When the final plan was approved, though, the route had been shifted east into the Western North Carolina mountains, excluding Tennessee entirely. Its located literally at the edge of the national park, so its only about twenty minutes from Cades Cove. Thank you so much for your information on all overlooks. At the 2,650-foot-high Look Rock, an observation tower allows a 360-degree view of some of the highest peaks in the Smokies. I hope you enjoy your time on the Foothills Parkway I have not had a bad experience up there yet. And both are managed by the National Park Service. At this scenic overlook, Thunderhead Mountain still dominates the horizon, but High Top stands nearby at just 1,814. Our Staff; Blount Industry; Blount Chamber; Blount Partnership; Blount Area Jobs; Download the Cades Cove App; Download . This extension runs 17-miles from US 321 in Walland to Wears Valley. Great Smoky Mountains National Parkstretches acrossmore than 800 square miles of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. But for now, all visitors must exit at this intersection. The drive to the Ramsey Cascades trailhead provides good wildflower viewing from your car, while the Porters Creek Trail makes a good wildflower walk. If I were to drive from the I-40 entrance all the way to the end with a couple stops, how much time should I set aside? Yes, you can drive the Foothills Parkway with personal cars, motorcycles, or RVs. Great info. You can access the roadway from Wears Valley, Townsend, and on west to Walland. The valley was settled in the late 1700s and has always been a tiny community of farmers. Its summit, near the middle of the ridge, is 3,100 feet (945m) above sea level. 6.9 miles (11.1km). Foothills Parkway crosses Green Mountain in diagonal fashion, traversing the southwest and northeastern flanks of the mountain. After that, you will need to travel through Gatlinburg to Wears Valley to get on the southern section. My greatest passion will always be photography, but my first was writing. Most visitors during this period came for the area's mineral-rich mountain springs, which were thought to have health-restoring qualities. The Best Western is the budget-friendly go-to in Townsend. The opening takes place Saturday November 10, 2018. A national parkway, it traverses the foothills of the northern Smokies and passes through parts of Blount, Sevier, and Cocke counties. Off the Beaten Path - U.S. National Park Service Foothills Parkway is an alternate route to Hwy 321 from Pigeon Forge to Townsend. The overlook offers a view of Happy Valley and the southern Great Smoky Mountains. 201 S. Washington StreetMaryville, TN 37804, 7906 E. Lamar Alexander PkwyTownsend, TN 37882. I know they do allow weddings on NPS properties, but Ive never actually seen one in the GSMNP! The only activities you can enjoy on the Foothills Parkway at night are driving and stargazing at the scenic overlooks. If you have driven into Townsend from Maryville you have passed signs for the Foothills Parkway. Let us know. Required fields are marked *, Copyright 2021 Jason Barnette | All rights reserved | Seriously, dont steal my stuff. Approved by Congress in 1944 the Foothills Parkway located in the mountainous foothills of the Tennessee Valley, mostly travels below and parallel to the Great Smoky Mountains. The other open section (8A) is a 5.6-mile (9.0km) stretch traversing Green Mountain in Cocke county, connecting U.S. 321 in Cosby with I-40 in the Pigeon River valley. At 3,375, the sharp peak of Cades Cove Mountain stands over the iconic Cades Cove, one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This four-lane divided highway connects the nearby towns of Maryville and Townsend. Look Rock overlook is the site of our grandsons wedding. Funding issues, challenges protecting wildlife, and inhospitable terrain have made the construction of the Foothills Parkway difficult. The Sinks (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) - Tripadvisor Check out our blog post on Cades Cove. There is parking for about half a dozen personal vehicles but no RVs. At 4,927, Mount Cammerer is the northernmost significant peak of the Great Smoky Mountains. It was always a narrow view looking across a nearby lower mountain range with Maryville in the distance. Townsend is known best for its pristine mountain views, along with festivals throughout the year. PLAN YOUR TRIP . With proper funding this road could take some of the stress off major thorough fares around the Smoky Mountains and allow for quicker travel between some of the major cities in the Smokies. [12], While the early bureaucratic hurdles had been cleared, the Tennessee Highway Department moved slowly in purchasing the road's rights-of-way. The Foothills Parkway is a national parkway which traverses the foothills of the northern Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, located in the southeastern United States. Several of the highest mountains in the Smokies can be seen from Look Rock. Heading east, there is a small pull-off just before the S-curved bridge. And as always in the mountains, mobile phone reception may be sporadic, and GPS is often not reliable, so be sure to study the map below for directions and access points. The Foothills Parkway is a 37.3-mile scenic highway, divided into two disconnected sections, that runs along a ridge opposite of the Great Smoky Mountains. The Foothills Parkway (as of December 2018) consists of a 33 miles connecting US 129 and US 321 in Tennessee. Thank you. The eastern end of the parking lot offers a stunning panorama vista of the Great Smoky Mountains. Happy Valley is a narrow valley at the base of Chilhowee Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains range. Foothills Parkway 5 601 reviews #3 of 104 things to do in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Scenic Drives Visit website Call Write a review About Suggested duration < 1 hour Suggest edits to improve what we show. Check out all of