Knoxville airport to Pigeon Forge?

We are coming in from the airport next Monday(Lord willing my mom is still ok) and have been down a few times.

Just wondering from locals or regulars what the best route is?

I hoping that traffic won%26#39;t be too bad since it is post holiday.

Thanks to everyone on these boards, you have been so helpful.

We ended up booking in Sherwood Forest from a private owner and it looks great and we got a great rate. I haven%26#39;t heard too much about the resort on these boards, but I will let you know!

Thanks again for any info!

Knoxville airport to Pigeon Forge?

Hi Lindy,

Come out of the airport and go left onto the four lane into Knoxville. Take I40 toward Asheville, get off at the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge exit. I believe its #407. This will put you on Winfield Dunn Parkway (or 441) to go into Pigeon Forge. Should take no more than an hour after you leave the airport.

For a more scenic route, go right out of the airport and continue on the same road through Maryville, Walland and Townsend. Take a left just past Townsend (at what we locals call the ';Y'; - right goes to Cades Cove, left to Gatlinburg) and follow River Road into Gatlinburg. This route is maybe a half hour longer.

Have a great and safe trip. I hope you mother continues to improve also.

Knoxville airport to Pigeon Forge?

If you are going into Pigeon Forge, I would go the scenic route. Once headed toward Townsend, stay on 321. It ends at Pigeon Forge. I steer clear of the interstate whenever possible. It is almost always conjested with traffic. Also, taking exit 407 has you going through Sevierville and stuck in SEVERE traffic the entire length of road through Pigeon Forge. So there is a chance that the longer scenic way could take less time. It all depends on what time of day you arrive. But, as I said, I would go through Townsend instead of the interstate any time of the day anyway to avoid going through Knoxville and then through Sevierville...

Ok, Now I%26#39;m a little confused(easily done;o)

Our flight comes in at 11AM so on Monday. I%26#39;m not sure how bad traffic will be. I%26#39;m hoping that week it won%26#39;t be too bad.

So, KLM, can you explain it a little clearer for me?

Thanks

Lindy, I believe what KLM is referring to is on heavy traffic days you can get in bumper to bumper traffic almost from the interstate to Pigeon Forge. Bumper to bumper traffic means it could easily take you another hour or more once you exit off the interstate.

However, with your flight coming in on a Monday you should get to exit 407 no later than 1:00 pm (I%26#39;m figuring your time to retrieve luggage, get your rental car, and get away from the airport).

I still think the interstate will be the quickest, just not the prettiest, route to go. I think most people will be leaving the area on Monday after a long weekend (we will) so traffic should be going the opposite way from you.

Good luck..........

I agree that coming in on Monday you should not have any problems with traffic going the interstate to exit 407 into PF/Gatlinburg.

Now Friday or Saturday would be a totally different story...

We have gone both ways and it took us longer once going the scenic route mainly due to the curvy roads and getting stuck behind slow moving traffic..

The traffic on Monday could still be really bad, I am looking out my window on a Wednesday evening and can see total gridlock on the Parkway!! Gatlinburg will look like a ghost town on Tuesday :).

We have driven back and forth to the airport every way that you can go. The quickest way to Gatlinburg is to turn left out of the airport towards Knoxville on 129. Take a right onto John Sevier Highway and get off at the intersection of U.S 441 (watch closely, its easy to miss). Just follow 441 through Sevierville (road turns right there), Pigeon Forge and into Gatlinburg. 1 hour and 10 minutes.

If you are driving before 8 am or after 8 pm you can drive through Knoxfille in the same amount of time, you will probably regret it!!!

I tried to cut and paste a map that I made for our guests, but had no luck. I am going to give you the link to our directions page which shows all the major routes into Gatlinburg. I hope this doesn%26#39;t trigger the ';posting police';.

www.laurelspringslodge.com/directions.htm

Laural...

';Citizens Arrest, citizens arrest';, at least that%26#39;s what Gomer said when arresting Barney on one of the Andy Griffith episodes.

I started to tell Lindy about coming up John Sevier also, but was afraid it might be hard giving directions to get on it out of Knoxville. We too, usually go that way when leaving UT football games and heading back up to Gatlinburg.

Looks like you are going to have an unusually warm weekend for New Years.

Thanks so much.

I know we have driven the John Sevier highway before. We have taken different routes almost every time(at least they looked different due to construction)

I am thinking it won%26#39;t be too bad down there during the week traffic wise.

The weather says 60%26#39;s for part of the week.

Living in the snowbelt of Ohio, that sounds like summer! Yippie!

I won%26#39;t bother trying to comment further on my input because Laurel-Springs%26#39; directions sound good to me. ANYTHING, but the interstate!

KLM