Belleville
5 miles
5 minutes
521 miles to go
7 hr 57 min
Shiloh
30 miles
28 minutes
496 miles to go
7 hr 34 min
Summerfield
35 miles
32 minutes
491 miles to go
7 hr 29 min
Germantown
45 miles
41 minutes
481 miles to go
7 hr 20 min
Centralia
50 miles
46 minutes
476 miles to go
7 hr 16 min
Urbain
95 miles
1 hour, 27 minutes
431 miles to go
6 hr 34 min
Herrin
100 miles
1 hour, 32 minutes
426 miles to go
6 hr 30 min
Marion
105 miles
1 hour, 36 minutes
421 miles to go
6 hr 25 min
Carbondale
125 miles
1 hour, 55 minutes
401 miles to go
6 hr 7 min
New Burnside
140 miles
2 hours, 8 minutes
386 miles to go
5 hr 53 min
Grinnell
145 miles
2 hours, 13 minutes
381 miles to go
5 hr 48 min
Hillerman
150 miles
2 hours, 18 minutes
376 miles to go
5 hr 44 min
Paducah
155 miles
2 hours, 22 minutes
371 miles to go
5 hr 39 min
Palma
196 miles
2 hours, 59 minutes
331 miles to go
5 hr 3 min
Lamasco
206 miles
3 hours, 8 minutes
321 miles to go
4 hr 53 min
Black Hawk
211 miles
3 hours, 13 minutes
316 miles to go
4 hr 49 min
Walche Cut
216 miles
3 hours, 17 minutes
311 miles to go
4 hr 44 min
Dulaney
221 miles
3 hours, 22 minutes
306 miles to go
4 hr 40 min
Julien
226 miles
3 hours, 27 minutes
301 miles to go
4 hr 35 min
Hopkinsville
231 miles
3 hours, 31 minutes
296 miles to go
4 hr 31 min
Clarksville
246 miles
3 hours, 45 minutes
281 miles to go
4 hr 17 min
Springfield
281 miles
4 hours, 17 minutes
246 miles to go
3 hr 45 min
Nashville
286 miles
4 hours, 21 minutes
241 miles to go
3 hr 40 min
Smyrna
336 miles
5 hours, 7 minutes
191 miles to go
2 hr 54 min
Gallatin
341 miles
5 hours, 12 minutes
185 miles to go
2 hr 50 min
Lebanon
346 miles
5 hours, 16 minutes
180 miles to go
2 hr 45 min
Watertown
351 miles
5 hours, 21 minutes
175 miles to go
2 hr 40 min
Alexandria
356 miles
5 hours, 26 minutes
170 miles to go
2 hr 36 min
Stone Bridge
366 miles
5 hours, 35 minutes
160 miles to go
2 hr 27 min
Cookeville
371 miles
5 hours, 39 minutes
155 miles to go
2 hr 22 min
Crossville
401 miles
6 hours, 7 minutes
125 miles to go
1 hr 55 min
Piney
436 miles
6 hours, 39 minutes
90 miles to go
1 hr 23 min
Whetstone
441 miles
6 hours, 44 minutes
85 miles to go
1 hr 18 min
Coalfield
446 miles
6 hours, 48 minutes
80 miles to go
1 hr 13 min
Is it feasible to take Hwy 24 south (from IL), but jump onto Hwy 155 outside ofNashville down to Hwy 40? Seems like a good idea on Google Maps to avoid Nashville.
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Janet W
Sugar Land, Texas
Level
1. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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That is the best route.
When I use to drive from Texas to Indiana I would always use 155/Briley Pkwy to get from I-40 to I-65. It is way too congested going throughNashville. The last time I was near Nashville, there was a huge construction project for I-440 too.
I would even use it when I went from Texas to Gatlinburg
It is just so much easier.
You should also consider taking the Lenoir City exit to go to Gatlinburg. You can either exit for Lenoir City off of I-40 or take I-75 S off of I-40 and take the Lenoir City exit. The latter saves you from driving through Lenoir City.
Follow hwy 321 through Maryville. Turn right in Maryville to stay on hwy 321.
Head to Townsend and enter the park there. There is some construction near Townsend. When you enter the park in Townsend, you come to the Townsend Wye which intersects with Little River Road/Laurel Creek Road. A left turn onto Little River Road will get you to Gatlinburg in about 45 minutes along a very scenic river. A right turn at the Townsend Wye puts you on Laurel Creek Road and heads you toward Cades Cove in about 8 miles.
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PaulaC
Granite City...
Level
2. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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Wow great info!!! Thanks!
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Patrick K
Nashville, Tennessee
Destination Expert
for Nashville, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge
Level
3. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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I-24 to Exit 43 (Briley Parkway / SR 155 East / Opryland) towards the airport. The exit and merge can be a bit tricky, so you may want to look at Google Maps Streetview online to get a sense of the inter-change. Travel SR155 for about 10 miles to Exit 6 to I-40 East, still towards the airport. Again, this interchange can be a bit tricky.
Under most times of the day, you won't hit too many delays or slowdowns unless there is an accident along the route. I-40 East out ofNashville will be congested during the weekday afternoon rush hour (4:00 pm to 6:00 pm). Traffic will be particularly heavy the week of Aug 16 - 24 due to the Wilson County Fair in Lebanon, east of Nashville (to exit 236). The fair draws over 500,000 people during it's 9 day run and crowds of 70-80 thousand on the weekend aren't unheard of (similar crowds as a major sporting event.
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ReidAdair
Birmingham, Alabama
Level
4. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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100 percent agree with Janet about Lenoir City route. AvoidKnoxville and 441 through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge at all costs.
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Kgeaton
Saint Louis...
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5. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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We're heading from StL to Gatlinburg this weekend - arriving late Saturday afternoon. We have to check in at ourcabin office on Ski Mtn Rd and I had planned on taking the bypass around Gatlinburg but hadn't thought about bypassing Nashville, Knoxville and PF.
I'm guessing Google Maps only makes suggestions based on mileage and doesn't take traffic into consideration. I know traffic in PF and GB will be bad on Saturday afternoon so this might be a better option for us.
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HPfromTN
Nashville, Tennessee
Level
6. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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If you want to avoid theNashville snarl to get through Tennessee to Gatlinburg, why not just take I-64 east to I-75 in Lexington, KY, and then I-75 South from there? It will be quicker time than driving into Nashville and then taking Briley Parkway, especially if you hit Briley during any part of rush hour in the afternoon.
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PaulaC
Granite City...
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7. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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HPfrom TN: That's exactly what I did on the drive down, but coming home wanted to stop at Kentucky Lake for a few days. The Hwy 155 bypass ofNashville worked GREAT!
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Patrick K
Nashville, Tennessee
Destination Expert
for Nashville, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge
Level
8. Re: St. Louis to Gatlinburg bypassing Nashville
3 years ago
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Just a heads up forNashville traffic for the weekend of Aug 2-4.
The Smartway Signs are showing the following message:
"FRI 8PM - MON 5AM
24 E/W EXIT 47 - 50
CLOSED"
This is the east side of the downtown "loop". The recommended alternate route will be SR 155 (Briley Parkway), which will have increased traffic as a result. If there is no accidents, you can expect heavy traffic, but minimal delays. In the event of an accident, plan on lengthy delays.