Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail Closing to Begin Earlier Than Expected

If you’ve ever visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you have probably heard of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. If you have heard of it, there’s a good chance you’ve spent some time on road.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail closing is happening a little earlier than expected this year. Due to a construction project that is planned for the road, it will be closing about a month earlier than normal.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail will be undergoing major renovations beginning on November 1. The national park construction staff will be repairing and replacing 8 bridges along the road, to keep the motor nature trail safe for all visitors.

Don’t Forget This About the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail Closing

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail closing is impacting more than just that single trail. In addition the driving tour, visitors will not be able to access a few trailheads. These trailheads will also be closed by way of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail:

Grotto Falls

Trillium Gap

Grapeyard Ridge

Baskins Creek

(See Related: Top 4 Family Hiking Trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park)

The History of the Roaring Fork Area

Many people forget that the Roaring Fork area was once a community where families lived and raised children. These families were everyday people who would farm the land, build homes and create a life for themselves, raising their children in their footsteps.

When the national park was created, it was imperative for these families to leave the land and build a life elsewhere. Since the land no longer belonged to them, they were forced out. Those who were given special permission to stay (mostly the elderly and ill) had a hard time living their traditional lifestyle there.  With the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the families eventually migrated to the Gatlinburg area that was slowly becoming the tourism hot spot that it is today.

As one of the most popular driving tours in the Smoky Mountains, Roaring Fork is definitely a special area for many visitors to the mountains. The 6 mile-long roadway is a great spot to see the dense forestry, variety of trees and flowers and some historical structures like the Noah Bud Ogle Cabin.

The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail closing is scheduled to end by the end of April 2015. This will mean the trail will reopen at its normal operating time in the upcoming spring season.

Are you going to be visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the winter season? Don’t worry about the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail closing. There’s many other driving tours in the Smoky Mountains that are perfect for seeing the beauty of the national park and its history.

Other driving tours in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

Cades Cove Loop Road

Cataloochee Valley

Newfound Gap Road

Upper Tremont Road

For more information regarding these auto tours, you can take a look at the National Park Service’s website.

During the fall and winter season, the trees are absolutely gorgeous. The fall leaves bring in millions of visitors each year, to see all of the beautiful orange and red accents throughout the park. Then, in the winter, the trees are covered with a white, frosty snow. You can’t miss out on the beauty of the national park this year!

So, give us a call at Stony Brook Cabins at (800) 633-5652. You can see all of our beautiful cabins in Gatlinburg and then we can help you choose the perfect place for your stay, at the most affordable cost possible.

If you want to take a look at cabins near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, check out our blog post with 4 of the most amazing Gatlinburg cabins.

We look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in the Smoky Mountains!