I am in Orlando for biz and will be leaving in a few days, I rode down here from KC.

I want to ride through the Smokey Mountains on the return trip so I will be going from East to West.

Anyone have a suggestion for a fun/favorite way through the Smokies?

Thanks in advance.

 

I rode a lot of that area last season on a trip from Lincoln, NE to the East Coast; went to the Outer Banks. What a blast. That entire area is packed with route after route of gorgeous riding. Blue Ridge was a blast as well!

 

Well there are several different ways to do that, but your going to find that the traffic in the Smokeys SUCKS. The touristas drive very slow and instead of pulling over to look at the scenery, they just to it from the road.
You can take I-95 to I-26 to Asheville then I-40 west and once you leave Asheville you will start seeing exits for the Smokeys in both NC and TN.
A better ride would be to make your way to Atlanta and take either 411 or I-75 up to around Tellico Plains and then to ride the Cherohala Skyway and the Dragon back to I-40 or the Skyway and grab 74 in Robbinsville and ride that till you come to Cherokee NC and turn left on 441 (That is the main road through the Smokeys). It depends if you like interstates or back roads. On back roads it's going to take awhile to get back to KC.
After you leave Cherokee on 441, you will see the southern start of the Blue Ridge Parkway... and it is a great ride albeit slow with a 45mph speed limit.

 

Thx Dyna this is the kind of info I was looking for. I try and avoid the Interstates UNLESS a particular stretch of Interstate is a fun ride

 

Have to agree with you there. I grew up in north georgia just a couple miles from 411 so I've ridden that route a few times.

 

This is sort of a trick question. There are only five paved roads in the Smokey Mountain National Park. Two run "through it". If travelling east to west Route 441 AKA Newfound Gap Road goes from Cherokee to Gatlinburg. As Dyna Rider says above me, traffic sucks. Go early and during the week, it's not so bad. Half way across is a winner. Clingmans Dome Road. It was paved again last year and is a rip to ride scraping footboards all the way. But... Lot's of traffic. Wait at the bottom to get a good car free run and have at it. Same thing at the top. Go early.

If staying in Gatlinburg there's the Cherokee Orchard/Roaring Fork Road. It's a scenic loop.

Next to the Sugarlands Visitor Center is the start of Little River Road. This take you to either Laurel Creek Road and Cades Cove or to Townsend. Cades Cove is a one way loop that may be the most beautiful spot east of the Mississippi. But... You have to ride it well before 10 AM. Sunrise is best.

Townsend will take you to the Foothills Parkway outside the park and the back way into Deal's Gap. It's worth planning a few days for touring around this area, not just ride through it. Either the Sugarlands or Oconaluftee visitor centers will have a map of auto tours in the Smokey's. It's good to have because there are also some real good dual sport dirt roads to ride. You do have a KLR in the garage don't you?

 

What is a KLR?
Thx for the info