Pigeon Forge to the Fort...preferred route?

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Hello all, we are headed to the Fort from Pigeon Forge and pulling a 36 foot travel trailer....Google maps is offering a selection of 3 routes, what is your preferred route and why?

Thanks!!

 

[bama_ed]

Michelle,

I google mapped your options and two head thru Atlanta down i75 and one goes over to i95 (hope those are the same three offered to you). They are all over 10 hrs and within 10 minutes difference of each other as I look at them now.

Each route has plusses and minuses. The i95 route probably the worst IMO. Got to go over the mountains to NC/Asheville to i26 and then i95 can get pretty crowded in places (mostly north of where you join though).

The direct south route is also over the mountains to Cherokee, NC and through north Georgia to Hotlanta. I made that drive on a day trip in 2021 (not towing) and would not relish the doing it while towing. If you have a big strong TV, though, it might not be a problem. Hotlanta traffic is legendary so try to go through EARLY in the AM, LATE in the evening, or weekends (best). Avoid the commuter times (worst). Mid-day is a roll of the dice.

My choice would be the route #3 of heading north out of PF to i40 and through Knoxville to just outside Chattanooga and pick up i75 there down through Hotlanta. Avoids the tall mountains to tow over. Nice wide highways all the way. Same Hotlanta traffic issues as choice #2 though.

Just my $0.02 since you asked.

Bama Ed

 

[garneska]

If you go 75 and IMHO I would go that way, be ready for traffic in Chattanooga and atlant. Plan an extra 2 hours to what ever google says.

Good night and good luck.

 

[bama_ed]

If you go 75 and IMHO I would go that way, be ready for traffic in Chattanooga and atlant. Plan an extra 2 hours to what ever google says.

The only thing, @garneska, is that you don't have to go all the way into Chattanooga to make the i75 turnoff. You come down i75 from Kville by Hamilton Place Mall past the East Brainerd Road exit and turn south onto i75. I have memories (scars) from 40 years ago of driving this road from Kville to Ttown (and visa versa) about 25-30 times over 4 years. Other than adding lanes via widening, it hasn't stupid changed in those 40 years from Cnooga to West Kville. You don't hit bad traffic in Cnooga on this route. If you went further over Missionary Ridge and into Cnooga proper and around the 2lane TN River curve of i24, then traffic gets hairy.

Save those two hours for Atlanta. Lived there for 3 years in the 90s. Glad I don't no more. Traffic hasn't gotten better.

I'll toss it back to you, Kris!

Ed

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Michelle,

I google mapped your options and two head thru Atlanta down i75 and one goes over to i95 (hope those are the same three offered to you). They are all over 10 hrs and within 10 minutes difference of each other as I look at them now.

Each route has plusses and minuses. The i95 route probably the worst IMO. Got to go over the mountains to NC/Asheville to i26 and then i95 can get pretty crowded in places (mostly north of where you join though).

The direct south route is also over the mountains to Cherokee, NC and through north Georgia to Hotlanta. I made that drive on a day trip in 2021 (not towing) and would not relish the doing it while towing. If you have a big strong TV, though, it might not be a problem. Hotlanta traffic is legendary so try to go through EARLY in the AM, LATE in the evening, or weekends (best). Avoid the commuter times (worst). Mid-day is a roll of the dice.

My choice would be the route #3 of heading north out of PF to i40 and through Knoxville to just outside Chattanooga and pick up i75 there down through Hotlanta. Avoids the tall mountains to tow over. Nice wide highways all the way. Same Hotlanta traffic issues as choice #2 though.

Just my $0.02 since you asked.

Bama Ed

LOL, yes those are the 3 and that was our conclusion too, we were just hoping to avoid Atlanta but the mountains had us rethinking the plan! LOL!!! We normally come from Wisconsin so we are used to Atlanta, but wanted an opinion coming from PF with 3 different routes!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

The only thing, @garneska, is that you don't have to go all the way into Chattanooga to make the i75 turnoff. You come down i75 from Kville by Hamilton Place Mall past the East Brainerd Road exit and turn south onto i75. I have memories (scars) from 40 years ago of driving this road from Kville to Ttown (and visa versa) about 25-30 times over 4 years. Other than adding lanes via widening, it hasn't stupid changed in those 40 years from Cnooga to West Kville. You don't hit bad traffic in Cnooga on this route. If you went further over Missionary Ridge and into Cnooga proper and around the 2lane TN River curve of i24, then traffic gets hairy.

