NEWFOUND GAP, Great Smokey Mtn. Nat'l Park

[GPG52_]

Gents
We are finally taking our new Cougar 327 and new Ford F250 out for our first summer trip.
Ontario to Nashville, TN (via I75, 71,65)
Nashville to Cherokee, NC (via 40, 60 to Gatlinburg and through Great Smokey Mtn. Nat'l Park crossing at Newfound Gap el 5,048ft)
Cherokee, NC to Asheville,NC to Statesville (via I40), Buffalo, NY (via I77, 79, 90) back to Ontario.
QUESTION:
How friendly is the Newfound Gap crossing through Great Smokey Mtn. Nat'l Park for bigger rigs?
Or should we error on the side of caution and loop through Ashville (40) and double back to Cherokee?
Any insight would be appreciated.
GPG

[GraciesDaddy]

This may be moot, but... Here goes:

Would I TOW a 5er over the Gap? AwHELLNaw!

Would I take the King Aire over the Gap ...with the T&C towdollied? YouuuuuBetcha!

And DID! Once I got Sally sufficiently Casino'd and content after a few days in Cherokee, off we went! And you better believe we took the Gatlinburg Bypass! If I wanna see that many tourist traps in one place, I'll go to Daytona! At least it has a beach! 😉

[GPG52_]

Gents, thank you for the feedback.
My original post is dated 2014, since then we did do the trip.
Out of an abundance of caution we did go around and it does add a lot of time.
Be cautious of your GPS because after going around the GPS had us climb up the Blue Ridge Parkway... all worked out well but not a place for towing a 5th wheel.
Once we arrived in Cherokee, NC and shared our GPS story other campers told us they had experienced the same issue.
As for NEWFOUND GAP,
we did a day trip across to Gatlinburg and came to the conclusion that we could have taken our 5th wheel over the top without any problem.
As noted by others make sure you watch your braking and you should be fine.
Happy trails!!!
GPG

[ken56]

The road is pretty steep but if your TV is adequate for your rig then do the gap road. If your TV is maxed on its weight limits then go around, just don't go 32, stay on 321/73. At one point 321 will turn left but stay on 73 or you will go to exit 435. It will go to exit 440 on I-40. Going around will add ALOT of miles. Gear down going down hill. I see vehicles from class A's to class C's burn their breaks up all the time on that road. Just understand how to go down hill on steep grades. The GAP road is a good road and if you have pulled in the mountains you will do just fine.

[BillyandKris]

We have a 30' Arctic Fox FW. Had planned to go from Elkmont CG on Newfound Gap Rd. to Smokemont CG. After reading this, maybe should go around? Or stick to the plan and take Newfound Gap Rd. Just read the LAST post and it was more encouraging. What is the recommended routeto go around--321/73 toward Cosby and then then take Foothills Parkway to Exit 443 to get on 40 south? How far/how long is the drive to go around? Thanks in advance. BTW we have towed the camper lots in Colorado so are experienced, but don't want horribly stressful roads either. :@

[ken56]

Don't be intimidated by going over the gap. All sizes of rigs go thru it, from class A's to 5ers to pop ups. Granted, it will give you a workout but the road is wide enough, the tunnels are tall enough, and that circle sign in the pik earlier in this thread is no biggie. It sweeps plenty wide around so it isn't an issue. Its 28 mi. from Gatlinburg to Cherokee, going around adds quite a few miles and time. The only thing in Cherokee is the Harras casino and a bunch of hoakie indian "trading posts". The Cherokee heritage museum there is the only thing authentic about the Cherokee culture and worth a tour. Enjoy your stay here.

[americanrascal]

GPG52

Might want to try a nice little campground we stayed at the week before last in Gatlinburg and see if they have a vacancy. It was relatively close in to town and had everything we needed. It was clean, reasonably priced and well managed and on good road that can take you north to I-40 when your done.

Camping In the Smokies at 1640 East Parkway. Has good reviews.

The DW and I have rather given up on Cherokee as after 40 years of visiting the Smokies several times a year we have had enough. Yes there are a few things to see there and a trip from Gatlinburg over to Cherokee for a day trip is worth the ride. But Cherokee has fallen off our list as a destination, while the park remains very special to us. While we love the National Park we had been getting a bit weary of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge as we kept looking for a cruise ship to dock at any moment 🙂 But our stay at Camping in the Smokies was pleasurable and made for an enjoyable easy stay.

