Grotto Falls is something very special with a cave behind it. And the Grotto hike is definitely worth it. This amazing trail winds uphill via the lush vegetation and mountain streams. But your return will be completely downhill. Don’t miss walking behind the waterfall which has the most unique views and the photography will be too good in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A hike to the Grotto Falls measures about 2.6 miles where the hikers take about two to three hours to reach the destination and it is one of the best places to visit in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You can enjoy the scenic landscape and nature along the way.
The road where you hike to Grotto Falls is situated in one of the most beautiful scenic drives of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park called the ‘Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail’. The hike to waterfalls on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail includes hiking through the forest and you can see some small waterfalls along the way.
Trillium Gap Trail
Trillium Gap Trail erodes through an old-growth hemlock forest and it runs behind a 25 feet high waterfall. The cool and moist environment near the falls is the destination for summer hikers and salamanders. The hike is about 3 miles roundtrip and is said to be of moderate difficulty.
You will have to begin from the parkway in Gatlinburg, then take a turn at traffic light #8 and you will have to follow the Historic Nature Trail into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Then you will have to take Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail which is the access trail to stop #5 where there is a large parking area. Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is closed during the winter season because it is a narrow, winding, and one-way road. Big trucks, buses, and RVs are not allowed on the road.
The hike takes about 2 to 3 hours to the waterfall and gets back. So you will have to carry plenty of water and some portions of the trail require rocky sturdy hiking shoes. Bicycles and pets are not allowed in this trail. The rocks around the trail will be slippery because of mist and algae. You will also find black bears in this area. Click here to know what to do when you see a bear.
Gatlinburg Trail
Gatlinburg Trail is one of the two walking paths where visitors can walk with pets and bicycles. These are restricted in all other park trails.
This trail starts one way from the Sugarlands Visitor Center to the outskirts of the city of Gatlinburg and measures about 1.9 miles. It is flat and it runs via the forest along with the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. The trail offers incredible views and at one point is crossed by a pedestrian footbridge. Among the trails, you will be able to see fountains and chimneys of several homesites. The Gatlinburg Trail is mostly used by bicyclists, walkers, and joggers.