You won't have clear roads ever. People go up to hike EARLY.

It's doable during the week, but I wouldn't do it on the weekend.

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My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com

I rode it in mid September a few years ago and the traffic wasn't bad at all. I rode on a Friday morning and passed by the visitor station starting the ascent portion of my ride around 7:30.

I'm going to be in Pigeon Forge the week of August 10th and planning to make the climb up to Clingman's Dome while I am there. I appreciate the tip on going on a weekday, likely would have been during the week anyway.

I'm going to be taking my road bike, I've got a 39 on the front but not sure what I have on the back at this point. I will have to check (road bike doesn't get much love during tri season). I don't really want to have to pick up a new cassette for this ride. Would a 25 or 26 be enough. I am about 3.75W/KG these days.

I'd say that'll get you up. Depending on how good of climber you are it (most likely) won't be comfortable though.

If you're in the area to climb... Bluff Mountain, Butterfly Gap, "The Wall" and Foothills parkway are all good places to test yourself.

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My Blog - http://leegoocrap.blogspot.com

I did it with a friend a few years back on Labor Day- from Cherokee and back. If I remember gearing was 39x25 (on a titanflex set up w a steep STA) and I was fine. There was traffic, but I don't remember it as being that bad/scary. The trip back down was a lot of fun!!

Same here. Did the ride from Cherokee on a Sunday morning. Granted it was May and likely "pre-season" for a lot of the vacation traffic. Roads were in excellent shape. The climb was way easier than expected, mostly because the pitch was never that steep. I would describe traffic as light to regular (regular being having cars/motorcycles regularly passing), but not heavy, even on the 7 mile spur coming off US441.

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Tad

It took awhile, but I finally discovered that its not the destination that's important, but rather the journey.