ourlocal vacation guides. Along the route you will find some great shops, restaurants and hotels. From 421 in Gatlinburg take Wears Valley Road 14 miles to highway 321in Townsend, TN. Curious if you know anything about parkway road closures for summer of 2022. From this intersection, it is 10 miles / 20 minutes to Pigeon Forge and 7 miles / 15 minutes to Townsend. From this intersection, it is 11 miles / 15 minutes into Maryville and 6 miles / 8 minutes into Townsend. This section was completed in the late 1960s. The Foothills Parkway has over two dozen scenic overlooks, and about another two dozen places to enjoy a great view, but three scenic overlooks stand out more than any other. Today, only 37.3 miles have been completed. Although Bates lacks the dramatic "backbone" formation of Chilhowee, a rocky gorge on its south flank cut by Carr Creek has presented numerous construction challenges for the parkway project. This 17 mile stretch of Foothills Parkway travels along the backbone of the Chilhowee Mountain between Chilhowee Lake and the town of Townsend in Blount County, Tennessee. On a clear day, its easy to see the Cumberland Plateau on the horizon from this overlook. The thing to keep in mind is that not all the scenic overlooks are large enough to accommodate a 34 motor home. The hotel has King Rooms and Queen Rooms with two queen beds. Foothills Parkway The Great Smoky Mountains Parkway (U.S. 441) from Gatlinburg north to Pigeon Forge is also National Park Service land, connecting the bypass to the right of way for future sections (8D and 8C) of the Foothills Parkway at the southern city limit of Pigeon Forge. Section 8B connecting Cosby to Pittman Center via the crest of Webb Mountain. Little River cuts a large gap in the middle of the mountain (near Walland), dividing it into eastern and western sections. However, its not the tallest peak in the mountain range. Sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking along this route. Find Related Places. 6.4 miles (10.3km). Explore the map. Thank you for the info. Bicycling in Blount County | Discover Greenways and Trails Keep up the good work!!! We found it! This stretch runs from Walland to Wears Valley, and offers views during spring of the wildflowers and during fall of the leaves turning color that are outstanding. Large sections cross a series of high ridges running roughly parallel to the Tennessee boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and offer unobstructed views of the Great Smokies to the south and the Tennessee Valley to the north. Directly behind the main building is our Historic Village; a collection of historic buildings and barns brought there from around the region. This section from Wears Valley, TN to Walland, TN now connects to the existing 5.6-mile Foothills Parkway East and 17-mile Foothills Parkway West. Section 8G connecting Walland to Look Rock via the south flank of Chilhowee Mountain. Blount County has miles to explore by hiking, biking, or horse. Did you enjoy reading this article? Foothills Parkway. Rich in history, and archaeologically dating back to 2000 B.C., Townsend is known as peaceful valley- the Cherokees named it long ago. The Cumberland Plateau dominates much of the northern horizon. The first is that the Foothills Parkway is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so you will need approval from the National Park Service. These provide the most stunning views, especially in the late afternoon, and have plenty of parking. An unfinished 1.6-mile (2.6km) stretch of this section, known as "The Missing Link", came to symbolize the parkway's financial and engineering struggles. About 10 miles into your drive, visit the observation tower at Look Rock, the section's highest point. In 1983 the original Walland Depot building was moved to the site, and now contains the primary collection of photographs, papers, tools and other smaller artifacts Alongside the depot platform, museum volunteers have constructed a replica of the Elkmont Post Office which houses the Gift Shop. Unfortunately, if the Parkway is closed, you will not know it until crossing the bridge over the interstate and coming to a gate (this has happened to me twice). No, the Foothills Parkway is not complete. The foothills of the Great Smokies were drawing tourists as early as the mid-19th century. Beyond the road, across a valley, the Great Smoky Mountains spread across the horizon like a scene in a coffee table photo book. Stay in the know of all Smokies news and events with our newsletter. Gatlinburg Trail - Highland Manor Inn Townsend TN Smoky Mountain It also is part of what locals call theGreat Smoky Mountain Loop, a 141/153 mile, an all-day tour that takes visitors to some of the best spots the mountains have to offer. With a full program of music and activities, this event will leave you with a greater appreciation of the areas culturally and historically rich heritage. With an outdoor swimming pool and moderately excellent free breakfast, its a great place if all youre looking for is a bed and shower. There are a few galleries in town for browsing the work of local artists and maybe even making a purchase of a one-of-a-kind piece. Visitors to this scenic overlook cant see the cove surrounded by mountains, but if you can see the sharp peak of the mountain you can imagine its just on the other side. U.S. Highway 321 Lamar Alexander Parkway, Travel Guide to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Clingmans Dome at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove Loop Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park Travel Guide, Map, and Photos, 50+ Favorite Travel Photos From Years of Exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Travel Guide to Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This scenic overlook has plenty of parking for personal vehicles and RVs and includes a small grassy area to get outside.
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