🟢Navigating to Dollywood from North Carolina 🟢

11/25/24 - Update.  I've seen lots of folks discussing their trips to Asheville, NC to/from Dollywood and I thought I would show you what they are doing.... see map below.

Many folks from around Asheville were saying they were using Highways 25 & 26, then 70 to get them to Dollywood.  Many mentioned they went one way and returned using another route.  Most of the folks suggested to use Waze or Google Maps (or your favorite navigation system), for the most up-to-date information about routes - especially at this time of year when 441 will close frequently for weather related issues.  

11/12/24 - Update I never would have expected to post -  

11/6/24 - Update - NCDOT anticipates opening I40 in both directions by New Years Day.  Story Here.

10/25/24 Quick Update on I26 - TDOT hopes to get I26 open with one lane, in the next few weeks.  I26 is still closed on the NC Side, according to the NCRoad Closure Dashboard.  Link to WATE story.

Hi Everyone,

I understand many people's concerns getting to Pigeon Forge from North Carolina, but it's fairly easy to do from central North Carolina.  Head North up 74/77 to Wytheville, Virginia, where you will hop on 81 South, to 40 West, and then exit in Dandridge/Hwy 92, or Kodak at Exit 407.  There's a 'new' Buc-ee's at 407 if you need some gas and a sandwich before going to Dollywood.

It might add a little time to your trip by going up to Wytheville, but I doubt you're going to miss the curvy mountain road through I40...especially driving at night.  

10/7/24

A plan for the Tennessee side of I40 includes shifting the traffic into the other lane.  This is supposed to happen in a few weeks time, according to WVLT's story on this matter.  For the North Carolina side, I've heard 2028 is a possible reopening time frame.  We shall see.

🚨If you're just over the mountains in North Carolina, then 129 & 441 could be an option.

• 441- Is Open. 
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  10/11/24 update

• 129/The Dragon - Open.  No commercial traffic.  Hundreds of curves and steep grades.
• Visit Travel Alerts | My Pigeon Forge for the latest info on road closures in Pigeon Forge.
• Visit DriveNC.com for the latest North Carolina road information, including 441 and 129.
• Visit NC Road Closure Dashboard for that kind of info.
• Visit TDOT Smartway for the latest Tennessee road information, including 441 and 129.

These are all the traffic related updates that I have seen in the past several days, as of Tues. Nov. 12th. I will continue to monitor routes and bring you new info on this page, so bookmark it if you wish.  

In case you missed this, Dollywood is WAS a drop-off location point for needed donations to help those who were impacted by this disaster.  Source.

In conjunction with the donation centers established by the city of Pigeon Forge, Dollywood will become a donation drop-off location for those wishing to donate cleanup items, including buckets with lids, tarps, shovels, rakes, trash bags,  work gloves, masks, cleaning wipes, diapers,
baby formula and food, can openers, first aid supplies, personal hygiene items, kitty litter, new socks and underwear, clean towels and blankets, laundry detergent, pet food and hand sanitizer. The designated drop-off point for donations is at the front gate of the park.

Dolly Parton, Walmart join together to donate millions to Helene flood response in East Tennessee

Story link at WATE, Knoxville's ABC affiliate - click here. 

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — East Tennessee's own Dolly Parton partnered with several Sevier County attractions and Walmart to make a significant donation to flood relief at an event Friday.

The event took place at the Walmart in Newport, Tennessee. Parton announced she was making a $1 million donation to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to providing immediate assistance to Hurricane Helene flood victims. On top of that, Parton's East Tennessee businesses, Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Dolly Parton’s Stampede, and Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, and the Dollywood Foundation, matched her donation, bringing the total contributions made to Mountain Ways $2 million.

"We wish that we were all together for another reason, but we all have seen the devastation. I mean, who knew in our little part of the country here where I was born, raised just right down the road, that we would have this kind of devastation? And I look around and I think 'These are my mountains, these are my valleys'," Parton said. "'These are my people and this is my home.' And I just want all of you to know that, like Eugene was saying, remember when we had the fires, everybody pitched in, tried to do everything that they could, and so I really think that this is a time for me to step up again. For all of us to step up and do what we can."

Eugene Naughton, the president of the Dollywood Company, spoke just before Dolly at the event, reflecting on the 2016 fires in Sevier County and how the fires proved how resilient the community is.

"Just one week ago, thousands of lives again were impacted across the East Tennessee, Western North Carolina and points beyond, and while in Sevier County we were spared the major damage, the lessons we learned from the Smoky Mountain wildfire, those of resilience, those of determination, and those of love for others, led us to reach out to our neighbors to determine how we could help following the recent flooding," Naughton said.

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During the event, Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner announced the company, including Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation, would be donating a total of $10 million to hurricane relief efforts across the affected states. Part of the money will be going to the East Tennessee Foundation.

He shared that his family moved to Franklin, Tennessee in 1979, and he saw as Walmart expanded into Appalachia and East Tennessee.

"We'll be here. Not until the media leaves, but until we recover, and that's what's going to happen here, we're going to recover," said Furner.

Dollywood had already worked with its sponsorship partner Coca-Cola to donate a semi-truck full of water for distribution in Cocke County. Dollywood has also donated 60,000 reusable masks, 30,000 disposable protective garments and 2.5 million disposable masks to be used for cleanup efforts across East Tennessee.

In conjunction with the donation centers established by the city of Pigeon Forge, Dollywood will become a donation drop-off location for those wishing to donate cleanup items, including buckets with lids, tarps, shovels, rakes, trash bags,  work gloves, masks, cleaning wipes, diapers,
baby formula and food, can openers, first aid supplies, personal hygiene items, kitty litter, new socks and underwear, clean towels and blankets, laundry detergent, pet food and hand sanitizer. The designated drop-off point for donations is at the front gate of the park.

Wrapping up the event, Parton answered a few questions, including one asking what she would say to those who have lost everything.

"I know it's easy for us to say, 'Oh, things are going to get better' when things are still really bad. All we can say is that 'We are with you, we love you. We hope that things get better real soon and we're going to do our part to try to make that possible. We love you and we appreciate you. And we thank you.' And I think that with God's help and all help with all these good people. We'll make it. We'll come. We'll be better than ever one of these days."

Among her many other accolades, Parton is well known for her philanthropy work throughout the region, especially in times of disaster. In 2021, Parton donated a portion of ticket sales from Dollywood and her many dinner shows to help those affected by flooding in Middle Tennessee. Parton was also involved with the Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund, which gave $1,000 to Sevier County families whose homes were uninhabitable or destroyed by the 2016 Sevier County wildfires. In total, more than $9 million was raised during a star-studded telethon, allowing Parton to surprise the families being helped through the fund with a final $5,000 check.

On Thursday, a report shared that two East Tennessee stars, Dolly Parton and Morgan Wallen, reached out to Governor Bill Lee to offer their assistance to victims of flooding in Tennessee. Earlier in the week, Red Cross officials confirmed that Wallen’s foundation had donated half a million dollars toward the relief efforts after Hurricane Helene.

From WVLT-tv, CBS affiliate in Knoxville

WBIR-tv is Knoxville's NBC affilate