The Elkmont Self-Guiding Nature Trail is a short loop designed to educate visitors on how to read naturally changing forest landscapes. The trail passes by 13 distinct interpretive markers which correspond to an educational brochure providing explanation for each one. The brochure is available at the trailhed for a nominal fee. The Elkmont area is rich in human and ecological history, and the Elkmont Nature Loop provides detailed information on both subjects.

The Elkmont Nature Trail tells the story of a forest rebounding after 100 years of logging

The trail is lined with ferns and rhododendron

Foot bridges are common in the Smokies - like this one on the Elkmont Nature Loop

Nature is quickly reclaiming vestiges of human history - an old spring is now barely visible to visitors

Rebounding forests will often have a thick understory due to sun access - versus old growth forests where trees have blocked out the sun, resulting in less opportunity for understory growth

A hiker meanders through rhododendron tunnels along the Elkmont Nature Loop

Tributaries provide a lifeline to all species of flora and fauna within the Smokies

The Elkmont Nature Loop showcases a variety of tree species including the Yellow Poplar, Red Maple and Black Oak - all easily identified by their leaf structure

Long obscured by dense growth, the Elkmont area once housed a thriving community with the main roadway passing directly through the Elkmont Nature Loop

There are over 2000 miles of streams in the Smokies