Save those two hours for Atlanta. Lived there for 3 years in the 90s. Glad I don't no more. Traffic hasn't gotten better.

I'll toss it back to you, Kris!

Ed

Yes, this the route I remember and we usually attempt Atlanta at 2-3am....so we are hoping that sticks to being our lucky time as it's usually about 45 minutes unless there is an accident and give them a teeny tiny bit of ice....and well yup there are accidents galore!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

If you go 75 and IMHO I would go that way, be ready for traffic in Chattanooga and atlant. Plan an extra 2 hours to what ever google says.

Good night and good luck.

Thanks for your information!! I appreciate hearing from people and not just second guessing myself!

 

[Teamubr]

I'll also recommend the I-40/I-75 route. We just drove through ATL (and Chattanooga) this past weekend driving home from Key West. We discovered 7:30am on Sunday morning is a great time to hit ATL. I did 70 mph all the way through.



j

 

[elaine amj]

I drove down I 75 at the end of September. 11am and smooth sailing through Atlanta with only a minor slowdown.

Drove back a few days ago using I95 and it is a horror memory of endless traffic jams, including in the middle of nowhere.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Atlanta is the wild card for sure. We have tried all different times of the day/night with mixed success. We even survived a trailer tire blowout downtown (back on the road in 20 min)
One time I will NEVER go through Atlanta is between midnight and 3AM, too many bars letting out with all the hipsters racing their sports cars on I-75

 

[FtW Mike]

I agree with Bama Ed and others who recommend the I 40/75 route. If we weren't in Pigeon Forge , now that was my proposed route in Dec. Last tear we took I 40 to 95 and going down hill in the mountains required new brakes for our coach this spring. We are retired and planned on a 3 day trek as well as extended stay in Chattanooga to visit a cousin. We anticipate delays in Atlanta going back to 1976/77 I always had problems going thru on I 85 even at 2-3 am.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I'll also recommend the I-40/I-75 route. We just drove through ATL (and Chattanooga) this past weekend driving home from Key West. We discovered 7:30am on Sunday morning is a great time to hit ATL. I did 70 mph all the way through.

View attachment 711504

j

Excellent to hear! We will be traveling on a Sunday as well!

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Atlanta is the wild card for sure. We have tried all different times of the day/night with mixed success. We even survived a trailer tire blowout downtown (back on the road in 20 min)
One time I will NEVER go through Atlanta is between midnight and 3AM, too many bars letting out with all the hipsters racing their sports cars on I-75

Great timing on that blowout!! So far it's usually been 2am on a Friday or Saturday for the past 10 years for us and we've been lucky but that's great reasoning to avoid it, never occurred to me! We come from up in Wisconsin and I always try and plan to avoid Chicago at all costs and then Atlanta during rush hour, so we usually build up rest time in Nashville to get our timing right!

I agree with Bama Ed and others who recommend the I 40/75 route. If we weren't in Pigeon Forge , now that was my proposed route in Dec. Last tear we took I 40 to 95 and going down hill in the mountains required new brakes for our coach this spring. We are retired and planned on a 3 day trek as well as extended stay in Chattanooga to visit a cousin. We anticipate delays in Atlanta going back to 1976/77 I always had problems going thru on I 85 even at 2-3 am.

WOW, thanks for that advice!! Exactly what I was looking for, I appreciate your perspective! Enjoy Chattanooga!!

 

[FtW Mike]

DMM Chattanooga is of as we are here now. See my thread Better Head Back to Tennessee Jed. Currently a work in progress.

 

[garneska]

The only thing, @garneska, is that you don't have to go all the way into Chattanooga to make the i75 turnoff. You come down i75 from Kville by Hamilton Place Mall past the East Brainerd Road exit and turn south onto i75. I have memories (scars) from 40 years ago of driving this road from Kville to Ttown (and visa versa) about 25-30 times over 4 years. Other than adding lanes via widening, it hasn't stupid changed in those 40 years from Cnooga to West Kville. You don't hit bad traffic in Cnooga on this route. If you went further over Missionary Ridge and into Cnooga proper and around the 2lane TN River curve of i24, then traffic gets hairy.

Save those two hours for Atlanta. Lived there for 3 years in the 90s. Glad I don't no more. Traffic hasn't gotten better.

I'll toss it back to you, Kris!

Ed

The bold is the part that is a wild card. I do mean a wild card. Have had no problems and have been completely screwed.