Avoiding Atlanta. Hwy 76 from Clayton to Blairsville, GA

[Klueck]

We are planning a route from Tampa to Blairsville, Georgia. We have a 41 foot MH and will be towing a vehicle. We're not used to mountains, so we also want to avoid hairpin turns and as many steep grades as possible. (we're Floridians and we have no mountains here)

We want to avoid Atlanta so we're thinking of heading north on I75 through Macon,GA. Then onto 129 and 441 to Clayton, Georgia. It's showing in our Truckers atlas as a truckers route and we drove it last month and had no problems.

The more direct route would be after Cornelia, GA, to head west on US 129 over the mountain, but we've been on it in our car and do NOT want to use it in the motorhome.

So, what we've come up with is stay on 441 from Clayton, Ga head west through Hiawassee, and then over to Blairsville on Hwy 76.

Hwy 76 does not show as a truckers route, but we drove it in our car and didn't remember any issues.

HOWEVER, driving in your car is quite different from driving in the MH, and we want to make sure we've not forgetting anything (like a low bridge or hairpin turns?

Anybody taken a large rig on hwy 76 into Blairsville?

Is it easily do-able with a large Mh and tow car?

[its_just_me]

I would swing west thru Alabama to avoid Atlanta..........I hate that place. Just joking but I do hate that place.

[jaycocamprs]

I would take I-75 thru Atlanta and up I-575/GA-515. No steep grades, no sharp turns, all 4-lane, mostly 65mph.

[narcodog]

Horsedoc wrote:
129 is not a good idea if you are heading to Blairsville. Not so bad from Gainesville to Cleveland, but then you have to go over the mountains to get to Blairsville. This is a curvy, steep and a lot a switch backs. Beautiful drive but not for people who want to avoid mountain driving. It gets really steep as you cross Blood Mountain and the Appalachian Trail.
The least mountainous route will be 441 from Macon to Clayton and then turn left in Clayton over to Hiawassee and on to Blairsville. 76 from Clayton over to Hiawassee is the worst of that route, but easily doable. We do that route regularly, 40 feet and towing. I suggest you stay away from Helen and rt 17 to Hiawassee in your RV.
You COULD do the western approach from I-75 but that involves Atlanta and going nearly to Tennessee - and almost another day.

Doc, that's not exactly correct. From B'ville to I75 it's a little less than two hours.

[Horsedoc]

129 is not a good idea if you are heading to Blairsville. Not so bad from Gainesville to Cleveland, but then you have to go over the mountains to get to Blairsville. This is a curvy, steep and a lot a switch backs. Beautiful drive but not for people who want to avoid mountain driving. It gets really steep as you cross Blood Mountain and the Appalachian Trail.
The least mountainous route will be 441 from Macon to Clayton and then turn left in Clayton over to Hiawassee and on to Blairsville. 76 from Clayton over to Hiawassee is the worst of that route, but easily doable. We do that route regularly, 40 feet and towing. I suggest you stay away from Helen and rt 17 to Hiawassee in your RV.
You COULD do the western approach from I-75 but that involves Atlanta and going nearly to Tennessee - and almost another day.

[narcodog]

If you don't want to get into mountains then go 75N to 575 straight to Blairsville.

!29 goes through many small towns, relatively speaking, 441 is the same. You would be better off just going straight through Atl.

When I say small I'm not talking about less traffic because once you get close to Atl. it's one city and city traffic.

[magnusfide]

Have done both. On US 129 over the mountain the road is much wider than US 76. Both have some turns. US129 has two true hairpins but the road is very wide at that point.

US76 also has several true hairpins and all have a very narrow road which makes the hairpins trickier. US 76 is more narrow overall as well.

Personally I feel more at ease on US129 with a long load. The large load truckers also use 129. Only you know how comfortable you feel.

Helpful hint: if you do choose 129, take I-85 to I-985 and get off just north of Gainesville, GA (exit 24). Take Old Cornelia HWY west towards Gainesville for more or less a mile. Then turn right on Limestone Parkway. Limestone is US 129. Stay with it all the way through Cleveland and on up over the moutains.

Enjoy Blairsville: it's our favorite small town in GA.