Regional headlines proclaim “High Gas Costs Don’t Deter Tourists.” Visitors to Pigeon Forge and the Smoky Mountains seem not to mind that gas prices are nearing three dollars a gallon during the summer vacation season. Surprised? Don’t be. Pigeon Forge and the Great Smoky Mountains ensure a great vacation destination for the money, and the area is within just a day’s drive of a large area of the United States. Plus, Pigeon Forge attractions offer experiences found nowhere else. It makes sense that when gas prices are high people look for a vacation that offers the most value for the dollar and the least stops to fill up on the way. Plus, there are more ways to save on fuel costs once you get here.
The best way to save on fuel costs in Pigeon Forge is to take advantage of the Fun Time Trolley. Let the Pigeon Forge Trolley help you “park your cares” and enjoy your vacation without worrying anymore about red lights and fuel gauges. For 25 cents a ride, you can get most anywhere along the Parkway in Pigeon Forge and Sevierville without having to step on the gas or brakes even once. And don’t worry about missing your turn, your trolley driver knows them all. Trolley shelters are generously spaced throughout Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, with a main hub and free parking at Patriot Park in Pigeon Forge. You can even ride a trolley to Gatlinburg and the national park.
Another way to keep your gas tank full is to avoid sitting in traffic. During the peak travel times in the Pigeon Forge area, travel can be slow with roads filled to capacity. The best solution is to avoid those roads by taking scenic alternative routes into the area. For most visitors, Highway 66 from Interstate 40 at exit 407 causes the most headaches.
On a perfect day, Highway 66 will always be faster. But during peak travel times, S.R. 66 can be a headache. What many visitors don’t know is that Highway 66 is not the only way to get to Pigeon Forge from the Interstate. Consider these alternatives and you’ll spend a little more time driving, but you’ll enjoy more East Tennessee scenery than the Interstate can offer. The Interstate is a good way to see a whole lot of nothing, so enjoy these less traveled alternatives to freeway freewheeling and skip the Highway 66 headache. After a long day of driving, no one wants to start their vacation waiting for traffic to start moving.
Take out your map and consider these suggestions for avoiding congestion:
From Virginia:
Take I-81 South to I -40 East to Exit 432 in Newport. Take U.S. 411 West, and you will arrive in Sevierville. 411 West, (Dolly Parton Parkway) in Sevierville, will intersect with Middle Creek Road. Take a left onto M iddle Creek Road and you will be on your way to Pigeon Forge. The scenery on this route is excellent and offers a welcome change of pace from interstate travel.
From Kentucky:
Take I-75 South to I-640 East, then I-40 East to exit 432 in Newport. Take Highway 411 South to Sevierville and Pigeon Forge as described above.
From Alabama:
From I-75 North, take exit 81 and follow Highway 321 North through Maryville and Townsend. From Townsend, you may continue on U.S. 321 North through Wears Valley on the edge of the national park and then arrive in the heart of Pigeon Forge at U.S. 441 (The Parkway). Another option at Townsend is to head into the National Park on State Route 73 (Little River Road). A scenic drive through the park on Little River Road takes you on the old Little River Railroad grade and past picnic areas to the Sugarlands Visitor Center. You can continue to Gatlinburg or take the Gatlinburg By-pass to Pigeon Forge and arrive with memories of driving in the mountains instead of frustrations from traffic jams.
From Nashville:
From I-40 take I-75 South to Exit 81 and follow Highway 321 North through Maryville and Townsend. From Townsend, you may continue on U.S. 321 North through Wears Valley on the edge of the national park and then arrive in the heart of Pigeon Forge at U.S. 441 (The Parkway). Another option at Townsend is to head into the National Park on State Route 73 (Little River Road). Take the Gatlinburg By-pass and arrive in Pigeon Forge after a drive through the Foothills Parkway with overlooks of Gatlinburg. If you prefer, skip the bypass and hit up the town in Gatlinburg before continuing to Pigeon Forge on U.S. 441 North.
From North Carolina:
Take I-40 West to Exit 443 and follow Foothills Parkway to Highway 321 South to Gatlinburg. Take a right onto U.S. 441 North and drive the “spur” of the Foothills Parkway to Pigeon Forge.
From Georgia:
If you like mountains, this one is for you: you’ll travel through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Pigeon Forge. Take I-85 North to I-985 North to U.S. 23. Take U.S. 23 to Highway 23/441 to Highway 74/441 through Cherokee, NC to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
From Knoxville:
Also, remember that U.S. 441 from Knoxville was THE way to get to the mountains before the interstates, and it is still a beautiful road to travel on, as long as you don’t mind the typical city traffic in Knoxville. You’ll end up in Sevierville just past Highway 66 and in view of the Courthouse. Take a right onto Forks of the River Parkway and you’ll be on your way to Pigeon Forge.