Motorists and photographers are in for a new visual treat in the Tennessee mountains.
Nye Simmons
Breathtaking views of the Great Smoky Mountains were the main goal when the Foothills Parkway was authorized by Congress back in 1944. The foothills of the Great Smokies, which rise to elevations of 2,000 to 3,000 feet, are like grandstands from which to enjoy the ever-changing clouds and qualities of light that bathe the Smokies.
In mid-November, one of the most highly anticipated new scenic parkways—right up there with the Linn Cove Viaduct and the Cherohala Skyway—will be formally unveiled in Tennessee. Connecting Walland and Wear Valley, this 16-mile segment of the Foothills Parkway is officially part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and is in addition to the 22 miles of Foothills Parkway already open to the public.
The highlight of this section is the “missing link,” an extremely steep, environmentally sensitive piece of ridgeline similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Linn Cove Viaduct. The missing link was solved with eight concrete bridges that are engineering marvels and construction masterpieces. In accordance with the “lay lightly on the land” philosophy of National Park Service landscape architects, the bridges were installed from the top down in 10-foot segments that barely impact the wild mountain slopes that support them. Most importantly, the 1.6-mile missing link offers stunning views of the breadth of the Great Smoky Mountains, views that have only been enjoyed by engineers and construction workers until now.
Brianna Bivens
Photographers should feel especially privileged to have access to this completely new perch for shooting the high peaks of the Smokies, a perspective that some will say is the best in the park.
The new segment connects to the existing 17-mile Walland to Chilhowee Lake section of the Parkway, creating 33 miles of continuous national park road without commercial vehicles, billboards or power lines, along with a wealth of scenic overlooks. For specific opening information, visit nps.gov/grsm.
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The story above appears in our Nov./Dec. 2018 issue. For more like it, subscribe today or log in to the digital edition with your active digital subscription.