How to ‘Hike’ Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains From the Comfort of Your Car

There is no denying the beauty and splendor of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and paying a visit to the park should be somewhere on everyone's bucket list. Planning that visit might be a little daunting for some people because the park is so massive. There is so much to see and do. Where do you even begin?

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Enjoy the Smoky Mountains Without Leaving Your Car

If you have no desire to actually hike your way through the Smoky Mountains, there is a way to see some of the park's most popular areas without leaving your car. One of the most relaxing ways to enjoy the mountains is by taking the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Now don't the name fool you - it's named after one of the larger, faster, and louder streams in the Smokies. In fact, those who take the trail do so at quite a leisurely pace.  Here's how TheSmokies.com sums up the trail...

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It's Okay to Park and Get Out Along the Trail

Of course, you are more than welcome to stay in your car throughout the 5.5 mile trail, but you risk missing out on a lot of what the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Those who know the motor trail well highly recommend stopping along the way to see some of the following "places."

• Place of a Thousand Drips waterfall
• Noah “Bud” Ogle self-guiding nature trail
• Jim Bales Place
• The Ephraim Bales Place
• Alfred Reagan Place

The Roaring Fork Motor Trail opens after the first week of April and closes around the end of November each year, so now is the perfect time to plan your trip to Tennessee. The trail is FREE to drive and is easy to find - just set your GPS to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trailhead at 117 Historic Nature Trail, Gatlinburg, TN 37738.