One of eight bridges along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail to be replaced/NPS
One of the most idyllic drives in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, but if you don't venture down that road soon you'll miss your chance until late next Spring as work is scheduled to replace eight bridges along the 5.5-mile one-way road.
The motor trail, which is accessed from Gatlingburg, Tennessee, will close for the season on October 31 and is scheduled to remain closed through April. Along with being closed to vehicles, the route also will be closed to hikers and bikers, the park has announced.
'Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail offers a unique experience for park visitors to explore historic cabins and enjoy the scenery along the road,' said acting Superintendent Clay Jordan. 'We realize this work will disappoint some and also inconvenience Trillium Gap Trail hikers. We have made every effort to minimize these impacts by doing most of the work during the winter months when the road is annually closed for the season.'
Bluegrass Contracting Corporation, of Lexington, Kentucky, was awarded the contract to replace the eight bridges, which were last rehabbed 35 years ago. Work includes replacement of the bridge decks and supporting beams, along with rehabilitation of historic stone masonry abutments as needed.
Due to the complete removal of the bridges and the use of large equipment to perform repair work, the road will be closed to all users.
While hikers may not walk along the road to access trailheads, they may use connector trails to access the area. To access both Trillium Gap and Baskins Creek trails, hikers may begin their hike at the Rainbow Falls Trailhead on Cherokee Orchard Road by following the connector trail for 0.6 miles to the Baskins Creek Trailhead and 2.3 miles to the Trillium Gap Trailhead.
Baskins Creek Trail hikers may cross the road and walk to Baskins Creek Falls and continue east to the opposite end of Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Hikers may not cross the road for thru-access to Grapeyard Ridge Trail due to bridge construction at this intersection. However, hikers can enjoy the Grapeyard Ridge Trail by accessing it from the Greenbrier area and hiking west towards Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail which allows access to backcountry campsite 32.
Comments
Trillium Gap trailhead is at the same location as the Rainbow Falls trailhead. The point along Trillium Gap trail that is 2.3 miles from the Rainbow Falls trailhead is simply the popular starting point for those looking for a shorter hike to Grotto Falls via the Trillium Gap trail.
Perhaps they still exist in other parks, but I'd forgotten about 'Motor Nature Trails' until reminded by this story. I think these interpretive oxymorons must date from the fifties or sixties?
At Mount Rainier, the Westside Road once had numbered posts referencing a returnable brochure. All but the first three miles have been closed to public vehicles for about twenty years, supposedly because of flood hazard. Locals call it the Mount Rainier 'Country Club' because one must be a member to drive past the gate and because of the extensive 'administrative' vehicle use to ease the access to five backcountry cabins and the best (formerly) day hikes in the park.