The quiet side of the Smokies: Foothills Parkway and Cades Cove

Route description

From Knoxville take US-129 south past the airport and US-321 to Walland, where the Foothills Parkway West begins. The parkway climbs along a ridge with overlooks of the Smokies on one side and the Tennessee Valley on the other. Stop at Look Rock for the short walk to the observation tower. The newer section toward Wears Valley has its own views.

Townsend calls itself the peaceful side of the Smokies and is a good base, with campgrounds, cabins and a small visitor center. Enter the park on Laurel Creek Road to Cades Cove, a valley with log cabins, churches and a working grist mill. The loop road is one-way and gets very slow in summer and on autumn weekends; arrive early for the best chance to see bears.

Little River Road links Townsend and Gatlinburg through the park, following the river past swimming spots and short trails. The popular Laurel Falls Trail on this road is closed for rebuilding until 2027. All vehicles parked in the park for more than 15 minutes need a parking tag, which you can buy online or at visitor centers. The Sugarlands Visitor Center at the Gatlinburg end has exhibits and maps.

In Gatlinburg, follow Cherokee Orchard Road into the park to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. This narrow one-way road passes waterfalls, old-growth forest and historic cabins, and it is closed to RVs, trailers and buses, as well as in winter. Gatlinburg itself is a busy resort town with a lot of traffic; leave your RV at a campground and use the town trolley.