Which Road to Take (Maryville, Newport: live in, ferry, island)

[mstergos]

OK, so I am traveling from Raleigh, NC to Gatlinburg this weekend. When I map the trip I get two different paths once inside Tennessee. One is to take Hwy 32 off of I-40, the other is to take the Foothills Parkway, both going to Hwy 321. Which route would you recommend. Take into account the scenery and driving difficulty. Drive time is not a big issue.

Thanks.

[inave]

Don't know about that first route but the Foothills Parkway is beautiful. Just last Sunday, DH and I drove down 321 from Maryville to Townsend to the Parkway and back into Maryville. It's a beautiful drive.

[jabogitlu]

Hmmmmmm, isn't Hwy 32 that road that goes through Cosby and eventually ends up in Newport if you turn left?

I'd probably opt for the Foothills myself.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by mstergos

OK, so I am traveling from Raleigh, NC to Gatlinburg this weekend. When I map the trip I get two different paths once inside Tennessee. One is to take Hwy 32 off of I-40, the other is to take the Foothills Parkway, both going to Hwy 321. Which route would you recommend. Take into account the scenery and driving difficulty. Drive time is not a big issue.

Thanks.

I think it's one of those "six of one, half-dozen of the other" situations. I've been both ways and can't tell a difference time-wise. But I do think the Foothills Pkwy option is prettier.

[daniellefort]

Doesn't 32/321 bring you right onto the Parkway if you go south not to far in from I-40. If drive time isn't a factor, i'd say go for the ride off 32/321 south and hit the parkway at the same time. You'll still have plenty of Parkway to drive until you reach your destination then you'll know next time you take that trip which way you prefer. 321 is an easy road to drive on.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by daniellefort

Doesn't 32/321 bring you right onto the Parkway if you go south not to far in from I-40. If drive time isn't a factor, i'd say go for the ride off 32/321 south and hit the parkway at the same time. You'll still have plenty of Parkway to drive until you reach your destination then you'll know next time you take that trip which way you prefer. 321 is an easy road to drive on.

I think the original post is referring to Hwy 32 which exits off of I-40 right at the NC/TN line and goes to Cosby where it meets up with Hwy 321. If you stay on I-40 headed west, the next exit is Foothills Pkwy which also meets up with Hwy 321 in Cosby.

Foothills Pkwy doesn't allow trucks, so that might make it a more pleasant drive. I think Hwy 32 between I-40 and Cosby is pretty windy and twisty. It's a nice drive, but if you get stuck behind a truck you might not enjoy it.

On the other hand, being stuck behind a Winnebago on Foothills isn't very fun, either.

I say: go to Gatlinburg one way and leave Gatlinburg the other. Just let us know which one you prefer.

[daniellefort]

Oh ok. I couldn't find 32 on the map other than a little road that turns into 321. But yes, that's what we like to do is go in one way and come out the other way. That's how you get know your way around. We like to be adventurous in our travels if time isn't a factor of course

[Ridgerunner]

It's probably too late to comment and I'm speaking in jest anyway. I would forget about Gatlinburg and go to either Grandfather Mountain or Mount Mitchell and get my head in the clouds, literally. Or I might drive the Blue Ridge Parkway from Balsam to Cherokee. Or drive to Cedar Island and ride the ferry to Okracoke. I live in Tennessee but I love North Carolina.

[jabogitlu]

I love North Carolina, too. I think when I get too old to see, hear, and operate heavy machinery, I'll go back in the mountains in Madison Co. and live in peace!