michaelpianko

This is my supposed rough approximate itinerary for Approximately June or July 2024. I will revise it as a do more research. I am a man traveling alone. Do you think it could be safe enough for me to walk trails and camp in a tent, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?



Gatlinberg TN is 568 miles driving distance from home in Michigan. Would I be better off taking a plane to Knoxville or Nashville or (somewhere else) and renting a car, or driving from home? Will I be able to take enough stuff to camp in a tent, if I take a plane?



I get ten paid days off work starting when my vacation time resets in the 3rd week of June. I know I don’t have to take it all off in one block of time. My work is closed weekends and 4th of July.



Great Smoky Mountains National Park, approximately 4 nights/3 whole days? (I want to walk some trails but certainly not more than 6 miles round trip in one sitting and even that might be too much. I am in average-good health. I want to see unusual scenery, overlooks, waterfalls, rivers, and so on; maybe the old building in parts of the park. I am not going to any nearby amusement parks doing any souvenir shopping)



Knoxville, TN: at least 2 nights? (World’s Fair Sunsphere, Knoxville Museum of Art, possibly if extra time: Blount Mansion, James White Fort, McClung Museum?, Knoxville Zoo?, Knoxville Botanical Gardens?



Chattanooga, TN: at least 2 nights? (Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park?, Hunter Museum of Art, Houston Museum of Decorative Arts?)



Nashville, TN: at least 3 nights? (The Parthenon; The Hermitage, president Andrew Jackson’s home and plantation; Belle Meade Plantation?, Carl Van Vechten Gallery at Fisk University; Aaron Douglas Gallery – paintings, in the university library; Cheekwood Botanic Garden & Museum of Art; Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum?; Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge; Possibly Grand Ole Opry – live music show, requires advance tickets from ticketmaster)



Do you think I am naïvely overestimating the significance of the mountains in the eastern USA and that I would be better off going to Yellowstone National Park and/or somewhere in the western states r Rocky mountains area?



You may write whatever reasonable suggestions you can think of.

MmePerdu

Yes, you should be able to. I’ve flown to a camping location with gear packed in an army-type canvas duffle bag. Sleeping bag, 2 person tent, ground cloth, clothing & personal items. No cooking equipment. Staying below the checked bag max weight will save you money & make it easy to handle.

Gretchen

The Smokies are a beautiful treasure. But they are a different kettle of fish from the western mountains. For both areas you will be traveling in peak crowd time and reservations at campgrounds would be wise.
For the Smokies we have camped in Cherokee which is the Indian village right on the border of the Park. please don't try to camp in Gatlinburg. There are campgrounds in Townsend also a good entry to the Park. One thing that is fun to do is tubing on some of the creeks.
For the Smokies I would drive. Unless you are flying a free checked bag airline, there will be charges for your bags and then car rental.
The drive to Knoxville from Michigan is a straight shot down I75 and wouldn't be a difficult drive. Maybe stop in Knoxville on the way to GSMNP for a day. If you do that you could also look around Lexington Kentucky on the way to see some of the beautiful horse country.
A different itinerary might take you to Asheville and its considerable sight seeing for 2 days after GSMNP and then maybe Chatanooga or even Atlanta for winding up. This does sacrifice Nashville which is really worthy. But I think it may e the outlier because driving BACK to Michigan from there is a long drive.
I don't want to disrespect any city but I think Knoxville could use less time than any of your other destinations--and my mother was from Knoxville!!

TDudette

I think Nashville needs more time, michaelpianko. Here's my pre-covid trip report for ideas/timing:

Chasing Sargent in Nashville

Please report back on your experiences.

michaelpianko

I am unsure whether your suggestion is good, bad, or neutral yet, but in favor of a plane and rental car: From my apartment: the approximate driving distances are: 550 miles to the middle of Nashville, 521 mi to the middle of Knoxville, 571 mi to Sugarlands visitor center at Great Smoky Mountains National Park; 636 mi to Chatanooga, TN, to Atlanta GA is 738 mi on I75, or 795 mi if I drive through Nashville on the way to Atlanta; to Ashville, NC is 642 mi. The main problem I see with driving to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is that it would be 2 days of driving one way, 4 days total. If I took 10 weekdays off work in a row, in theory I could stretch a trip up to 16 days total. Yeah you are right that a rental car would be rather expensive. This is just speculation and I probably will change my mine ten times as I do more research but booking.com showed a price of $730.78 for a rental car for 14 days for a nissan versa or similar, picking it up in at the airport in Atlanta, dropping it off at the airport in Nashville. For a rental car for 8 days in Florida in December 2021 I paid $820.98; in December 2022, in southern California, I paid $788.85 for a rental car for 8 days. I have no clue why booking is showing approximately half the cost per day compared to my two previous times I rented a car. Nashville has a replica of the Parthenon; it seems like Nashville is close enough to GSMNP that it would be a shame to skip it.

Gretchen

Car rentals are all over the place these days as companies reboot from the pandemic and replace cars.

The distances are the same to Knoxville and nashville--as are the driving times--almost 8 hours. GSMNP to Nashville is about 4 hours probably IF you stay on the western side of the Park. The traffic in and out of the Park is really difficult. Are you planning to camp at your other cities--commercial campgrounds maybe?

VolGreg

If you look at Nashville, Knoxville & Chattanooga it forms a triangle. There is not a good way to get around that triangle, but there are worse ways. For example, Interstate 24 connects Nashville and Chattanooga and it is always backed up at Chattanooga because trucks descend the Cumberland Plateau and their brakes overheat, Going from Chatt to Nashville is also very bad. Since most of the time you spend will be closer to Knoxville, my advice is to use Knoxville as a base to visit both Nashville & Chattanooga. Interstate 40 & 75 to Nashville and Chattanooga, respectively, are good until arriving in the cities.

I would leave off Chattanooga unless you need to go to the battlefields. If you do go then you will find that civilization has encroached into them - it is not pristine. The restaurant experience in Chattanooga is mediocre, Hunter museum offers good views of the Tennessee River, but it is a mediocre museum. Near the Huter is the Art View Bluff district with a few galleries and some restaurants and it is near downtown. There is a BnB there that might be worth it. (Being local I have no need for such accommodations). Chattanooga is crime-ridden be careful where you go. A family man was recently murdered by a career criminal downtown near Miller Park. Recommendations: the Public House is a good restaurant near the Marriot Hotel, the Towing Museum is surprisingly good (the tow truck was invented here), and north of Chattanooga in Soddy-Daisy is Horsin' Around Carousel Carving School.

Hope this helps, let me know if you need any more information.

michaelpianko

In Chatanooga, is the lookout mountain area (Rock garden and/or Ruby Falls) worth seeing? What about Racoon Mountain cave? I doubt I would go to all three; I see that each requires advance tickets that cost at least $25.95. I see that there is also Forbidden Caverns, 20 mi east of Sevierville; maybe that would take away my need to see a cave in or near Chatanooga?

I probably will stay at campgrounds on some nights and motels on other nights. If I can find a room for under about $75- $90 a night, in a good enough neighborhood, I might reserve the room instead of a campsite. I am not hard core about camping. If I camp, it would be in a tent, and only to be budget conscious if the hotels or motels are too expensive.

VolGreg

Lookout Mountain has a Civil War battlefield - The Battle Above the Clouds. It might be worth a visit depending on your interest in Civil War history. There is a Park on LO Mountian called Signal Point. It is owned by the National Park and a fee is needed for entry. Yes, I can recommend. Ruby Falls is the longest underground waterfall, it is worth a visit. Saw it several decades ago and never went back. Only you can judge the time you want to spend. To Get to LO Mountain you need to go by St Elmo area where the LO Mountian Incline is located. It might be a good way to get up the mountain as it is 2 lanes of windy roads Never been on the Incline so I have no opinion on it, but St Elmo has been gentrified by people fixing up the great Victorian-era houses and is a wonderful diversion. Blacksmith Bistro is just in front of the Incline and it is a good, if unorganized, restaurant. I assume what you meant by Raccoon Mountain Cave was the mountain hollowed out TVA to use as a pumped storage facility. If this is true then I highly recommend it. It had to be designed by a mad genius!

One other thing about Chattanooga is Coolidge Park "is a park located on the North Shore of Chattanooga, Tennessee along the Tennessee River. It has an interactive water fountain, rock climbing, a pavilion, picnic amenities, a military memorial, and a 100-year-old restored antique carousel." (from Wikipedia) It is named after a WW2 Medal Of Honor recipient. The carousel is vintage but the ride animals were carved locally by the students from Horsin Around. Behind Coolidge Park is Frazier Ave which is the tourist center in Chattanooga. Visitors are welcomed at Horsin Around.

I grew up in Sevierville but never went to Forbidden Caverns so I can not give an opinion. But between Chattanooga and Knoxville (exit 60 on I 75) is the Lost Sea - it is worth a visit. The nearest city to the Lost Sea is Sweetwater, TN.

I have two other suggestions:
.
1) Visit Franklin, Tn. It was the home to a vicious battle. It was said that one could walk across the battlefield without setting foot on the ground. Franklin is just a wonderful little town that is worth a day's visit.

2) Gatlinburg in July will be crowded. It is a small town surrounded by the GSMNP. Take Highway 321 to Newport, TN and you will pass by Pittman Center. On your right is the GSMNP and it will not be as crowded as Sugarland Visitors Center or Gatlinburg.
There will be several trails easily accessed with plenty of parking spaces. The Greenbriar area off 321 in Pittman Center has several trails, one of which takes you to a tree that is 18 feet in circumference. Pitman Center is pristine compared to Gatlinburg. It has been years since I have been up there, but I believe there are plenty of camping areas in Pitman Center.

michaelpianko

Thanks for your input so far.

michaelpianko

Is the Biltmore Estate in Ashville worth seeing? Tickets actually cost $90 to $114 depending on which day you pick. I have never encountered museum tickets that cost this much. If I was persuaded that a site or museum would be appealing enough, I would probably pay up to $25-35, but $114 for one museum?? Wow.

I see that Asheville has an art museum too.

Gretchen

It's a castle--the largest "house" in the US/world? Not really a museum. I think Asheville's downtown art scene might be more interesting.
Look for discount tickets to Biltmore. It's probably something you would never see anywhere else.

michaelpianko

Do you see any improvements I could make to this supposed itinerary?

Saturday: Plane from Detroit to Charlotte, NC. Pich up a rental car. Drive to Asheville. Find a good grocery store, possibly downtown Asheville; if time, Asheville Art Museum. 1st night

Sunday: Biltmore house and gardens (Need advance tickets. Arrive an hour early). 2nd night

Monday: Ashville Art Museum if not seen yet? Drive to campsite in or near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Ingels or Publix grocery store if necessary. Possibly Mingo Falls. Newfound Gap Road/US 441. Buy a parking pass at Oconaluftee visitor center. 3rd night, 1st night at the campground

Tuesday: Cades cover Visitor Center; Cades Cove (8 to 11 mile loop of road with old buildings to stop at); Abrams trail/Abrams Falls. 4th night, 2nd night at the campground

Wednesday: Sugarlands Visitor Center; US 441 south to Alum Cave trail; Us 441 further south to Newfound Gap, Clingman’s Dome Road to Clingman’s Dome Trailhead, walk Clingman’s Dome Trail to the observation tower, if time, Andrew’s Bald trail (3-1/2 mi) starts from here. 5th night, 3rd night at the campground

Thursday: Laurel Falls trail; The Sinks (the Little River passes through a sinkhole here, cliffs, rapids); Grotto Falls trail, 2.6 mi. 6th night, 4th night at the campground

Friday: Find a shower. Tuckaleechee Caverns, Townsend TN?. Drive to Knoxville. As time allows see in this order: World’s Fair Sunsphere, Knoxville Museum of Art, McClung Museum? (University of Tennessee, ancient artifacts, decorative objects, civil war Battle of Fort Sanders), Blount Mansion, James White Fort; Knoxville Botanical Gardens? 7th night, 1st night in Knoxville.

Saturday: Knoxville. 8th night, 2nd night in Knoxville

Sunday: something in Knoxville? Drive to Nashville. 9th night, 1st night in Nashville

Nashville, in approximately this order: The Parthenon; The Hermitage, president Andrew Jackson’s home and plantation; Belle Meade Plantation?; Carl Van Vechten Gallery at Fisk University; Aaron Douglas Gallery – paintings, in the university library; Cheekwood Botanic Garden & Museum of Art; Frist Center for the Visual Arts; Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum?; Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge; Possibly Grand Ole Opry (live music show, requires advance tickets from Ticketmaster)

Monday: Nashville. 10th night. 2nd night in Nashville

Tuesday: Nashville. 11th night. 3rd night in Nashville

Wednesday: Franklin. Carnton Plantaion/house; Carter house, whatever else. 12th night, 4th night in Nashville

Thursday: flight back to Detroit from Nashville

Gretchen

Wow, that makes a LOT of sense to me!! Good job. The drive to Asheville from the airport is really easy. If you need one of the best BBQs in the South, stop at Red Bridges BBQ in Shelby. https://bridgesbbq.com/myrestaurantm...-bridges-menu/. It is direcctly on your way just off Route 74.
Take 74 to its intersection with I26 to get to Asheville. 74 is a great 4 lane, no traffic or towns and as quick as the interstate.
In my post I did mean that the art scene in Ashville may be more interesting than the art museum, (not Biltmore--it is very interesting). But museums will always surprise you with something.
Asheville also has an excellent farmer's market you will pass on your way and it will be peach and tomato season.

jenfuld

We have also flown with camping gear—you may prefer to carry a backpacking backpack over a suitcase full of camping gear. Just leave the cooking gear/propane at home.

Gretchen

Or even a rolling duffel bag since they will have a car. The kind with the separate zipper bottom are really versatile for separating items--top for camping gear bottom for clothing.

michaelpianko

This is going to be a solo trip. I have nobody to go with. Most likely I won't attempt to have a campfire or cook anything at a campsite. My luggage was just an approximately 24 rectangular inch woven nylon duffle bag, withoutnwheeles, and a Jansport school backpack with padded back and shoulder straps, also without wheeles. On Thanksgiving when I mentioned planning this trip to my aunt, she gave me an approximately 30 x 21 x 11 inch suitcase that has 2 wheels, a telescoping handle, and signs of wear. But if I was going to buy new luggage, it would probably be either a rolling duffle bag, or a duffle bag with 2 shoulder straps, without a metal frame. I am not going to get hard core and hike a long distance carrying camping gear. I am just going to onl6 need to carry my stuff a few feet away from my car.

michaelpianko

I have a tent and inflatable mattress that has no insulation, and a manual inflator, from the one other time I tried staying at a campsite. I spent 2 nights at a campsite in Northern Michigan, in May 2021. I bought those 3 items at Walmart. I thought a quilt and 8 layers of clothes would be good enough. The temperature was approximately in the 40's at night. My mother was mortified at me before that trip, she insisted that it wasn't safe. I was freezing cold, I had trouble sleeping. I don't have a sleeping bag yet. Maybe i will limit my camping to the 4 nights I think I will be in the great smokey mountains national park or close to it.

Gretchen

Sleeping bags are very inexpensive and very compact. Just a note--if you ever go cold weather camping again (and 40 really isn't) go to an army surplus store and buy a WOOL blanket to wrap up in inside a sleeping bag. Wear a hat. Several of your layers on that camping trip should have been wool. You could have nights that cold so be prepared.
Have you decided on flying and renting a car? That just seems much more expensive that driving from Michigan

auntgrapes

A couple of hints if you don’t already know….SouthwestAir allows 2 free checked bags & a carryon. 3 cheers for SWA!
Check out Jonathan from Auto Slash for great deals on car rental. Many times I have gotten the best deal through this website.
Have a great trip!