Smoky Mountain Fall Cruisin!

[HLANDIS]

Hello all,
Just wanted to let everyone know that my friend and I will be taking the snake to the mountains to check out the fall foliage Oct. 18-21st. Never seen the fall colors yet, I hear its a must see! If any other members will be in the area that weekend, let me know and maybe we can cruise together (won't mind a local tour guide either). We will be staying in downtown Gatlinburg. Hope to maybe see ya there!

BTW, is the weather in the Smokies cold that time of year? Long sleeve or short? Thanks

Ronny

 

[LaViper]

Been there many times, you'll enjoy. Gotta make the Fall Foliage in Hot Springs Oct 19-21 this year. Check the Gatlinburg / Pigeon Forge Chamber of Commerce website for a listing of any Events / car shows that week.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

take a jacket , the evenings can be cool for sure, but if you go up that way be sure to take the smokey mountain parkway also, that and over by the fontana dam, quit a scenery that time of year for sure.

 

[HLANDIS]

Thanks,
Is there another name for the Smoky Mountain Parkway? Looking on my map and dont see it.

 

[JoelW]

Ronny

If you haven't been on the Blue Ridge Parkway, get on it and do some cruisin'. It ain't fast but there isn't a better view anywhere - if the weather is clear. Be sure to stop at the Pisgah Inn and eat. Great view and great food. You can drop off the mountain, get back on Hwy 74, roll back to 441 and go back through the mountains toward Gatlinburg. Of course, if the weather is bad, you can just enjoy Gatlinburg.

We have a couple of members up that way that might be able to "steer" you in the right direction. These are the names as I know them. Cherohola Skyway is Hwy 143, US 74 is the Smokey Mountain Expressway, The Foothills Parkway goes from Hwy 129 over towards Hwy 23 and US 321 (the Alexander Parkway), US 441 is the Scenic Parkway, and on and on.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

Thanks,
Is there another name for the Smoky Mountain Parkway? Looking on my map and dont see it.

Let me see if I can figure out how to hook you up boss

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

not sure which way you are comming in, but as others say 441 thru the forest is beautiful this time of year,
but here is some roads that may help as you look on the map

if you take 441 to franklin nc, then pick up hwy 28, run it thru fontana ,fontana village and dam, pick up hwy 129 , thats deals gap, as you exit deals gap you will see foothills parkway taking off to the right, that will lead you over to cades cove, nice place to stop for a bit, then over to pigeon forge and gatlinburg, from there if you come back down 441 it will bring you back to cherokee reservation and from there its a hop skip and jump to asheville to the biltmore estate.

 

[HLANDIS]

Thanks for all of the input. Will make the trip run much smoother. Trying to get as much scenery and, of course fun roads as possible the two days we are there. I will be leaving from Gburg to head into the mountains.
How does this route sound?:
From Gburg take 441-19 in cherokee through bryson city-74-28(part of moonshine 28) through fontana dam-129 through the Dragon-foothills parkway-321 through townsend, over to 73-441 back to Gburg. Seems like there is no way to hit the Dragon and fontana dam and also the BRP and Cherohala Skyway in the same route?

If not maybe day two we can drive the BRP for a bit alone. Is the BRP a better choice out of the Cherohala and the BRP?

 

[HLANDIS]

Oh yea! What about FUEL?? Are stations scattered along these routes? Thanks again for the help

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

on 19/23 there is a bp station, then at the beggining of the dragon there is a station, honestly before leaving gatlingburg I recommend filling up, down 441 to cherokee there isnt much, there is in bryson a few stations. but once on the small roads there isnt alot,

on the roads, eh half dozen one of the other, I really enjoy 441 a good bit.

we used to hit the dragon for a couple years every weekend before we went road racing, and that area this time of the year is off the hook, matter of fact when you head towards the dragon, you will come to the dragons den, there is where the road splits, you will take a right to head into the dragon, but if you keep going striaght you will cross the river from the spillway, about another mile, it turns flat with a stream beside the road and a couple really nice areas for pics

 

[HLANDIS]

Thanks JTS and Joel, really appreciate the input! Looking forward to this trip Will post some pics when we return.

 

[HLANDIS]

8 days to go!! Looking forward to a little time off cruising the mountains.

