First I want to say thanks to everyone here who has posted routes. Especially Mastery as he had a very well written piece. Over the last couple of days I have been able to reroute my planned trip to include quite a bit more roads and sites on my scheduled trip through the Smokies.

I am no stranger to the smokies, as i am from Ky and as a kid we spent every vacation there in the summer and i have ridden there the past few years, but never really hit the best parts, only the tourist traps (pigeon forge, gatlinburg, cherokee, etc...)

What I want to do is lay out my route and get as much feedback as possible about road quality and sites to see along the routes. Will be heading out the 2nd or 3rd week in July.

SO, to begin.

Day 1. (Thursday) Leave Ridgeland Ms, for Chattanooga/Cleveland TN area. Total Miles 425. (Would go further but unable to leave MS before 1pm)

Day 2. (Friday) Chattanooga/Cleveland to Robbinsville, NC via Hwy 64 and 129. (Would really like info on this route if possible). Had originally planned on cutting up 68 to Tellico Plains but this route works out better in the whole scheme. From Robbinsville I will cross the Cherohala Skyway to Tellico Plains. From Tellico Plains I will cut up Hwy 360 then cut south east to hit the Dragon. Once completing the Dragon I will continue on to Maggie Valley to complete the day. Total miles right at 300.

Day 3. (Saturday) After touring Wheels Through Time one last time before it moves, we will head on over and take the Blue Ridge Parkway. The plan is to take the BRP until we hit Virginia, then when we hit Virginia the plan is to hit the quickest route up to West Virginia which would put us in Bluefield, WV. Total Miles right at 260

Day 3 is the peak of the trip. Day 4 Sunday and Day 5 Monday will be spent heading back toward Mississippi. However I would like help with that return trip. I just don’t want to hop on the interstate and book it back. I would like to hit some sites on the way back as well...

Day 4.(HELP) Open but heading back southwest.

Day 5.(Help) Finishing up in Mississippi at Ridgeland before 5pm.


Sites taken in so far
Lookout Mountain
Cherahala Pkwy
Dragon
Wheels Through TIme
Blue Ridge Pkwy
Moonshiner 28

States Hit
Mississippi
Alabama
Georgia
Tennessee
North Carolina
Virginia
West Virginia

Oh and please do not mention the Natchez Trace. My backyard is LITERALLY the Trace. I have ridden it enough and don’t desire to hit it on this trip........

Here is the mapquest link to what i have so far.

http://classic.mapquest.com/mq/6-xT1Th7dXEtlwWqmXTjLC

 

I'm wondering if your first day isn't a bit optimistic as far as mileage. That's up to you, not me, though. If you go superslab the whole way, you can make it, but it is fun?

Other than that, day two and three look pretty much like what I would plan. Not too optimistic on mileage, and you seem to leave yourself plenty of time for the sights. Don't enter the drawing for the knucklehead at WTT. I told them not to allow anybody to enter after I paid my fee, but I don't think they listened.

BTW, 64 out of Cleveland can take you to Ocoee, the north on 33 to Etowah, then SR-39 to Tellico Plains and on over to Robbinsville on the Cherohala gives you a good mix of fun roads and still allows for good traveling time for day 2, if you like.

 

Your probably right about this. However that one isnt set in stone. As long as we get reasonably close, im not to overly worried about it. Chattanooga isnt a must stop either. It was just a starting point that seemed within reasonable distance. Also hoping to get out of Mississippi before 1....

And as for that Knuckle. My money is already in that POT!!! Course it was last year to.....Paid my 100 and got a T-shirt and a DVD but no Knuckle

 

Almost forgot, a few weeks ago, I made the mistake of getting off the interstate near Chattanooga. Screw that. Next time, I'll do what I've done before and haul *** on the super slab through there. Traffic was horrible.

 

Yeah thats what i am trying to avoid this whole trip.....

I see your from /Blue Ridge GA. Is there any way to cut over from Alabama on I 59 to Blude Ridge through blairsville area and straight up? That way i could avoid Chattanooga completely?

 

I've only ridden it once, to Lynchburg TN, but GA-136 crosses I-59 at Trenton, GA. It will take you down the mountain and through Resaca, eventually to Talking Rock, south of Ellijay. You can hit Hwy 2/5/515 there and it will take you up through Ellijay and into Blue Ridge. That road is good, 4 lanes with 65 mph limits, mostly. From there, you can quickly jump on US-129 and ride to the Robbinsville turn off.

When are you taking this trip?

 

Looks to be around the 21st of July is when we will leave....

 

Glad you posted this Redleg, some buddies and me are planning a trip to the same area in Sept. Look forward to reading the additional posts.

 

It'll give him more time on the BRP and surrounding roads in the mountains. Therefore he'll have more fun than if he took backroads and 2 days to get there.

 

From experience last year mapquest and your GPS will lie to you about how long a trip will take. One day last year both said it would be a 8 hour drive for that day. After 11 hours we were still 3 hours from Maggie Valley if we had stayed on the BRP so he jumped on the interstate for another 1 1/2 hours to get to the motel. Even on the trip home the GPS said 8 hours. We traveled interstates at 75 mpg stopping only for gas and lunch and it took close to 11 hours to travel 440 miles. I'm going back this year again but do not plan to ride over 300 miles a day and only on the first and last day will I do that many miles. Last year I planned for 4 days and this year 7-8 days. I missed too many places I wanted to stop. If I can figure out how to share mapquest I'll post some of the routes I have laid out using Maggie Valley as a home base.