Drive Through The Smokies On A Striking Tennessee Road With Valley Views And Overlooks

Tennessee is famous for the rolling green mist-covered ridges that make up the Great Smoky Mountains. This area also happens to be home to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, one of the best national parks on the east coast. In fact, you can get excellent views of the Smokies just by taking a drive through the park on the famous Blue Ridge Parkway, which is itself known as America's favorite drive and for being particularly gorgeous in fall. However, due to its popularity, the Blue Ridge Parkway can get very busy during peak season. So, if you want to experience the beauty of the Smokies from your car without the traffic, consider turning to the lesser-known but equally beautiful Foothills Parkway.

Located in eastern Tennessee, just outside Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the Foothills Parkway is a 72-mile road that follows the ridgeline of the mountains, offering unbeatable views of both the Smokies and Tennessee Valley. While Foothills Parkway is a great drive for cars, it is also an excellent option for two-wheelers, as one reviewer on TripAdvisor explained, "This is one of the most beautiful and fun roads to ride a motorcycle in Tennessee. Lots of sweeping twisties and gorgeous views." Another reviewer also noted that the crowds were almost nonexistent, saying that they "only saw a few other vehicles the whole time."

The first thing you need to know before embarking on your Foothills Parkway adventure is that the road actually isn't fully completed yet due to the difficult mountain terrain and problems with funding. Currently, the completed portion of the road is broken up into three sections, which together make up about 22.5 miles. The most popular section of the road is the Foothills Parkway Spur, a 4.2-mile section that connects the towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, both of which are known as gateways to the Smokies. However, while popular, this section of the road primarily passes through valleys and doesn't offer the best views.

For the best views, try the Foothills Parkway West; this section of the road runs along the ridgeline and offers fantastic views for 16 miles with plenty of overlooks and stopping points along the way, including the Great Smoky Mountains Overlook, the Gregory Bald Overlook, and the Cumberland Plateau Overlook. If you're up for it, you can also stop at Look Rock and then hike the less-than-one-mile trail up to the tower to experience a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains.

If you happen to be a little further east in Tennessee, near the town of Cosby, then consider taking a drive along the Foothills Parkway East. Although shorter than the western side, East also offers beautiful views and has plenty of scenic overlooks along the way. The two major sections of the road (east and west) are separated by the uncompleted center section, which is not open to cars but is sometimes traversed by hikers and horseback riders.

Considering that the Foothills Parkway connects the towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, either one is a great option for a place to stay before embarking on your driving tour of the area. However, as these two towns are so close to Great Smoky Mountain National Park, they can get pretty crowded, especially in the summer and during holidays. If you want to avoid the crowds, you can choose to stay in the less-popular but equally cute towns of Cosby, a charming destination full of apple orchards, or Townsend, which is laid-back and less touristy. Both of these towns are close to the Foothills Parkway, with Cosby being located near the start of the eastern section while Townsend is only about a 10-minute drive from one of the west section entrances.

As a road that spans the northern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there are plenty of things to do in and around the area. Hiking enthusiasts can head into the national park to pick from any number of incredible trails. For some family fun, make sure to check out Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, the Knoxville Zoo, or Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.