OK to TN

[jcordar2]

We will be taking our "maiden voyage" along Rt 40 from Elk City OK to Sevierville in the spring. We'll be hauling a 43' 5th wheel. I want to plan carefully and we will be following the 2-2-2 rule. I have the Rand McNally truckers atlas in hand. Anyone have suggestions of places to stay that aren't too far off the interstate and can accommodate big rigs?

[Merrykalia]

Both DH and I are retired, but our kids are still in school, even this year. We spend May until September getting in as much camping as we can. If we are traveling lots of miles to somewhere, we will have one long day(8 hrs) , then a short day, and if needed, then another long day. Our short day is from about 10 am until 2 or 3 pm with a short stop in the middle. You can still cover quite a bit of mileage doing that. We don't need two days to recover from a long drive, if we did, we probably wouldn't still be traveling.

[JRscooby]

Terryallan wrote:

jcordar2 wrote:
Since we are newbies:
Drive 200 miles, stop by 2pm, stay 2 days......

You are retired right? Seems that rule would hinder traveling for most people. Have to have a lot of time to get somewhere. Using that rule. We would have never gotten to travel.

Looks like it will take you about 9 days to get to where you are going. Were I you I would look for KOAs .. Many of them are close to interstates.

Unless I misunderstood. Which is very possible

When we where working, and using a tent wife would take vacation first and last week of year. Load the pickup, drive mostly south until warm enough for tent. Then spend 2-3 days exploring, move another tank of gas, repeat. Circle around so we could get home in time.
Working, load up burn the miles to get someplace to unload. Thousands of times I have passed something, thought "Would like a closer look at that, grabbed another gear. You and many others feel the need to burn the miles to get to the fun. More than once somebody has come home from a vacation running their head about the great things in a museum in another city. The donkey in me will ask "When was the last time you where in the local museum?"

[TxGearhead]

Look at upthecreek rv camp in Pigeon Forge.

[jcordar2]

Thank you so much!!

[ken56]

You will be very happy with the Ridge RV park. One of the newest in the area and has nice facilities and sites have some space to them so you don't feel like a sardine. Parkers Crossroads is a nice park also, we have stayed there also. Plan your time to hit Memphis after 9am. It's always busy so you might consider taking the south bypass 240...although that's busy also. Once you are through there Nashville is you next traffic nightmare. Time of day is critical again. If you stay in Nashville the parks on Music Valley Drive are all good. In Nashville go to the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson's home.

Nashville is approximately 3.5 hours from Sevierville. If you want to stop on that leg stay in Crossville at Deer Run. Wonderful park. The State park there, Cumberland Mountain, is good too and some sites have full hookup. It has a restaurant on site if so inclined to take a break from cooking.

I live in the Sevierville/ Pigeon Forge/ Dandridge area so if you have any questions about the area just ask. Moved here 7 years ago and LOVE it.

[jcordar2]

Thank you so much! You have been very helpful!

[Mr_Mark1]

Jane, it's going to take you a little while to get to East TN staying two days at each place as you are 1,000 miles away. But, that's OK. 🙂

I'll list a few parks along the way that we have stayed in many times. I go from TN to CA quite often from Memphis, TN.

Mustang Run just west of Oklahoma City is very nice and just right off of the interstate. But, thats only 112 miles from Elk City.

Ivy's Cove in Russellville, AR. It's also right off of I-40.

Do not stay........KOA North... Little Rock, AR. Warning..... IT IS NOT BIG RIG FRIENDLY!

Tom Sawyer RV Park, West Memphis, AR. (Memphis, TN). Nice park on the Mississippi River. The neighborhood getting there is a little sketchy but once you get there, it's very nice.

Parker's Crossroad RV Park, Yuma, TN (Lexington, TN) exit 108. Nice campground.

Nashville area.... KOA, Music Vally Dr., expensive but near a lot of entertainment and restaurants. KOA, Lebannon, TN, on the east side of Nashville, its a good stop but always full.
On Music Valley Dr., there is a Yogi Bear RV Park and Two Rivers campground.

Crossville, TN, KOA is nice but the whole parks slants.... couldn't get completely level but nice concrete pads.

Crossville, TN, Spring Lake RV resort is very nice too.

Kingston, TN, Soaring Eagle is a nice stop, just stayed there recently on the way back from NC.

Some of these parks may not be the perfect stop 'time or mileage' -wise, but I've been to them and would return again.

Good luck, safe travels,
MM.

[wowens79]

Terryallan wrote:

jcordar2 wrote:
Since we are newbies:
Drive 200 miles, stop by 2pm, stay 2 days......

You are retired right? Seems that rule would hinder traveling for most people. Have to have a lot of time to get somewhere. Using that rule. We would have never gotten to travel.

Looks like it will take you about 9 days to get to where you are going. Were I you I would look for KOAs .. Many of them are close to interstates.

Unless I misunderstood. Which is very possible

I'm with you, driving doesn't bother me, and not being retired, I don't have days to waste. I know alot of people follow that rule, but unless I change, which I may do with age, I'd rather get more miles in, and have less set up and tear downs, unless of course there are things to see/do at the stops.

[Terryallan]

jcordar2 wrote:
Since we are newbies:
Drive 200 miles, stop by 2pm, stay 2 days......

You are retired right? Seems that rule would hinder traveling for most people. Have to have a lot of time to get somewhere. Using that rule. We would have never gotten to travel.

Looks like it will take you about 9 days to get to where you are going. Were I you I would look for KOAs .. Many of them are close to interstates.

Unless I misunderstood. Which is very possible

[jcordar2]

We don't have a site # yet, we're going to the RV Dreams Rally being held there.

[Merrykalia]

jcordar2 wrote:
We are staying at "The Ridge"!

It's a great place. Do you know which site you are in?

We were in Site #5 and we did get some traffic noise, but during the day, it was BAD, but in the evenings (after Dollywood closed down), it wasn't too bad. Sirens from rescue squads were obnoxious during the day.

[jcordar2]

We are staying at "The Ridge"!

[Merrykalia]

I don't know where you are staying in Sevierville, but I can highly recommend The Ridge Outdoor Resort. It's definitely big rig friendly.

We had a 43' fifth wheel when we were there in July.

[jcordar2]

Since we are newbies:
Drive 200 miles, stop by 2pm, stay 2 days......