About Look Rock Tower
Look Rock is the Foothills Parkway's headline stop. There is a big parking area, a picnic area, a campground nearby, and a short trail to an observation tower that puts you above the treetops.
The tower and the view
From the lot, a short, paved walk leads to the tower on the summit of Look Rock, at about 2,600 feet. Climb to the platform and the view is complete: to the south the Smokies ridgeline stretches along the horizon, and to the north the Tennessee Valley spreads out, with Maryville, Alcoa and, on a clear day, the Cumberland Plateau beyond. At sunset the western horizon is open, and the light turns the valley haze orange.
Smog and haze sometimes limit the view in summer; October and early winter have the clearest air.
Planning
- Parking: a large lot at the top, with room for RVs, one reason it works for groups.
- Facilities: picnic tables and a restroom. Look Rock Campground is nearby; see the park's camping information for the 2026 status.
- Time to allow: 30 to 60 minutes.
- Access: from Walland or from US-129 at the western end of the Parkway.
- Road: the Foothills Parkway is open year-round, but ice closes it in winter. See the NPS Foothills Parkway page.
Why come
Look Rock is far less crowded than Newfound Gap or Kuwohi, and it gives a sense of the park from outside. A fall evening here, with the leaves on the ridge turning and the valley lights coming on, is easy to like. Bring a jacket; the wind on the platform is steady. If the tower is closed, the lot still offers a view over the ridge.
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.