 

[bboyer]

Hey Ronnie! Your route sounds good, but you need to add a short stop at Clingman's Dome. Our schedule was too tight this year for the annual stop with that many cars, so at least go to the parking lot (there is a hike you can take to the overlook, but the parking lot is nice too). It's a couple of miles from the stop we made to take the group photo. Also, hate to throw a wrench into your plans, but if you do the Dragon route on the way there, you could take another trip the next day towards Maggie Valley and US209 (Known as the Rattler). Some of us did that this year and it will now be the official Saturday drive based on the part we did! Let me know if you want more details...you can Google it. Have Fun!

 

[HLANDIS]

Thanks Brett,
Yes, we plan on making a stop at clingmans dome. Maggie Valley sounds good, I was looking for another route to take the next day. Decisions, decisions, do I take the skyway, BRP, or some other route? Great problem to have right! Would there be a way to tie in any of those roads with a route to maggie valley? I have no idea where fuel stops are so want to make sure that some of these routes have fuel/lunch stops along the way. Just missed Chuck, (Snake skin green ACR) he will be there this week taking some of these routes. Thanks again for the input.

 

[bboyer]

Thanks Brett,
Yes, we plan on making a stop at clingmans dome. Maggie Valley sounds good, I was looking for another route to take the next day. Decisions, decisions, do I take the skyway, BRP, or some other route? Great problem to have right! Would there be a way to tie in any of those roads with a route to maggie valley? I have no idea where fuel stops are so want to make sure that some of these routes have fuel/lunch stops along the way. Just missed Chuck, (Snake skin green ACR) he will be there this week taking some of these routes. Thanks again for the input.

There is a visitor's center on the way to Cherokee after you start going down beyond Clingmans's Dome. (NOT Sugarlands, which is just outside G'burg). Take the next left at the end of the large field and that will go to Maggie Valley. Plenty of gas & restaurants there. We went from Maggie Valley to Junaluska up to Hot Springs (US209, the Ratter) and then back to G' Burg...that made for a good day of driving. Would be good to have a GPS just in case...

 

[HLANDIS]

Thanks Brett,
Looks like the weather will be great too Everyone says that this trip will be very nice this time of year, looking forward to the

 

[bboyer]

So...how was it?

 

[HLANDIS]

Just got back last night! AMAZING, hope you guys realize what ya'll have up there! (ANYONE KNOW OF ANY PROPERTY FOR SALE IN THAT AREA) Thanks for the input from everyone. Roads were great, weather was great, scenery was amazing, a weekend well worth the travel time! I have seen pics of the Smokies in the fall but didnt realize that the colors were really that bright. Had to buy a second SD card for the camera. Here are a few pics. Thanks again for the input. See you guys soon.

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[HLANDIS]

Some more:

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[HLANDIS]

And more::d
NOT SURE WHY THE PICS ARE LISTED THIS WAY, BUT HERE ARE SOME MORE.

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[bboyer]

Looks like you caught the scenery at a decent time. About that 2nd SD card, would it, by chance be FULL of a BLACK VIPER from every conceivable angle? If you haven't noticed, there are more pics of your car than the scenery posted...not to be a spoiled sport, but you coulda done that at home...

 

[HLANDIS]

Trust me, we have plenty of pics of the scenery!! I think we have around 500 pics total. Have a lot of gopro video of Moonshiner 28, the Dragon, 441 and the foothills parkway also. All amazing! That area around Fontana Dam and the lake are spectacular this time of year. Clingmans Dome was also great, crystal clear up there, could see everything!! Did not have the time to hit the skyway or blue ridge, so looking forward to making those in the near future!

 

[HLANDIS]

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[bboyer]

WOW! That's pretty spectacular shots for this part of the country (color-wise)! Glad you hit it just right!

 

[HLANDIS]

Thanks Brett,
Do the fall colors always get that vibrant? Is there a short window to catch that type of color? Just wondering, trying to plan on taking the family to see that next year. Everyone was right when they say its a must see! Sorry to miss my Mid-South fall cruise event in Hot Spings AR., but sure glad I did! That was the only weekend in October I was able to get away.

 

[JTS VENOM PERFORMANCE]

nice pics man, looks like you had a blast!