Look Rock Trail - Foothills Parkway - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

 

We hiked the one-mile roundtrip, paved trail to the Look Rock Tower in late October 2019. The trailhead is located on the Foothills Parkway (West) in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The parking area for Look Rock is located at mile marker 7.3 as measured from the Chilhowee or Southwest Entrance. Paved parking is provided for over 50 passenger vehicles and includes three accessible spots. From the parking area, follow the sidewalk northeast to the crosswalk on the parkway. The trail climbs about 180 feet from the crosswalk, giving an average grade of about 6%. 

Crosswalk

Typical trail conditions for the lower section

Still plenty of green at the end of October

A few reds and golds

Turn left onto the one-lane road and keep climbing

Pass the Look Rock Air Quality Station

Typical upper trail conditions

Approaching the ramp to the observation tower

Look Rock Tower

Murray Gap and Chilhowee Mountain

Maryville, Alcoa, and the Great Valley with the Cumberland Plateau on the horizon

Thunderhead Mountain

Devils Tater Patch

Another view of Thunderhead Mountain

Gregory Bald

There is no entrance fee at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The park website is https://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm.