The Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park is probably the most visited nationwide park within the U.S. Naturally, this makes the realm infamous for heavy site visitors. That is very true round weekends, holidays, and through the peak of the autumn colours within the mountains.

I’ve been touring within the space for over 30 years and was additionally a neighborhood for a number of years. I hate site visitors, so I naturally regarded for methods to keep away from it. Listed here are my suggestions for not spending your trip time sitting in site visitors.

The Finest Route From The North

The standard technique to attain Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and the Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park is to take exit 407 on Interstate 40. From the exit on the interstate to the doorway of the park, it’s about 25 miles of site visitors by Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg.

Many individuals go to the realm on the weekend, so site visitors is often heavier coming into on Friday and exiting on Sunday. One easy tip to keep away from site visitors is to keep away from these 2 days. I wish to arrive on Sunday and go away earlier than Friday to keep away from the site visitors altogether.

Should you do enter the realm from I-40, you’ll want to take 448 South when you’re coming into Sevierville. It will appear to be the mistaken approach since there’s a huge signal with three lanes for 441 South to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. However this fashion will prevent a ton of time.

On the subsequent intersection, flip left on 441 North. Sure, North appears the mistaken technique to go, however belief me. Proceed on 441 North for a few mile to Veterans Boulevard or freeway 449 South. Freeway 449 is actually a bypass round Pigeon Forge. It’s a divided four-lane freeway, so you can also make good time. It goes proper by Dollywood and enters again onto 441 South on the southern finish of Pigeon Forge.

If you wish to cease by Margaritaville on the Island in Pigeon Forge, take Jake Thomas Drive. It results in Teaster Lane which parallels the principle highway and goes proper by the Island. Preserve Teaster Lane in thoughts throughout your go to to Pigeon Forge; it’s a nice back-way across the busiest stretch of city.

If you wish to simply bypass Pigeon Forge altogether, take 449 South till it ends at 441 South. Make a left and you’re in your approach into Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg can also be a heavy-traffic space, usually worse than Pigeon Forge. Some folks wish to cruise by city to see and be seen. There are a ton of outlets, eating places, and sights. In case you have by no means been, I like to recommend a cruise by city at the very least as soon as.

But when your most important vacation spot is Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park, take the Gatlinburg bypass simply earlier than you enter city. It is a scenic route that goes up the mountain round Gatlinburg. The bypass ends contained in the park, completely bypassing city and site visitors.

The Finest Alternate Route

In case you are visiting the realm from the south or the west, I like to recommend avoiding coming into from Interstate 40. As an alternative, navigate to Maryville, Tennessee, first. Maryville is straightforward to get to from I-40 or I-75 by way of Freeway 321.

Have lunch in Maryville (I like to recommend Aubrey’s, you’ll drive proper by it) and proceed on 321 North in the direction of Townsend. The place 321 turns to the left, preserve going straight. The freeway turns into 73 East right here, however you don’t flip in any respect.

This highway results in the Townsend entrance of Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park. On the entrance, heading proper on Laurel Falls Street results in Cades Cove, whereas heading left on Little River Gorge Street results in Gatlinburg. This space is called the Townsend Wye.

I actually like taking this path to Gatlinburg as a result of it goes by the park the place there aren’t any buildings or cease lights, simply nature. The highway follows the little river and there are even a number of waterfalls you’ll be able to see alongside the way in which.

This highway finally ends up on the customer middle on the entrance of the park on the south facet of Gatlinburg. If you wish to head into the park, flip proper, or if you wish to head to Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, flip left.

How To Keep away from Site visitors In Gatlinburg

In case you are staying in or round Gatlinburg, getting from one facet of city to the opposite generally is a ache. On the weekends and round holidays and particular occasions, attempting to drive by city can take perpetually. If you wish to discover city, discovering parking may also be a difficulty.

In case you are staying in a chalet round Gatlinburg, you’re more than likely on the mountain to the west of city. These are the perfect within the space and supply the quickest entry to the park. However this space additionally offers a singular benefit to avoiding site visitors.

Scenic Ober Mountain Tram

The primary highway as much as Ober Mountain is Ski Mountain Street. This highway begins on the entrance of the park on the south finish of Gatlinburg and ends on the Ober Mountain Ski Park.

In case you are staying on this space and wish to discover Gatlinburg, go to Ober Mountain as an alternative. Sure, go to the highest of the mountain. Ober Mountain has an aerial tram that goes on to the principle highway in Gatlinburg. You possibly can park there and keep away from site visitors fully. Simply you’ll want to verify once they cease the tram at night time, in any other case you may be calling an Uber for a trip again up the mountain.

Gatlinburg Bypass

The bypass is a good way to keep away from site visitors in Gatlinburg. However there’s a little-known entrance/exit midway across the bypass that may be a nice time-saver if you’re staying wherever west of city. On this route, you do not need to drive all the way in which right down to Gatlinburg. You should use it to get to the park, Pigeon Forge, or the north finish of Gatlinburg a lot faster.

About midway up the mountain on Ski Mountain Street, take Wiley Oakley Drive close to the Chalet Village Market. The following intersection will look somewhat loopy. It’s a four-way cease on a hill with Wiley Oakley Drive persevering with on a switchback up and again to the left. Right here, take a proper on Campbell Lead Street.

Proceed on Campbell Lead Street for a few mile. You’ll come to a cease signal seemingly in the course of nowhere. That is straightforward to overlook as a result of the bypass just isn’t properly marked right here. There shall be an indication in your left that claims “Nationwide Park” pointing to the proper. Make a proper right here and simply round a curve, you’ll come to the bypass. Make a left for the park or a proper for Pigeon Forge.

Hidden Entrance To The Aquarium

Campbell Lead Street just isn’t solely a little-known entrance to the bypass however a fair less-known technique to the center of Gatlinburg from the bypass or the chalets on the mountain west of city.

Take the identical path to Campbell Lead Street I discussed above, however on the cease signal in the course of nowhere, preserve going straight (or if you’re coming from the bypass, make a proper). This highway is curvy and slim in some locations however goes proper by the Skybridge over Gatlinburg and finally ends up at Ripley’s Aquarium. Notice that about midway down, it turns into Greystone Heights Street, however you’ll be able to’t actually inform. You possibly can simply park within the parking storage behind the aquarium with out sitting in any site visitors in any respect!

Alternate Gatlinburg Bypass

If for some motive the bypass is closed or inaccessible, Wiley Oakley Drive is an alternate. This highway is curvy with a bunch of switchbacks, however you’ll be able to comply with it from the Gatlinburg Welcome Middle North of Gatlinburg all the way in which to Ski Mountain Street after which to Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park.

The doorway to this highway from the Welcome Middle is considerably hidden. Enter the Customer Middle parking zone and keep to the left. On the again left nook of the parking zone, the highway begins and continues up the mountain.

You must take note of the highway indicators as you journey this route. There are a number of intersections the place Wiley Oakley continues to the left or proper and never straight forward as you’d assume.

The quickest technique to Ski Mountain Street is to take Cliff Department Street after you journey about 1.5 miles. Wiley Oakley makes a loop on the mountain and cuts off on the backside of the loop. Cliff Department results in the loopy intersection I discussed above and to Ski Mountain Street. From right here, you’ll be able to proceed to Gatlinburg and the Nice Smoky Mountains.