Most people never see this end of the Foothills Parkway, which is exactly why you should. It lies on the north-eastern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains near Cosby, a sleepy community that has a reputation as an old moonshine country and still feels somewhat apart from the tourist bustle on the Tennessee side. The short eastern section of the parkway runs along the ridge above the valley, with long views across farmland to the high peaks.
The Cosby area is the quiet door into the national park. A road leads up to a campground and trailheads among tall hemlocks and rhododendrons, and the Cosby section of the park is known for its wildflowers, which burst in April and May. It sees a fraction of the visitors who crowd the Gatlinburg entrance, and many people consider that a blessing. The surrounding hills were home to mountain families for generations, and the old log cabins and stone chimneys still show up in the forest if you walk far enough.
For the rider, the eastern parkway is a gem of calm. It is short, smooth and almost empty, with long gentle curves along the ridge and a speed limit that suits a relaxed pace. You can pull over at overlooks and have the view to yourself. The road itself is a good example of the parkway's character: wide, well engineered, with a gradual rhythm that settles you into the saddle.
Newport, about eighteen kilometres away, is the nearest town of any size and has fuel, supermarkets and restaurants. Cosby itself has a couple of small stores. Plan to fill up in Newport or on the main road, since the parkway has no services. US 321 and the back roads around Cosby give a gentle loop through farm country, with tobacco barns and old churches along the way.
The best time of year is spring, when wildflowers carpet the forest floor, or autumn, when the ridge turns red and gold. Summer is hot and humid, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Early mornings are cool, mist hangs in the hollows and the valley feels timeless. If you like quiet roads and the sense of finding a place that others miss, this is it.