Look Rock Tower Trail

Look Rock Tower Trail is a short out-and-back on a paved forest path to an observation tower on Foothills Parkway West. The pavement climbs steeply, so this is a brief hike rather than a level stroll. Plan about 1 mile round trip and 30–45 minutes. The published distance is 0.8 mile round trip, while the mapped path measures just over 0.5 mile to the tower; taking the same path back puts the full outing close to a mile.

Three ramp sections lead to the viewing deck. From there, the Smokies and Blount County open out below you. The southeast view layers long ridges behind the closer treetops; that foreground gives a phone photo more depth than pointing straight at the horizon. Sunrise, sunset and fall color are especially good times to look out.

Park at the pull-out opposite Look Rock Tower Trailhead on Foothills Parkway West between mile markers 14 and 15; the trail starts on the road’s south side. A parking tag is required for stays longer than 15 minutes. There’s no restroom at the lot or trailhead; the nearest is at Look Rock Picnic Area. The pull-out has a separate roadside viewpoint, so continue across the road and take the trail to reach the tower. Pets aren’t allowed on this trail.

The lookout predates the tower. Guests at the 19th-century Montvale Springs Hotel hiked a primitive three-mile route to Look Rock, a 2,657-foot vantage point; the hotel dated to 1832 and burned in 1933. The modern trail and tower were completed in 1967, after the nearby parkway segment and picnic area opened in 1965.