Great Smoky Mountains (Episode 2) - Off-road in the Smokies

Описание: In mid-October Sue, Willow and I began a two-week trip traveling from Columbus, Ohio to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the Fall colors. This was our third visit to the Smokies in the Fall, a beautiful time of year to visit.

We stayed at the Elkmont Campground and the Cades Campground in the national park. Our plan included exploring much of the Great Smoky Mountains.
• We drove multiple times from Tennessee on U.S. 441 over the mountains to the North Carolina side of the Smokies, with its many overlooks and stops and then continuing our drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Balsam Mountain.
• We did a little off-road driving off the Cades Cove Loop including the Rich Mountain Road and the Parson Branch Road
• We also drove the Little River Gorge Road multiple times, the Roaring Fork Road, and the Foothills Parkway with its many overlooks.

We are chronicling our trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in a series of videos. This video (Episode 2) provides highlights of our drive on the Roaring Fork Road just outside of Gatlinburg, and our off-road adventures on the Rich Mountain Road and the Parson Branch Road.

Early in our stay at Elkmont Campground, we took a short drive into Gatlinburg to enjoy the scenic Roaring Fork Road. This one-way, narrow, paved loop winds for about six miles through mountain forest, closely following the rushing waters of the Roaring Fork Creek. We were surrounded by dense woods where black bears are often sighted, though we didn’t spot any on this drive. Along the way, the road reveals pieces of early-1900s history, including the Alfred Reagan Mill and Ely’s Mill near the end of the loop. It was a peaceful, easy, and slow-paced journey—a great way to begin exploring the Smokies with close-to-nature hikes in our Jeep.

Next up is an off-road adventure on the Rich Mountain Road near the Cades Cove Campground. Accessed from the Cades Cove Loop Road, this one-way, 12-mile route traces its origins to Native American paths that were expanded in the early 1800s into a turnpike connecting Cades Cove with the Townsend area.

Our final off-road trip took us to Parson Branch Road, accessible only from the Cades Cove Loop Road near the Visitor Center and continuing onto the Forge Creek Road. This short but rugged backcountry route—where 4 wheel drive, high-clearance vehicles are recommended—offers one of the Smokies’ most remote driving experiences.

Thank you to the artists from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!) providing the music for this video including the following:
https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/beach-house License code: YOFHFFDRH2H5BKEU https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/renewed License code: U3PHJCOFOGTYND0I

Thank you to the artists from #melodyloops providing the music for this video including:
Artist WalkIn Music with the song Bright Conglomerate
Artist Haeijra with the song River Bank
Artist Andy Littlewood with the son That Southern Feeling
Artist Andy Littlewood with the song Gold In Them Hills

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