Our final hike on our August trip to the Smoky Mountains was to Grotto Falls. Part of the allure of this trail is actually the road to get to the trailhead. The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is a one-way five-mile driving loop where you can access not only the Grotto Falls Trailhead, but also the Rainbow Falls Trailhead. Turn off the the main parkway in Gatlinburg at light #8 and take the Historic Nature Trail Road up to just past the Rainbow Falls Trailhead. There you will find the turnoff to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
The Grotto Falls Trail is 2.6 miles round-trip and definitely kid-friendly, though not conducive to strollers or wheelchairs. We had our hiking poles with us, but could probably have done the hike without them.
As with most hikes in the Smokies, there were beautiful views of the along the way! The beauty of nature could be found along the path, as well as a bit of humor!
Breathtaking view of the mountains! 
Even the bottom of an old log is beautiful! 
Apparently Big Foot lives in the Smoky Mountains!
Of course the main reason for this hike is the Grotto Falls! Be sure to turn your sound on for the videos so you can enjoy nature at its finest! Grotto Falls is one of the few falls where you can actually walk behind it!
Once we were done exploring the falls and hiked back to the truck, it was time to finish the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and head back to town. For those of you who know what we drive, an F-350 dually we call The Beast, you will understand the tightness of this road on a large vehicle!
As harrowing as the drive was, we would definitely recommend hiking the Grotto Falls Trail! And if you have time, which we didn’t because we did this trail after work, stop along the drive and check out the various turn-off spots to see well-preserved cabins, grist mills, and other historic sites.
Jennifer Skinnell is the author of the Hope Springs Romance Series available on Amazon. Click here for all the details.