Explore the Smokies

Plan the drive

Smoky Mountains road trips, city by city

The Great Smoky Mountains are an easy drive for tens of millions of people. Find your city for the distance, the best route, the drive time, and what to do when you arrive.

Knoxville (about 55 minutes), Johnson City (about 1 hour 50 minutes) and Asheville (about 2 hours) are the closest of the 20 cities below, and the only realistic day trips. Everything else is a weekend: Atlanta is about 4 hours, Nashville about 3 hours 45 minutes, Charlotte about 4 hours 15 minutes.

Coming from North Carolina or South Carolina?

I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge, between Asheville and the Tennessee line, is still one lane each way at a reduced speed after Hurricane Helene, and NCDOT is targeting late 2029 to finish the full rebuild. Each city page below gives the gorge route and a through-the-park alternative by way of Cherokee and Newfound Gap Road. Check DriveNC.gov and the Park Service's road status page before you leave.

Knoxville, TN

~42 mi · 55 minutes

I-40 East to US-441 South through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge

Asheville, NC

~85 mi · 2 hours

US-19 and US-441 through Cherokee and over Newfound Gap, or I-40 West through the Pigeon River Gorge

Johnson City, TN

~105 mi · 1 hour 50 minutes

I-26 West to I-81 South, I-40 West to exit 407, then US-441 South

Chattanooga, TN

~150 mi · 2 hours 30 minutes

I-75 North to I-40 East, then US-441 South

Greenville, SC

~150 mi · 3 hours

I-26 North to Asheville, then US-74 and US-19 to Cherokee and over Newfound Gap, or I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge

Nashville, TN

~225 mi · 3 hours 45 minutes

I-40 East to exit 407, then US-441 South

Lexington, KY

~225 mi · 3 hours 45 minutes

I-75 South to Knoxville, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Charlotte, NC

~235 mi · 4 hours 15 minutes

I-40 West through Asheville, then through the park by way of Cherokee or on I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge

Atlanta, GA

~250 mi · 4 hours

I-75 North to I-40 East, then US-441 South (or US-441 through Cherokee and over Newfound Gap)

Huntsville, AL

~250 mi · 4 hours

US-72 East to Chattanooga, I-75 North, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Columbia, SC

~250 mi · 4 hours 30 minutes

I-26 West to Asheville, then US-74 and US-19 to Cherokee and over Newfound Gap, or I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge

Winston-Salem, NC

~265 mi · 4 hours 30 minutes

I-40 West to Asheville, then US-74 and US-19 to Cherokee and over Newfound Gap, or I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge

Bowling Green, KY

~290 mi · 4 hours 30 minutes

I-65 South to Nashville, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Louisville, KY

~295 mi · 4 hours 45 minutes

I-64 East to Lexington, I-75 South to Knoxville, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Birmingham, AL

~305 mi · 4 hours 45 minutes

I-59 North to Chattanooga, I-75 North, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Cincinnati, OH

~315 mi · 5 hours 15 minutes

I-75 South to Knoxville, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Raleigh, NC

~350 mi · 5 hours 45 minutes

I-40 West to Asheville, then US-74 and US-19 to Cherokee and over Newfound Gap, or I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge

Indianapolis, IN

~410 mi · 6 hours 30 minutes

I-65 South to Louisville, I-64 East to Lexington, I-75 South, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Columbus, OH

~415 mi · 6 hours 30 minutes

I-71 South to Cincinnati, I-75 South through Lexington, then I-40 East and US-441 South

Memphis, TN

~430 mi · 6 hours 45 minutes

I-40 East through Nashville and Knoxville to exit 407, then US-441 South

Whichever city you start from, read the getting there guide for airports and traffic timing, the parking tag guide before you reach the park, and the trip budget guide for what the weekend will cost. Fall travelers should check the fall foliage guide and the events calendar.

Where to stay

Near the Great Smoky Mountains

However far you're driving, lock in where you'll sleep. Compare live cabin, hotel, and rental prices across every gateway town on one map.

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