Are you looking to explore the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, but you’re not super into hiking? Want to spend just a couple hours in the park before visiting other tourist destinations? Searching for underrated and gorgeous areas to explore?
Well, you’re in luck. While the Smokies have more hiking trails and pull-offs than I can count, there are also plenty of motor trails that you can drive! On our last trip to the mountains, my family and I decided to visit some for the first time in our Jeep. While the sunrider top made the ride infinitely more fun, the trails are set for almost any type of car!
On our first day in the mountains, we took a trip to Tremont Logging Road (also known as Upper Tremont Road), which ended up being my favorite! The scenery was so gorgeous and there were so many little places to explore. Most of the trail ran along a river, which made the experience feel all the more calming. While some report being able to see river otters here, my family only found a chill snake and a bunch of butterflies.
On our second day, we visited the Roaring Fork motor nature trail (yes, it does share a name with the really good grab and go dining location at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge). This trail was certainly more crowded than I was expecting. There is a pretty popular hiking trail along the route, and the parking lot was well overflowed, and it didn’t help that a pickup truck had to pass a poorly parked RV on a narrow mountain road. My favorite parts of this trail, though, were the functional grist mill along the river, and the overlook where you could see some of the burn spots from the wildfires in front of a gorgeous view. We also paid a visit to Greenbrink Road and Ramsey Prong Road in the afternoon.
Both of these trails featured a ton of pull-off points where you could stop, walk around a little, explore, and take some pictures. I can’t wait for my next trip so I can explore even more Smokey Mountain National Park Motor Trails!
If you’ve been to the Smokies, where are some of your favorite places to visit?
Have a terrific day,
