Parson Branch Road - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Our mid April 2014 visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park continued with a drive on Parson Branch Road.  This one-way, one-lane gravel road begins near the upper end of Forge Creek Road and continues southwest for eight miles to a junction with a section of US 129 known as the Tail of the Dragon for its numerous curves.  Parson Branch Road is closed in the winter and a warning sign at the entrance gate recommends only high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles attempt the route.  There are significant, steep hills to negotiate, streams to ford, deep ruts in some locations and lots of loose gravel along the way.  However, we were passed by a small hatchback while stopped to take some of the photographs below.  The driver didn't seem to have any particular difficulty with the road.

Entrance gate and warning sign

Bible Creek on the right flows into Parson Branch

Another view of Bible Creek and Parson Branch

Bible Creek

A slide on Parson Branch

A small cascade on Parson Branch

Double falls at the lower end of Parson Branch

The upper of the double falls

There is no fee to enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm.