Asheville to Pigeon Forge drive: Best stops, distance & time
The best road trip stops on the Asheville to Pigeon Forge drive are Hartford TN, the Foothills Parkway and Legacy Mountain Ziplines. The distance from Asheville to Pigeon Forge by car is 89 miles, with a 1h50m driving time.
Planning an Asheville to Pigeon Forge road trip itinerary
The Asheville to Pigeon Forge drive takes you between mountain hangouts in North Carolina and Tennessee.
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville NC is one of the main gateways to the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is one of America’s best road trip routes.
But there’s more to Asheville than the mountains. It’s a buzzy city of arty shops, restaurants, breweries and live music venues. The River Arts District is particularly strong on the studios and galleries front. The lavish Biltmore Estate, meanwhile, is the country’s biggest privately-owned home.
Top Asheville experiences include after dark ghost walks, Blue Ridge Parkway hiking tours and Jeep adventures, plus Segway tours and scenic helicopter rides.
You can also do guided e-bike tours either downtown or in the mountains, then take a guided visit to several craft breweries.
Pigeon Forge is popular because of its close proximity to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the US. But so many attractions have built up around the resort town that it’s now much more than a gateway.
Most famous of these is Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme park, but there’s also the Titanic Museum, the Beyond The Lens interactive museum and the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster.
Other Pigeon Forge experiences include small group jeep tours in the mountains, guided ATV adventures and wine plus moonshine tours.
Pigeon Forge is also known for its evening shows, whether Elvis tributes, Motown performances, lumberjack feuds or country music extravaganzas.
Asheville to Pigeon Forge distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Asheville to Pigeon Forge is 89 miles. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 50 minutes. The quickest route heads along the I-40, US-321 and TN-339.
The best stops to add to an Asheville to Pigeon Forge road trip itinerary are Hartford TN, the Foothills Parkway and Legacy Mountain Ziplines.
Best stops between Asheville and Pigeon Forge: Hartford TN
If coming from North Carolina, Hartford TN is the first town you’ll encounter in Tennessee. It’s something of a whitewater rafting capital, with several outfitters offering trips along the Pigeon River. Trips along the Lower Pigeon River tend to be gentler and more suited to beginners. For bigger thrills and bigger rapids, go rafting on the Upper Pigeon River instead.
Asheville to Pigeon Forge drive: The Foothills Parkway
Given that the first section of the Foothills Parkway was completed in the 1960s, the rest of it really should be finished by now. Alas, that’s not the case – it’s only half open, and in chunks that don’t properly connect to each other. Nonetheless, the opening 5.6-mile salvo connecting the I-40 with the US-321 is a marvellous drive. There are four overlooks where you can pull in a take great photos of the beleaguered road as it winds through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
Asheville to Pigeon Forge road trip attractions: Legacy Mountain Ziplines
Legacy Mountain Ziplines boast that it has the longest and highest ziplines in the Great Smoky Mountains. The seven line course lasts for around 2.5 hours, with spectacular views along the way. Guests reach a maximum speed of 50 miles per hour and get up to 500ft high. Larger travellers should be aware that there’s a 270lb weight limit.
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