[TPUC]

Most all the large campgrounds in Cherokee are on Big Cove road. No problems getting there. FYI your campground is 4 or 5 miles out of town towards the National Park. River runs right by it and it's a very nice area.

[kohldad]

If you want a spot for the 4th and don't mind dry camping, check out Cosby Campground in the north end of the GSMNP. You can still get reservations and it will be quiet. Only about a 30 minute leisure drive down to see Gatlinburg. This would also leave you near I-40 for an easy pull through the mountains.

May be a tad bit on the warm side during the day, but at night shoould cool off nice.

Would think the week after the fourth you should be in better shape.

In regards to the gap, I've pulled it a few times with my FW though much prefer it in the TC. If you are experienced and comfortable, go for it but it is not recommended for the squeemish, in-experienced, or over loaded. Definitely a couple tight switchbacks and one VERY LONGGGGG up hill climb. Neatest thing is the over and under switchback on the TN side.

[GPG52_]

Thank you to all for your time in responding.
Concusses seems to be that going around with the 5er is preferred but going back with the TV is a must.
We have lots of time (semi retired) so will take the easy route.
As one response suggested our original plan was to stay at Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg but unfortunately my procrastination caught me (again) with no campsites available due to July 4th weekend.
Cherokee NC was on our list of to do.. POW WOW, aboriginal culture etc
We were lucky to get a site YOGI BEAR's CAMP RESORTS, Cherokee, NC.

QUESTION:
Has anyone had any experience staying at YOGI BEAR's CAMP, Cherokee, NC?
How is the access road to the camp?
regards,
GPG

[rv2go]

A few years ago the road bed was lowered in all the tunnels on 441(Newfound Gap Road). All meet the legal 13.6" clearance.


I have seen about anything on wheels go over the Gap. I guess that it all depend on skill and the condition of your rig. Horsepower, Brakes.

From the Visitors center on the TN side to the Gap is 13 miles. There are pullouts. Down to Cherokee is a little longer with some pullouts.

Be sure to stop at the Gap. The view is awesome.

[americanrascal]

Just did the run over the Gap last week in our truck camper. I have not taken our fiver over the gap and do not think I will, but I have taken a 25' travel trailer over the mountains through the gap. Not interested in towing over the mountain again as I used up about a years worth of worry and stress doing it. Its doable but not all that comfortable. There is a good bit of pucker factor involved and all the worry, stress and focus on the driving with a trailer attached tends to take away from the surrounding beauty.

All that said if you are in that area don't miss Newfound gap and especially do not miss Clingmans Dome which is accessed from Newfound Gap. The views, if you hit it just right, are spectacular.

You may want to think about camping in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, dropping the 327 at the campground and spend a morning running up to the gap and Clingmans Dome with the truck- then going back, picking it up and running around to the other side. Much less stressful and you won't miss one of the prettiest sites in the east.It takes about 1/2 hour- 45 minutes up to the gap from Gatlinburg and about an hours total driving time time from Gatlinburg to Cherokee if you decided to go down the other side and back to Gatlinburg the same day. That's very doable.

[TPUC]

I would disagree you can tow across it just fine. Lots of folks do it everyday. The tunnels are marked with heights at the yellow line. If it makes you feel better just hug the center line a bit in the tunnels. If you still don't want to go have you considered I 24 to Chattanooga then I 75 north to exit 20 and take US 64 along the Ocoee to Cherokee. Tractor trailers run it everyday so it will not be any issues other than rafting traffic. Very Scenic drive. I tow my 30 footer thru there several times a year.

[Handbasket]

If you've not towed in the mountains before, going around is the better choice. There is an ...errr, 'interesting'... road sign on the Tennessee side of US 441:



Jim, "Error message: Keyboard not attached. Press F1 to continue."

[Halmfamily]

yrusoslo wrote:
Go around

X2..Never been over the Gap with my fiver but have driven over it a couple times bobtail. There are tunnels that would be tight and its a long haul up with little room for mistakes in some areas. I'd go around if it were me.