About Foothills Parkway Overlook near Walland
The Walland end of the Foothills Parkway is where the 17-mile western section meets the road to Townsend, and where the newer Missing Link begins its climb toward Wears Valley. A small pull-off here gives you the first look at the Smokies from the north.
The view
The foreground is Blount County, a patchwork of pasture and woodlot around the village of Walland. The park's own ridges form the skyline beyond it, a long blue wall that rises sharply from the plain. On a clear day in late October you can see the color line moving down the slopes, the higher ridges already brown and the coves below still red and gold.
The pull-off is small and has no signs. It is a quick stop of ten minutes, and it works well as a way to decide whether to continue along the Parkway or turn back to Townsend. For a bigger view, Look Rock, west of here, has an observation tower, and the Missing Link beyond has several overlooks.
Where this fits
- Getting here: from Townsend, take US-321 east to Walland and follow signs to the Parkway; from Maryville, take Old Walland Highway.
- What is nearby: the village of Walland has a store and a post office; Townsend is about 15 minutes away.
- Conditions: the Parkway is open year-round but closes for ice and, occasionally, rockfall. See the NPS Foothills Parkway page and the park conditions page.
- Services: none on the Parkway itself.
The western section is a lightly used road even on weekends, and it is popular with road cyclists. Give them room on the curves, and use the pull-offs to let faster traffic pass.
Good to know
- Do I need a parking tag?
- A Park It Forward parking tag ($5 a day, $15 a week or $40 a year) is required for any vehicle parked more than 15 minutes inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Entry is free, and federal passes such as America the Beautiful do not replace the tag.