Rocky Fork Driving Trail, Smoky Mountains National Park

We decided to take a side trip as we were returning from North Carolina.  For our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, we had rented a lovely suite for a few days at the edge of Gatlinberg, Tennessee. That was twenty-eight years ago. Tom remembered the Rocky Fork Driving Trail that we had driven then and decided we had time to drive it again.

We turned south at Sevierville.  The area has changed a lot. Lanes are being added to the already multi-lane road that leads to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinberg.  

Pigeon Forge reminded me of an enormous amusement park...King Kong clinging to one building, a monsterous green serpent twisting in and out of another one.  

Gatlinberg was a bit more subdued.  The town ended abruptly at the edge of Smoky Mountain National Park.

The old homestead above was visible from the first scenic overlook on the Rocky Fork Driving Trail.

We continued along the trail.

Along the entire trail, the creek was visible on one side or the other.  Water roared down between and over the rocks and boulders.

There were cars behind us so I had to snap this picture of flowers as we drove by.

Here is a little mill we found.

We found a place to pull over to get a picture of Rocky Fork Creek.  Movement on the gravelly berm caught my eye.

I was delighted...Tiger Swallowtails and Silver-spotted Skippers.