Last year was my first dragon. I came from Maryland driving 81 to 40 to 129 in Knoxville. This year I'd like to get off of the freeway a little earlier than Knoxville. Can anyone recommend a route from the north that they've taken that'll bring me in on Foothills Parkway? Thanks!
One day. Departing the home at around 05:00. The whole trip should take between 9 and 11 hours, depending on the route and pit stops...
Thanks Nathan! I saw this in routing options when I played around on mapquest. Have you driven 66, 441 and 321?
Honestly, when going to Fontana... usually go for the shortest fastest way there. Then nap and start enjoying the roads fresh the next day. But another route would be to take 26S towards Asheville, then 40W towards Robbinsville. This will let you save the fun for when the car is empty. :ihih::ihih::ihih:
I take 81 South from Harrisburg PA leaving on Sunday night at about 10 PM. A few of us drive through the night and in the morning get off at Knoxville then 40 and stop for breakfast and one more tank of fuel before heading in on 129. I like the highways at late night because you can drive a little faster in much less traffic. :ihih::devil: We end up at Fonatana around 8-9 AM.
If you want to play on the way down you can always get off 81 and head down through Damascus, Va and over the "Snake" to Elizabethtown, Tn. Then I26 to Ashville and then I40 west to Fontana. You might actually have the time to enjoy that route.
I have friends in Gatlinburg and have driven the route outlined by Nathan a number of times. You will enjoy the road a lot better than going through Knoxville.
Just join up anywhere along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It'll dump you off in Cherokee. Plus there's much less traffic on the BRP. That's one of my favorite roads, especially when you can have it to yourself!
BUT - do not attempt to make great time on the BRP (max limit is 45, and in some congested areas it drops to 25). The federal speeding ticket is not cheap.
I've driven to that neck of the woods during the day, and through the night... And I'd gladly drive through the night than during the day. Much easier to deal with trucks late at night than confounded 4-wheelers not using their turn signals and hanging in the left lane.
I have taken 40 south to 19 through the Cherokee nation a number of times. It's probably a few minutes slower, but 1) it's kind of interesting, and 2) I always come laden with tools and equipment, which make driving on 129 through the Dragon a bit of a PITA.
so jealous! wish school was like a job where i could take off :cryin: :mad2: But you guys enjoy! Motor on!
I'm to the point now where I take two days to get there - and I'm starting in central VA. Here to Bristol, for some runs on the Snake, and then a whole day from there on in to the Dragon, which has been everything from Snake out and back connected to Devil's Triangle, to Snake south to everything including the kitchen sink - Little Switzerland, etc. There's no way I'm going to just plod along on 81 S; I only hit the Dragon twice a year, I'm doing it right.
If anyone want to come along. We are leaving at 1:30AM on Wednesday the 29th. Coming from South Jersey. Headed down I95 to I66 to I81. Then south with a trip over the "Snake" down to Ashville then on to Fontana. We should arrive at Fontana by 3:00 in the afternoon. We make a breakfast stop at the last WaWa in Gainsville Virgina around 4:00am. If you want to tag along, let me know.