The Hiwassee River Rail Adventure is a 50-mile train ride along the Hiwassee River gorge. This passenger railroad was originally planned to run from Knoxville, TN, to Marietta, GA, with construction beginning in 1887. There were many obstacles to overcome, the greatest of which was a 3.5% grade (very high for a train) due to a rise in elevation from 750 feet to 1580 feet. At the TN-GA connecting point, there was a 200-foot vertical separation. Passenger service began in mid-1890 but only lasted a few years and the line went into receivership. After that, it was used primarily for freight until 2006 when it was converted to an excursion railroad. Autumn along the Hiwassee River is absolutely beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed this three-hour train trip with my brother, Robbie.
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