driving tours in smoky mountainsDriving Tours in the Great Smoky Mountains

If you want to enjoy the Smoky Mountain scenery by car rather than by foot, there are several beautiful drives in the area.

  • Foothills Parkway – This mountain shortcut has three parking pull-offs for panoramic photos of the Smokies. Stop at the second one and see if you can spot Christopher Place.
  • Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail – The entrance to this one-way loop road in Gatlinburg is one of our favorites. You pass scenic overlooks, settler cabins, and small waterfalls.
  • Cade’s Cove -If it is crowded it could easily take 2 hours to drive the 11 mile loop, but it’s one of the most popular spots in the Smokies for picnicking and spotting wildlife.
  • Rocky Top – Yes, this is the Rocky Top from the song. Although the road is mostly paved or graveled, a 4-wheel drive is best to visit this scenic overlook.
  • Brush Creek – This loop takes you through a narrow canyon with rhododendron-covered sandstone bluffs.