Interstate 40 thru eastern TN and western NC

Experience is the best teacher, BUT you better have a basic understanding of how to use your transmission for going both up AND down the hills. Understand the power band of your trucks tranny and don't be afraid of revving that engine to unleash those horses or to slow yourself down. I am familiar with the stretch of I-26 outside of Johnson City with its hills and grades. The Gorge is easier and so is the Black Mountain stretch.

There are 2 different parts of I-40 bring talked about here. The Pigeon River Gorge stretch & the Black Mountain stretch. Black Mountain may be the worst down hill interstate in the south. It's both steep and crooked. IMHO not as steep as Monteagle, but with more corners. The Pigeon River Gorge stretch is crooked and long, but not steep at all.

so all of you that say learn how to drive in the mountains if I40 scares you, how do you learn to drive in the mountains??
I took I26 from Asheville through Johnson City to I81 and it terrified me. I was in pickup only, but it was raining/extremely foggy. I live in very flat area (GA/FL Line) and rarely get up in that direction. I plan to move from TT to a Class A and hope to take driving lessons for it. Do they teach mountain driving in MH driving classes or do I need to look elsewhere?

DownTheAvenue wrote:
WOW! If that route bothers you, you sure do not want to go west of the Mississippi!

Got that one right. Try doing I70 from the Eisenhour tunnel east or west! Going east it is basically an hour of going downhill to Denver.

We just did the stretch the OP is talking about a month or so ago, about 12,500# of 5er. Don't recall any particular stretch that was of any real concern.

We are currently at the KOA for an overnight near Newport, TN along I40. Had rain today. I still love this stretch of road.

hyattjlbb wrote:
Getting ready to do this route this summer with the set up below. Is it any worse than coming over at Huntington to Charleston WV on I-64? We have gone that route with no issues but the I-40 route is shorter and more ideal.

No need to be intimidated by I-40 and the Pigeon River Gorge stretch. I just fall in behind the semi trucks and keep pace with them, truck limit is 55 through there. Don't go out of your way to avoid it. Its really a pretty drive. You have plenty of truck to handle it just fine.

ken56 wrote:
be prepared and know how to drive in the hills and mountains.

This is good advice whether you are in the eastern US or driving here in the Rockies.

One of the reasons that some of us warn folks about the Million Dollar Highway/US 550 and it's challenges. Some blow us off as alarmists, others concur with what we advise.

Regardless of where you drive, if there's any sort of challenge, beyond driving across the flatness of Kansas (!), being prepared, INFORMED, and knowing how to drive in the hills/mountains is a benefit.

Getting ready to do this route this summer with the set up below. Is it any worse than coming over at Huntington to Charleston WV on I-64? We have gone that route with no issues but the I-40 route is shorter and more ideal.

The Pigeon River Gorge is a little twisty and can have some pretty good grades to it. Semi trucks and motor homes and 5th wheels do it all the time but what is a great drive to one is another mans white knuckle experience. I personally don't mind it either direction but I agree with the OP, be prepared and know how to drive in the hills and mountains.

We travel 441 thru the national park occasionally to Cherokee N.C. and every time I see one RV with smoking brakes......yes, some daring folks haul their RV's over New Found Gap. I go around it as I am not THAT daring to attempt that drive towing my TT.

I didn't say it scared me, I said be prepared.
We used to live in Wilkesboro, so we know hills. I had a 5.7 diesel Eldorado as a company car back then, took a day and a half to get to Boone.
And Roy, I'm not pulling an OFF ROAD POPUP :).