Charlotte to the Knoxville area

[Aka_the_breeze]

Hello all,

Possibly looking into making a trip from Charlotte NC to Knoxville TN this year, by way of 85 - 26 - 40. . .

How is 40 crossing the mountains ? Curious about the grades ?...

[ken56]

You have plenty of truck to handle it, piece of cake.

[Aka_the_breeze]

Thanks all, OP here -

I have an older (08) KZ 41' fifth wheel with Disc brakes... and a "15" F-350 SRW with exhaust Brake... I am not concerned its DW that was not sure about it...

Plenty of guts . . and plenty of shoes to stop..

[Gooding__R]

Make the trip from central SC several times a year to Cherokee and I agree with Ken56 it is not a hair raising trip. I am 72 and drive a 35 ft class A with a dingy so that may help with your concerns. The longest pull is Saluda Mountain and there is a truck lane. Have a safe trip

[ken56]

I-40 coming west from the I-26 jct. is nothing serious until you get to the Pigeon River Gorge, then its turns and down hill grades mostly with a speed limit of 55 and semi trucks restricted to the outside lane. Don't let me scare you here because it really is not hair raising to navigate. There is 1 short tunnel to go through with lots of room. Just fall in with the semi's and go with the flow. I have never had any issues, relax and enjoy the scenery, its quite pretty.

Once you get through the gorge, about 20 miles, its smooth sailing all the way to K'ville.

[rv2go]

The Green River crossing is your biggest challenge. You will have the truck lane if needed.

I-26 West

I-26, NC, MM 65, Uphill grade, Truck lane
I-26, NC, MM 62, Top of uphill grade.
I-26, NC, MM 61, Uphill grade
I-26, NC, MM 59, Downhill
I-26, NC, MM 56, Cross the Green River Bridge, begin 7% uphill grade
I-26, NC, MM 54, Top of the grade.

[RoyB]

Keep in mind all of the Interstates have a GRADE specification to meet so all of the max grades will be about the same everywhere (6% to 7%). The only difference we run into some Interstate grades are short and some are very long grades... The long ones make you want to ride the brakes sometimes which you need to avoid as much as possible...

I have made the trip from Charleston SC to the Smoky Mtns several times pulling my POPUP trailer... Sometimes I get real brave and get off of I26 at Hendersonville and head for Maggie Valley/Cherokee using US276 and US17 and get to Gatlinburg that way. Get to see alot more of the Natl Forest areas... This would be a pretty tuff trip pulling a big travel trailer however...

Of course with the POPUP trailer I don't ever worry about the road conditions that much...

I have made a good 10 or more such trips over my DOD working years being allowed to travel to the work sites with my POPUP trailer...

Roy Ken