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Old 06-06-2022, 02:00 PM   #1
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North Charlotte to Gatlinburg, TN Route

Hey! Looking to travel this week from north of Charlotte to Gatlinburg, TN [Greenbrier Campground]. I'm seeing a couple different routes using RV Life, Good Sam Trip Planner, RV Parky and Google Maps.

I'm travelling in a 31' Class A - THOR ACE 30.2

Wonder if any of you have gone this way:

Google Maps & RV Parky (zoomed in on this looks funky) say to go one way, while RV LIFE and Good Sam say to take a different route.
  • Google/RV Parky = 181 mi / 3 hr 15 min
  • Good Sam = 207 mi / 3 hr 57 min
  • RV Life = 207 mi / 4 hr 54 min

Have any of you taken either of these routes? If so, do you have a preference or will I run into any issues along either route?

Thanks - Mark
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Old 06-06-2022, 04:12 PM   #2
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I haven't traveled that way but I have traveled from Gatlinburg to Ashville via the Smokey Mountain Parkway and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Neither Google nor RV Parky know what you are driving, so they pick the fastest route for a car.

RV Life and Good Sam pick the best route for your RV.

Garmin's Basecamp agrees with RV Life and Good Sam.

So failing anybody's personal experience I would go up I40 and around to 321. That Lindsey Gap cut through may hold a surprise or two.
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Old 06-06-2022, 04:16 PM   #3
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That would be my fear that taking the shorter route would throw a few surprises my way. It seems a lot of people use RV Parky, but maybe its not exactly the app I should be relying on.

In my account settings, I do have it set to Class A with my height/weight. But maybe thats not actually being factored in.

Would love to hear if anyone has actually used these other routes.
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Old 06-06-2022, 09:39 PM   #4
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I live in Lake Wylie, south of Charlotte.
Drive that way all the time. From my place we take 321 through Gastonia to 40 west to Gatlinburg area.
From north Charlotte, take 77 north to Statesville and 40 west over the mountains.
Easy drive but try to get through Asheville away from any rush hours. Get off on exit 447.
We stay at Imagination Mountain Campground. There premium sites on the creek are great.
Have fun.
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Old 06-07-2022, 03:25 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Matthew View Post
I live in Lake Wylie, south of Charlotte.
Drive that way all the time. From my place we take 321 through Gastonia to 40 west to Gatlinburg area.
From north Charlotte, take 77 north to Statesville and 40 west over the mountains.
Easy drive but try to get through Asheville away from any rush hours. Get off on exit 447.
We stay at Imagination Mountain Campground. There premium sites on the creek are great.
Have fun.
So you take the 447 Exit at Hartford then take the Lindsey Gap Rd down to 32 then on to your Imagination Mountain Campground? Greenbrier is just a few more miles down the road so the path right there would be the same.

What's the Lindsey Gap Rd and 32 stretch of road like there?
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Old 06-07-2022, 04:34 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanks12 View Post
Hey! Looking to travel this week from north of Charlotte to Gatlinburg, TN



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Old 06-07-2022, 10:56 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shanks12 View Post
Hey! Looking to travel this week from north of Charlotte to Gatlinburg, TN [Greenbrier Campground]. I'm seeing a couple different routes using RV Life, Good Sam Trip Planner, RV Parky and Google Maps.

I'm travelling in a 31' Class A - THOR ACE 30.2

Wonder if any of you have gone this way:

Google Maps & RV Parky (zoomed in on this looks funky) say to go one way, while RV LIFE and Good Sam say to take a different route.
  • Google/RV Parky = 181 mi / 3 hr 15 min
  • Good Sam = 207 mi / 3 hr 57 min
  • RV Life = 207 mi / 4 hr 54 min

Have any of you taken either of these routes? If so, do you have a preference or will I run into any issues along either route?

Thanks - Mark
I live here. Please take I-40 West thru the gorge to I-40 West Exit 407. Follow the signs to Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. At Exit 407 you will head south on 66. It will be a six lane highway and you will have constant attractions on each side of the road until you reach the other side of Pigeon Forge. At that point the highway will go back to 4 lanes divided by a river. Head up the mountain to Gatlinburg. Have fun.
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Old 06-07-2022, 01:53 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Bob Nodine View Post
I live here. Please take I-40 West thru the gorge to I-40 West Exit 407. Follow the signs to Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. At Exit 407 you will head south on 66. It will be a six lane highway and you will have constant attractions on each side of the road until you reach the other side of Pigeon Forge. At that point the highway will go back to 4 lanes divided by a river. Head up the mountain to Gatlinburg. Have fun.
Boy, that would be the looooong way around.

