THE SMOKIES’ MOST BEAUTIFUL DRIVE IS THE FOOTHILLS PARKWAY (AND WHY A JEEP MAKES IT BETTER)

Tucked along the northern edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Foothills Parkway is one of those roads locals rave about and visitors never forget. It’s less crowded than the main park roads, packed with overlooks, and designed purely for scenic driving—no billboards, no strip malls, just curve after curve of mountain views.

For Smoky Mountains Jeep Tours, this road is a dream route: smooth pavement, big vistas, and plenty of places to pull off, breathe, and take in the Smokies the way they’re meant to be seen.

What Is the Foothills Parkway?

The Foothills Parkway is a scenic parkway managed by the National Park Service, created to run along the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee side. Only certain segments are completed, which is part of what keeps it special—it doesn’t feel like a busy highway, it feels like a purpose-built overlook road.

Key completed sections include:

• The western Foothills Parkway between US-129 (near Chilhowee Lake) and US-321 near Walland
• The “Missing Link” section completed in 2018 between Walland and Wears Valley, featuring a series of impressive bridges and sweeping views

That Wears Valley–Walland stretch is especially popular with guests staying in Pigeon Forge, Wears Valley, Townsend, and Sevierville—it’s close, wildly scenic, and easy to pair with the rest of your Smokies plans.

Why It’s One of the Best Drives in the Smokies

Several things make the Foothills Parkway stand out compared to other Smoky Mountain roads:

1. View After View: The road hugs ridges and shoulders, with frequent pull-offs where you can see rolling farmland on one side and layers of Smoky Mountain peaks on the other. On a clear day you’ll get long-range vistas in nearly every direction.
2. Less Traffic Than the Main Park Roads: While Newfound Gap Road and Cades Cove can get congested, the Foothills Parkway often feels calmer. You’re more likely to hear the wind than a honking horn.
3. Designed for Scenic Driving: There are no businesses or billboards along the Parkway—just forest, rocks, sky, and views. That’s intentional. It’s all about the drive.
4. Gorgeous in Every Season:
   • Spring: soft green hills, wildflowers, and misty valleys
   • Summer: deep green ridges, dramatic clouds, and hazy blue layers
   • Fall: a full fireworks display of color along the slopes
   • Winter: crisp, clear views and striking low-angle light

Why See It from a Jeep Instead of Your Own Car?

You could drive it yourself in a standard vehicle. But a guided Jeep tour changes the entire experience:

• Open-Air Feel: With the windows down or the top opened up (weather permitting), you’re not just looking at the view—you’re in You can smell the pine, feel the cooler ridge breezes, and hear the quiet when we pull off at overlooks.
• No Navigation Stress: The Foothills Parkway is simple, but the roads to get there can twist and branch in ways that confuse first-time visitors. With a Jeep tour, you leave the navigating to your guide.
• The Best Overlooks, Not Just the Obvious Ones: A local guide knows which pull-offs have the biggest views, which are best at certain times of day, and where you can catch the most dramatic photo angles.
• Stories to Go with the Scenery: As we wind along the Parkway, your guide can share the history of the “missing link” construction, local Smoky Mountains lore, and tips for other places to explore in the area.

In our opinion, it’s the difference between just driving a road and experiencing a national park scenic route.

What a Foothills Parkway Jeep Tour Feels Like

Picture this:

You leave the busy parkway areas behind—no more traffic lights, just the road stretching ahead. The Jeep climbs gently onto the Foothills Parkway, curving along the hillside. Trees break, and suddenly you see an entire valley spread out below, with barns and fields on the flats and blue ridges on the horizon.

We pull into an overlook. You step out, walk to the stone wall, and the world opens up:

• Soft blue layers of mountains fading into the distance
• Shadows from clouds sliding across the hills
• Hawks riding thermals, the occasional motorcycle rolling past below

We linger long enough for photos, quiet, and questions. Then it’s back into the Jeep for another stretch of curves, another pull-off, another new angle.

When Is the Best Time to Drive the Foothills Parkway?

Honest answer: any time you can. But each time of day has its personality:

• Morning: Softer light, calm air, and less traffic. Great for early risers.
• Midday: Clear, wide-open views—perfect for first-time visitors who want big vistas.
• Late Afternoon / Golden Hour: Warm light on the ridges; incredible for photos.
• Evening: On the right tour, you can watch the sky change color while the valleys below start to glow with lights.

Pair that with seasons—spring blooms, summer haze, fall color, and winter clarity—and you can honestly do multiple Foothills Parkway tours and never have the same experience twice.

Make It the Backbone of Your Smokies Day

The Foothills Parkway pairs easily with:

• Townsend & Wears Valley: Quiet gateway communities with less congestion than the main park entrances.
• Cades Cove or Little River Road: For full-day scenic adventures.
• Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg: Start or end with Dollywood, The Island, or the Parkway lights after your scenic ride.

The  Foothills Parkway is the scenic spine of your Smoky Mountains experience.