at the information shelter. The 6-mile Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail starts just beyond the Noah "Bud" Ogle farmstead and the Rainbow Falls trailhead. The most fun time to drive the motor trail is after a good rain the scenery is washed. As with all waterways in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, rainfall can turn a placid stream into a surging whitewater. The one-way, paved road is so narrow in places that RVs, trailers, and buses are not permitted. Roaring Fork descends about 5,000 feet in its journey from the slopes of Mt LeConte to its confluence with the Little Pigeon River. Where Cades Cove Loop meanders through a wide-open valley, Roaring Fork closes in, with the forest sometimes literally just inches from your car's fender. Roaring Fork offers a dramatic counterpoint to Cades Cove Loop Road. As this is a popular location, I suggest leaving early to avoid long lines of cars. About 1 mile from Gatlinburg, TN, the entrance to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is located just past the parking area for the Rainbow Falls hike off of Cherokee Orchard Road. There are several good hiking trails starting along the road, including Trillium Gap Trail. Directions: The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is part of a one-way driving loop in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The one-way, paved road is so narrow in places that RVs, trailers, and buses are not permitted.
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