Foothills Spur Trail

At a glance

• Length: about 0.4 miles as mapped by the National Park Service
• Stated hiking distance: 1.5 mi round trip
• Route: Out and back
• Difficulty: Easy
• Surface: Native
• Area: Foothills Parkway / Look Rock, TN
• Elevation: about 1,120 feet to about 1,220 feet

Getting to the trailhead

The trail links Foothills Parkway with the viewpoint at Look Rock. It also provides a quick outing from Look Rock Campground.

Gatlinburg Tunnel is about 0.1 miles away. Gatlinburg Spur Road Parking #2 is about 0.3 miles away. Sugarlands Visitor Center is about 4 miles away.

Gatlinburg, TN, is about 2 miles away, and Pigeon Forge, TN, is about 3 miles away. Cherokee, NC, is about 22 miles away. These are straight-line distances.

The listed airports are McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) and Asheville Regional Airport (AVL).

On the trail

The path crosses dry forest along a ridge in Tennessee’s western foothills. It offers a walking route to the Look Rock viewpoint instead of following the road.

The mapped route is one way, with its ends in different places. An out-and-back walk doubles the one-way distance.

From the first mapped point to the last, the route descends about 60 feet and climbs about 20 feet. The return reverses that elevation change. Its highest point is about 1,220 feet, and its lowest is about 1,120 feet.

When to go

This short, easy route works for a quick outing from Look Rock Campground. Check current conditions and alerts on the park’s National Park Service website before leaving.

Before you go

Carry water and pack layers. Follow posted rules, check current park alerts, and leave no trace.

The mapped length may differ from the distance walked. Some National Park Service trail maps divide routes into separate pieces.

Questions