The jagged cliff has hung over Little River Road as long as there has been a Little River Road, and much longer. Does this profile look familiar?
Generations of visitors to the Great Smokies National Park have driven under this landmark, which resembles the profile of a Native American’s face.
Dubbed “Indian Head Rock” because of this resemblance, the cliff is about three miles from the Townsend Wye. It’s easier to see the profile in winter because shrubs and brush obscure its lines when the season is green, but the sharp overhang is hard to miss in any season.
Indian Head Rock had a facelift in 2008 to stabilize the overhang, which is made of a sedimentary rock called mylonitic phyllite. Eons of erosion carved the profile in the first place but have also weakened its connection to the larger bluff.
To spot the landmark, bear left at the Townsend Wye and keep your eyes peeled to the right and upwards. There is a pull-off parking area near the cliff.
Have you driven under Indian Head Rock and noticed its stern profile staring across Little River? What’s your favorite landmark seen driving through the Smokies?
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