Foothills Parkway
Chilhowee Lake to Wears Valley
East Tennessee · Tennessee · United States
Key measurements
- Distance
- 31.6 miles
- Elevation gain
- 4,634 ft
- Elevation loss
- 4,091 ft
- High point
- 2,590 ft
- Low point
- 884 ft
- Net change
- 543 ft (889 ft to 1,432 ft)
- Surface
- Paved
- Route type
- point-to-point
Route Overview
Trimming the northern boundary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this 31.6-mile corridor follows the crest of Chilhowee Mountain from the Little Tennessee River basin in Tallassee to the edge of Wears Valley near Sevierville. Built and maintained by the National Park Service, the Foothills Parkway is a dedicated scenic roadway characterized by engineered, sweeping curves, pristine asphalt, and a complete absence of commercial development. The route offers unobstructed vistas, with the Tennessee Valley expanding to the north and the high peaks of the Great Smokies framing the southern horizon.
Key Segments & Geographic Transitions
Chilhowee Ridgeline & Wears Valley Viaducts — Miles 0.0–31.6
The trip begins just off Calderwood Highway (US-129) near Tallassee at an elevation of 884 feet. Almost immediately, the roadway begins a steady, continuous climb along the western flank of Chilhowee Mountain, reaching its high point of 2,590 feet near mile 8.4. From this summit crest, the parkway weaves along the narrow ridgeline, transitioning through a series of broad overlooks. After passing above Walland at US-321, the route traverses a complex series of elevated concrete viaducts engineered to bridge rugged mountain gaps. The descent delivers riders down into the rural floor of Wears Valley, terminating at TN-73 Scenic / US-321 near Sevierville.
Seasonal & Environmental Context
Elevation changes of over 1,700 feet bring noticeable temperature shifts between the valley floors and the high ridges. Early morning mountain fog often settles into the gaps and hollows, reducing visibility before burning off by mid-day. Autumn brings intense fall foliage along the corridor, drawing heavy sight-seeing traffic, while winter weather can lead to black ice on shaded curves and elevated viaduct sections. The National Park Service periodically closes sections of the parkway during severe winter weather or high wind events.
Logistics & Services
Because the roadway is managed as national park land, there are no gas stations, convenience stores, or commercial services along the entire 31.6-mile length. Riders should fuel up in Tallassee before starting, or plan to refuel upon reaching Walland, Townsend, or Wears Valley. Seasonal restrooms are available at Look Rock Picnic Area near mile 7.5. Most scenic overlooks provide parking but no restroom facilities.
Important Considerations
Wildlife is a constant presence along this corridor; whitetail deer, wild turkeys, and black bears frequently cross the pavement, especially during early morning and late afternoon hours. Federal park rangers enforce a strict 45 mph speed limit, and commercial truck traffic is prohibited. While the road surface is exceptionally well-maintained, fallen leaves, gravel, and pine needles can collect in shaded corners during autumn and spring.
Motorcycle routes, measured before you ride.
A curated library of scenic roads. Each one is measured — distance, elevation, the roads it follows — and comes with a GPX file for your GPS or riding app.
Featured routes
Browse by state
Every route is measured from its own track first. The description is written from those measurements and reviewed before it is published.
Have a route of your own?
Analyze your own GPX or KMLSee what Route Refinery finds in a route.
Route Refinery measures a route first — roads, elevation, character, terrain and geographic context — then describes what it measured. Below is a finished brief.
Example Route
Analyze your motorcycle route.
Upload a GPX or KML file to measure distance, elevation, road progression, terrain and route character — then get a concise description written from those measurements.
Measured first. Written second.
How it works
- Upload your route.
- Route Refinery measures it.
- Get a concise, shareable description.
Route files may reveal precise start and end locations. Consider using public start and end points before sharing a route publicly.
Route Refinery is under active development. Road information and geographic context may be incomplete in some areas.
Measuring your route…
Reading route geometry…
This can take a minute on a long route. The measurements come first; the description is written from them.
Route progression
Method & limitations
Plan this ride
Plan This Ride personalizes the briefing for this route. It does not change the route itself. To change the start, finish, or route geometry, edit or create the route in your preferred mapping tool and upload the revised GPX to Route Refinery.
Published routes
Every motorcycle route in the Route Refinery library, each one reviewed before it is published.
Every route has a map, its measured distance and elevation, an elevation profile and a GPX download. Browse by place, or scroll the full list.
Browse by place
No routes have been published yet.
Have your own route?
Route Refinery measures and describes an uploaded GPX or KML file the same way as the published library. To change a published route's start, finish or detour, download its GPX, edit it in your mapping tool and analyze the revised file.
Analyze a GPX or KMLSaved routes
| Title | Status | Saved | Country | State/Prov | Region | Route Type | Origin | Destination | Activity | Distance | Source | Reviewed |
|---|