Orlando to Pigeon Forge and area

[fortwilderness]

Hello, any suggestions for the route from Orlando to Pigeon Forge area. We were thinking about taking I-75/I40 but is I-95 the better route? We will be towing a travel trailer. Thanks!! Appreciate any help!!

[Helmsey]

Originally Posted by fortwilderness

Hello, any suggestions for the route from Orlando to Pigeon Forge area. We were thinking about taking I-75/I40 but is I-95 the better route? We will be towing a travel trailer. Thanks!! Appreciate any help!!

I prefer the 40/75 route, that's the way we have gone since 2014 when heading to the Fort and back home.

[CampingGator]

Definitely I-75 up to Tennessee, then I-40 to Knoxville. We have traveled that route since 1980.

[spock123]

Why not I-95 to I-26 to I-40?

[spock123]

Originally Posted by fortwilderness

Hello, any suggestions for the route from Orlando to Pigeon Forge area. We were thinking about taking I-75/I40 but is I-95 the better route? We will be towing a travel trailer. Thanks!! Appreciate any help!!

What campground do you plan on staying at in Pigeon Forge

[fortwilderness]

Thanks everyone!

We are planning on staying at the pine mountain rv park. There are so many to choose from, any suggestions or opinions on campgrounds there?

[spock123]

We have stayed at Pine Mountain and it’s nice, all concrete sites, really nice. The Funtime trolley makes a stop there

[Jimmie824]

Clabough's Campground is a nice place to stay.

[spock123]

Let me know if you are going I-40. If going I-40 I know a shortcut to help you get to Pine Mountain campground without going through a lot of stoplights and a whole lot of traffic. There is shortcuts

[F.R.O.G.]

Originally Posted by spock123

Why not I-95 to I-26 to I-40?

I-95/26/40 actually knocks about 30-35 miles off of the trip. It introduces a pretty good climb into Ashville and the drive through the Little Pigeon River Gorge (which I love) and its mountains, but it has the distinct advantage of avoiding the Atlanta area and its traffic.

[BGinVA]

Originally Posted by CampingGator

Definitely I-75 up to Tennessee, then I-40 to Knoxville. We have traveled that route since 1980.

Totally agree with this route. Done it several times. ATL will be only issue. I have driven straight through downtown ATL when traffic light, otherwise beltway to west. Its a timing thing. Do not hit ATL at rush hour. Leaving Orlando you have 3 lanes of interstate all the way up except for 75 miles or so in TN between Ooltewah and the I-75/I-40 interchange.

The road to avoid in my opinion, is I-40 between Asheville and Knoxville. If you come up via I-95 you will be on this section of I-40 to get to Pigeon Forge. As it goes through the Smokies, it is a very twisty road, lots of very tight turns, limited sight distances, and if it starts raining, gets dangerous. Not fun at all.

[johnruff]

If you are not planning on making the entire trip in one day, plan your trip around Atlanta to take place either very early in the AM - before 6 AM or very late - after 7 or 8 PM or on a Sunday morning and you will be fine. You do not want to do anything on a Friday afternoon and you do not want to be trying to get into Atlanta on Sunday afternoon. I live south of Ocala and worked in Atlanta for years - also lived in Atlanta for over 30 years before moving to our retirement home in FL - I just kept working well beyond retirement but my DW enjoyed FL all that time. Finally called it quits 2 years ago. Just an FYI - I used to leave work in north Atlanta on Friday to come home . It took me over 2 hours to get to the south side of Atlanta. Brutal traffic and it makes no difference how you do it.

[fortwilderness]

Many Thanks for all the help and suggestions,,

Spock123 can you share the helpful hint to get through I-40 to pine path rv park?

[spock123]

I have looked for the exit number but from I-40 West take highway 25West to 411. The roads that get off I-40 will be 25West, Tennessee 9, 70, anyway they are all west. What you will do is come back under I-40. Go to 411, do not turn at the first 411, that will be old 411. Just a little ways you will come to the new 411, it’s four lane. If you turn at the first 411 don’t worry it will come back out to the new 411 eventually, its just more crooked. Anyway stay on 411, it’s a little crooked but not to worry a lot of commercial trucks take this road. You will pass by Bush Baked Beans, if you have time you can stop. Stay on 411 and you will come in on the back side of Sevierville, the road becomes four lane. Start looking for Veterans Blvd on your left, if you miss the turn take the next left and you will come to Veterans Blvd again. Stay on Veterans Blvd, you will pass a KOA on your right, once you pass the KOA get in the right lane. When you get to the stoplight at 441 turn right. Once you turn right get in the left lane and start looking for Pine Mountain Rd, turn left on Pine Mountain Rd. The campground will be on your left less than a mile, it’s not far. I take Veterans Blvd a lot to get around all that traffic. Be sure to check out Old Mill Restaurant for breakfast also the Apple Barn for hot apple dumplings with ice cream and hot apple cider, sometimes the line is long. The Apple Barn has a lot of shops plus great restaurants. DW like to look there. If I can be any more help just pm me

[formerFR]

if you are 'familiar' with Orlando traffic, you'll have no issues using the same thought when passing directly thru Atlanta on I75... use the HOV lane all the way thru.

but, if you prefer I95, you'll also enjoy the 'mountainous' version of the drive past Asheville and into the smokies... I40 is a twisty, turny, steep interstate, maybe the most in the US at this spot... there are special right lanes for 'semi's only'...

If you'd like an even more 'adventurous' route, take off from I75 N of Atlanta to I575 to the N Georgia mountains(all four lane), turning left in Blairsville to Murphy NC and north on US19 thru the rafting center of the US, the Nantahala river gorge, to the start of the Smokies in Cherokee NC, where you will go 'over' the smokies on gorgeous mountain passes, and a tunnel, into Gatlinburg TN, right down the road from the Pigeon!

enjoy!

[spock123]

If you take I-26 to I-40 you miss Black Mountain and from where I-26 crosses I-40 it’s not steep at all then. I run 55 or better thru the Gorge. I have been on worst roads. I have run the Gorge a lot, pulling a RV and a semi. Running 441 from Cherokee to Gatlinburg is a curvy road and lots of traffic. I have never pulled a camper on that road. But it’s what you like. If you are staying in Pigeon Forge and coming from Asheville it’s sometimes easier to run I-40 thu the mountains and 411 to Veterans Blvd. To get around traffic I run Veterans Blvd and Old Newport Highway. Traffic is bad in the Pigeon Forge area all the time