Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge drive: Distance, time & best stops
The distance from Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge by car is 148 miles, with a 2h32m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge drive are the Lost Sea Adventure, Dead Man’s Farm Haunted House and the Hiwassee River Heritage Center.
Planning a Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge road trip itinerary
The Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge drive runs along the edge of the Appalachian mountain range to a fun-filled Tennessee resort town.
Chattanooga in the foothills of the Appalachians is home to the National Medal of Honor Heritage Museum and the Tennessee Aquarium. But it’s mostly an outdoorsy place. Great Chattanooga experiences include rafting on the Middle Ocoee River, backcountry tours in Swincars and kayak adventures to the Nickajack Bat Cave. You can also try Segway tours, guided ghost walks and trolley tours.
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.
Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge is 148 miles. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 32 minutes. The quickest route heads north-east along the I-75 before joining the I-40 and TN-66.
The best stops to add to a Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge road trip itinerary are the Hiwassee River Heritage Center, the Lost Sea Adventure and Knoxville.
Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge drive: Hiwassee River Heritage Center
The Hiwassee River Heritage Center in Charleston, Tennessee, was a key troop movement point in the Civil War. But the most interesting tales it has to tell are about the Trail of Tears – the forced removal of numerous Native American tribes from their homelands to what is now Oklahoma.
Charleston was the US military headquarters for the removal of the Cherokee people, and the Center’s displays offer a chance to learn about a shameful chapter in US history.
Chattanooga to Pigeon Forge road trip attractions: The Lost Sea Adventure
The Lost Sea Adventure in Sweetwater, Tennessee, is a somewhat different take on a cave tour. There’s a walk for three quarters of a mile, where guides explain the history of the caverns and the geology of the cave decorations.
However, once you get to the bottom of the cave, there’s a twist – you get on a boat and take a ride across the Lost Sea. This is supposedly America’s largest underground lake.
Best stops between Chattanooga and Pigeon Forge: Knoxville
Highlights of Knoxville include World’s Fair Park, which hosted the 1982 World’s Fair. The often-dazzling Sunsphere is the major landmark, here. You can also visit the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and Knoxville Museum of Art.
Other Knoxville experiences include ghost tours and downtown walking tours that pick out local secret spots, while serving up coffee and ice cream.
More Chattanooga road trips
Atlanta to Chattanooga | Birmingham to Chattanooga | Chattanooga to Chicago | Clarksville TN to Chattanooga | Houston to Chattanooga | Huntsville to Chattanooga | Knoxville to Chattanooga | Memphis to Chattanooga | Murfreesboro to Chattanooga | Nashville to Chattanooga | Chattanooga to Sevierville.
More Pigeon Forge road trips
Asheville to Pigeon Forge | Atlanta to Pigeon Forge | Chicago to Pigeon Forge | Memphis to Pigeon Forge | Nashville to Pigeon Forge.