We are planning a trip to NC in August. We just were on Google Maps and tried a few different routes and one route is taking us from Tenn thru the NC mtns. By the way we are coming from northern MN so this will be a 24 hr drive no matter what. Anyway, we would like to know which route thru the mtns is better? Initially, I think it has us on 23 thru Tenn then 221 into Greensboro. The whole point is avoiding Chicago as much as we can. Has anyone been on this route?

Thanks

I don't travel that way enough to give you help but I will tell you to avoid Charlotte, NC even if it means driving a bit out of your way.

My wife never goes into the mountains with the mountain grade directory. There is one for East and West. They are excellent for avoiding bad situations. Amazon has them new and used from $3 to $13. Good Luck

http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-Directory-E...8180&sr=1-2

The whole point is avoiding Chicago as much as we can. Has anyone been on this route?

Thanks
[/quote]

How about thru Norther Michigan down 75 to Knoxville, and then 40 to your destination. A very scenic trip through N. Michigan.

We looked at that route also simply because it would be a nice tour of the great lakes and great scenic trip for our kids, but I have to ask my husband why he shot it down.

Thank you, I didn't know one existed!!

Going from Tennessee to North Carolina, if you end up on Interstate 40, you might want to check the applicable DOT (Transportation) sites for each state. Last November, there was a horrible rock slide or something on a lot of miles of that Interstate and you could not drive from Tennessee into NC on I-40. You had to detour. I don't know if that rock slide has been fixed, maybe it has, but it was a bad one.

I drove to North Georgia last winter and ran into that problem.

JJ

Thanks, I just checked with the NC DOT and I-40 is now open both ways except for a few miles somewhere in between.

Whatever you do, make sure to stay clear of RT 129 which is commonly known as "The Tail of the Dragon". If you don't know, it is an 11 mile stretch of road between TN and NC which has 318 turns. Great for motorcycles and sport cars, but not good for 18 wheelers and RVs.

Best Regards,
Norm

The best way through the mountains is I-40. It is now re-opened so that isn't an issue. It has AFAIK the gentlest grades of all the options (I assume this is your concern). Take I-39 to Peoria, I-74 to Cincinnati, I-75 to Knoxville, then I-40 to wherever in NC you are headed. Be aware the 30 mile part through the actual mountains is, by interstate standards, narrow and winding, and full of trucks, but it's still better than any other.

I-64 to I-77 may be another route; I'n not familiar with it, but doubt it would be better--it's certainly longer, and involves a toll.

Thank you to all that replied. We just had to move our trip up to July due to my husbands work/travel schedule. I am pretty sure we will travel thru TN and take I-40 to I-64 to the Outer Banks,