Bryson City NC to Knoxville TN

I have done both routes in our 26 ft class c. If you are comfortable driving in the mountains, 441 should not be a problem. Just use a lower gear and watch your brakes. IMO the NC side is steeper and the TN side more curves. Traffic from Gatlinburg to I 40 can be bumper to bumper at times. On I 40 there is an area that is 55 MPH with large trucks limited to the right lane and 50 MPH. A concrete barrier median separates east and west bound lanes. I have gone thru when the trucks will stack up and slow things down but it moves along. Google maps street view shows the area around the TN/NC really well.

If I wanted to see the park or Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, I would take 411. If I just wanted to get to Knoxville, especially on a weekend, I would take I 40.