Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail Private Tour

Booking Availability

Searching Availability...


Discover the breathtaking beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail tour – one of Gatlinburg's top-rated adventures! Begin your private guided journey from our Pigeon Forge, TN pick-up location, where you'll hop aboard a Mercedes SUV designed for an unparalleled Smoky Mountains experience. This exclusive tour takes you off the beaten path, venturing in air-conditioned and heated comfort Mercedes SUV.

Your Certified Adventure Guide will share fascinating stories of mountain folklore and local history as you travel through scenic Gatlinburg into the western hills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Prepare for an unforgettable drive along the winding, 5.5-mile Roaring Fork Nature Trail, a one-way scenic loop named after the Roaring Fork River that runs alongside it.

An exuberant mountain stream gave this area its unusual name. Roaring Fork is one of the larger and faster flowing mountain streams in the park. Driving this road after a hard rain and the inspiration behind the name will be apparent. (scroll down for more!)

Relax and capture stunning photos as you pass through the lush forest canopy in your private guided Mercedes SUV. This immersive tour takes you through dense woods, past cascading waterfalls, and back in time to the lives of early Smoky Mountain settlers.

Learn about the area’s rich hardwood forests, with oaks, magnolias, and tulip trees lining the narrow trail as you ascend toward panoramic mountain vistas. You’ll discover historic homesteads and well-preserved log cabins, including the Noah “Bud” Ogle Place, where tales of the Ogle family — among the first Smoky Mountain settlers — come to life.

The narrow, winding Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail invites you to slow down and enjoy the forest and historic buildings of the area. The 5.5-mile-long, one-way, loop road is a favorite side trip for many people who frequently visit the Smokies. It offers rushing mountain streams, glimpses of old-growth forest, and a number of well-preserved log cabins, gristmills, and other historic buildings.

Enjoy a guided interpretive walk at one of the historic cabins inhabited by the original mountain settlers.

The entrance to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is located a short distance past the parking areas for Rainbow Falls. Several homes and other buildings have been preserved in this area. The trailhead for Grotto Falls, another of the park's most popular waterfalls, is located along the route. And a “wet weather” waterfall called Place of a Thousand Drips provides a splendid finale to your journey.

As your guided Mercedes SUV navigates you in comfort back down the winding road, you’ll encounter cliff-hugging waterfalls and cascading streams, creating ideal photo stops along this serene mountain route. 

Embark on this unforgettable Smoky Mountains tour and take home cherished memories from the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail!

Important Information

Ages: Children under 2 not permitted

Activity Level: Some stops include walking on uneven terrain; guests with limited mobility can remain in the vehicle

Our Mercedes SUV can accommodate up to 4 passengers, however for maximum comfort levels a maximum of 3 passengers is recommended.

Black bears can often be seen along the loop but sightings are not guaranteed.

Please Note: All tours are subject to our Terms of Sale which can be found here. Subject to our Terms of Sale, our tours operate rain or shine, provided the roads are open. In the event of severe weather, Explore Tennessee Tours reserves the right to alter, modify, or cancel any tour due to unsafe conditions. Any tour cancelled by Explore Tennessee Tours due to unsafe conditions will receive a 100% refund.

Searching Availability...

Average Rating: 5.0 stars (based on 8 ratings)

Foothills Parkway

Loved the tour. Educational, fun and relaxing

Newfound Gap

Newfound Gap

Worth every penny – fantastic time!

Great Smoky Mountains National Park entry sign

Roaring Fork

The tour was amazing! The guide was great, and there was so much that we did! Definitely recommend!

Historic Elkmont

Really enjoyed the tour. Was worried because I thought I would be not having enough room but there was plenty of room for everybody.

Baby Black Bear in Cades Cove

Townsend

I wouldn’t change anything. Our tour guide was amazing and told great stories

Cades Cove Smoky Mountains

Paul asked us what we were interested in seeing and he made sure we had a great experience.

Roaring Fork

The tour was great, we saw 3 bears, a mom and cub on our way into the national park, then on our way back into Gatlinburg from the park we watched one walk across a bridge over the creek and across the road in front of us. Paul was great very knowledgeable and concerned with our safety and well being.

Cades Cove

Paul was an absolute blast of a tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and able to answer all of our questions. I never felt rushed when we unloaded at different stops. You can tell he is passionate about what he does, which makes the tour that much more enjoyable.