ROAD SORTIES Scenic Roads

Foothills Parkway

Fall color below the parkway's stone walls
Fall color below the parkway's stone wallsPhoto: Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg, TN / Public domain

Foothills Parkway is a National Parkway in Tennessee. Within Tennessee it covers roughly 65 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Foothills Parkway with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.

The Foothills Parkway is a National Park Service road that runs along ridges just outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, offering broad, unobstructed views of the Smokies' high wall to the south and the Tennessee Valley to the north. Its long-delayed "Missing Link" section, finally completed in 2018, includes a series of graceful bridges across steep ravines. It is one of the best places to take in the Smokies from a distance.

Plan a drive on Foothills Parkway → Drive this route in Road SortiesTurn-by-turn on iPhone · App Store

Where to Stay along Foothills Parkway

26 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Foothills Parkway.

Walland, TNLook Rock CampgroundCheck availability →Sevierville, TNCove Creek RV ResortsBook a site →Gatlinburg, TNArrow Creek CampgroundBook a site →Gatlinburg, TNAdventure Bound GatlinburgBook a site →Sevierville, TNSmoker Holler RV ResortBook a site →Cosby, TNSmoky Mountain Hidden Stills RV CampgroundBook a site →Gatlinburg, TNGreenbrier CampgroundBook a site →Pigeon Forge, TNGateway RV CampgroundBook a site →Hotels & motelsNear Sevierville, TNSearch stays →Renting an RV?Near Sevierville, TNSee RV rentals →Harvest Hosts20% offPark free overnight at farms and wineriesSee membership →

Campsite, lodging, RV rental and membership links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.

Photos of Foothills Parkway

A photographer at a parkway overlook in autumn
A photographer at a parkway overlook in autumnPhoto: Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg, TN / Public domain
Visitors at an overlook on opening day of a new section
Visitors at an overlook on opening day of a new sectionPhoto: Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg, TN / Public domain

What is a National Parkway?

National Parkways are scenic roads managed by the National Park Service and protected as parkland along their length. They're built for an unhurried recreational drive, not for getting anywhere fast.

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