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Old 06-07-2022, 01:55 PM   #9
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Boy, that would be the looooong way around.

Attachment 37955
I was just looking at that. Seems it would add a lot of time to the trip. Great for scenery I'm sure, but at this point, I would rather get there faster.
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Old 06-07-2022, 01:58 PM   #10
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It seems Good Sam's trip planner now has different ideas. It now shows take i40 up to Exit 443, then take the Foothills Pky to US-321 S / TN-73 / TN-32.

Has anyone taken their motorhome/travel trailer across the Foothills Parkway? Are RV's allowed?
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Old 06-07-2022, 02:26 PM   #11
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Steep mountain grades and hairpin switchbacks will take up that time...not to mention the additional fuel you will use. I'd go the route Bob suggested...time will be the same and the frustration level 1/10th.
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Old 06-07-2022, 04:31 PM   #12
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Sorry it took a minute to reply.
Lindsay Gap Road is a nice little country road, pretty scenery from old school Appalachia. From there turn on Groundhog Road to 32.
I've driven this in my current 30ft class C, and in my previous camper (36ft Outback towed by a Ram crew cab with 8ft bed). No issues, but then I like the back roads. The Foothills Parkway is a nice easy drive. A little elevation change but nothing an average rig can't handle.
Have a great time, and easy on the moonshine!
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Old 06-07-2022, 04:35 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by Matthew View Post
Sorry it took a minute to reply.
Lindsay Gap Road is a nice little country road, pretty scenery from old school Appalachia. From there turn on Groundhog Road to 32.
I've driven this in my current 30ft class C, and in my previous camper (36ft Outback towed by a Ram crew cab with 8ft bed). No issues, but then I like the back roads. The Foothills Parkway is a nice easy drive. A little elevation change but nothing an average rig can't handle.
Have a great time, and easy on the moonshine!
Sounds like the definitive answer the OP was looking for. Thanks for the info!
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Old 06-08-2022, 02:12 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by 16ACE27 View Post
Boy, that would be the looooong way around.

Attachment 37955
321 is fine for experienced RVers. Not knowing the OP's comfort level I suggested the I-40/66 route as it only offers the challenge of traffic. They would also get a preview of most of the attractions in the area. Exit 407 alone has places of interest and just across the Holston River bridge is the Smokey Mountain Knife Works, the Coleman Outlet, and the Bosch Dewalt Skill Tool Outlet to name a few.

I would not suggest Highway 32 for a motorhome towing. Its doable but be prepared for a long drive with lots and lots of sharp curves. Plus the end near I-40 at Big Creek is gravel and if you meet someone there is limited room to pass.
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Old 06-08-2022, 03:34 PM   #15
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Recommendation,

Get a RV GPS and set your rig's parameters and then plan the route.
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Old 06-08-2022, 04:04 PM   #16
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Recommendation,

Get a RV GPS and set your rig's parameters and then plan the route.
As ONLY one input into the route decision. RV GPSs are not fallible and can lead you down the wrong path just as easily as any other tool.
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Old 06-11-2022, 09:35 PM   #17
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If you are so inclined the Cherohala Skyway is a beautiful drive if your brakes are in good order. To get there is a challenge (US19 and US129) since it starts just west of Robbinsville, NC and ends in Tellico Plains, TN. We used to rent a place at Fontana Village and drive the area (Bootlegger 28 to Highlands, Skyway and Tail of the Dragon. I would stay off the Dragon in the summer because of the bikes, but the others a doable when towing (at least for me).
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Old 06-13-2022, 12:39 PM   #18
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Well we ended up following the Good Sam / RV Life path to Wilton Springs and down. It was a fairly easy drive. Only a few tight twisty turns that my wife wasn't as exited about and one bridge that was just wide enough for the RV as they were doing construction.

I'm a RV Life PRO member, but I've had so much trouble getting my saved trips to load properly on my phone. Every time I tell it to take the exact path, when it loads to my phone it reverts it back to a path I don't care to take. It was frustrating.

Overall it was a great trip with family. We ended up pulling into our spot so that we could open up to my brother in law's camper. Spaces were a little tight, but we (10+5 dogs) all managed just fine. If you haven't checked out this campground, we highly recommend it.
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