The Scenic Drive In Tennessee That Will Take You On An Unforgettable Adventure
By Chris Dodge|Updated on August 16, 2023(Originally published February 20, 2023)
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Chris Dodge
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My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
When you think of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Foothills Parkway might not be the first thing that comes to mind. And yet, this scenic drive in Tennessee is perfect for anyone looking to see the Smoky Mountains and marvel at the sheer grandeur of the park and range. When you are looking for something a little different to do in our nation’s most-visited national park, head to the Foothills Parkway.
The Foothills Parkway is broken up into two different sections which are simply titled "East" and "West."
Although you can do just one of them I highly suggest you take in the beauty at both locations. The parkway is located outside of the Smoky Mountains main park but it is still owned by the National Parks Service thus making it part of the Great Smoky Mountains. We started from the East and worked our way to the West side of the parkway and I think that was the best way to do it. Where the East side gives you a short drive it serves well as an appetizer to the feast for your eyes you will find on the West side.
Being some distance away, however, you are afforded stunning views of the Smoky Mountains unlike anywhere else.
Unique sections will even give you views of surrounding towns and connecting roads and rivers leading into the park. With something as grand as the Smokies sometimes it's nice to take a step back and appreciated it from afar. I would suggest whenever you go to take advantage of every overlook you can. Pull off the road and get out of the car for a moment to really appreciate the beauty.
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There are plenty of stops along the way to just pull out and take in the scenery. Not only is it a great place to get out of your vehicle and stretch your legs but an amazing opportunity to enjoy the calm and quiet with spectacular views.
When we went we saw very few people and it was surprisingly quiet and peaceful. We did take our trip during the off-season so you could expect this road to get busy during the summer but winter is a great option if you want to avoid the crowds. The Foothills Parkway reminds me of the Blue Ridge Parkway although this road is much shorter than that epic American drive, which I also highly suggest.
There are plans to eventually connect the two, but as of now, these are the only available options. The western side will have massive viaducts that were put there and is a marvel in engineering. The difficult task to create a thorough way in this mountain's terrain without disrupting the space was rather difficult and pricey. There was a missing link section of the Foothills Parkway up until 2018 when they were finally able to connect the road. learn more about this project with this video from the GreatSmokyMountains YouTube page:
What we now have is a scenic drive that is an absolute must for anyone who appreciated the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains. The stunning beauty alone makes this a worthwhile trip but truth be told the drive itself is rather fun too.
It’s not every day you get a chance to drive on the side of a mountain with views like this. One day we will be able to see the entire finished work, but until then we are grateful to have this wonderful scenic drive.
The Foothills Parkway is a great way to see the grand scale of the Great Smoky Mountains and is well worth traveling off the beaten path to get there. It may not be directly in the main section of the park but you will be glad you took the time to drive this scenic route. For more information please visit the National Park page on the Foothills Parkway. Then check out the scenic drive here with this Adventuring in the Moment Video:
