RV friendly route to Harlan

CLRracer

CLRracer

Mopar Nut
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Archer Lodge
Google mapped the route to Harlan, looks like you grab 421 out of Bristol and never check up. How is 421 through the mountains there? Too steep/windy/etc for a 35 footer with trailer? Or is it pretty steady? Is there a better way?

Duane
 
This is my route. 40W to 52N to 74/77N to Wytheville,VA to 81 South. Take exit 1 in Tenn onto 11w. Take HWY 93N when you first get into Kingsport. That takes you to 23/421N. Take a left at Duffield, VA and it's 421 the rest of the way.
 
IMO, do NOT take exit 1, 421. That 20 miles to Duffield is curvey, narrow and hilly. If you run into any traffic it will be a lot slower. I have clocked every route you can take, several times. I go all the way to I26 to Kingsport exit 57, 23 to Weber City. Be sure to take the 23/58/421 bypass around Gate City, into Duffield and then 421 into Harlan. It's only an few miles further than exit 1 and easier and faster. The only real problem is the pull out of Duffield. It's straight and the grade isn't too bad but it's a long pull, about 4 miles. Watch for the 421 right turn about 10 miles from Duffield off of 58, it comes up on you quick. There is one short stretch just before you hit the four lane into Harlan that is super curvey and narrow, kinda like the curvey part of Nantahala Gorge going to Tellico. There is one hair pin curve, 15 mph, heed the warning, I've been off the road there! Just my .02 after 12 trips over there and back! You shouldn't have any problem with your rig if you're careful.
 
I need to get with Larry Smith to get my route again.
I know I go 40w to just before knoxville. the get on 81N for a few miles.
I can't give you the numbers, sorry, but I know Old Fort Mnt is the hardest pull. From there it's pretty easy. I know this route is maybe a little longer, but pulling with my van it seems to be my best choice.
 
Larry sometimes comes in on 25E and 119. The roads are flatter and from the western part of the state, not a bad way to go. From anywhere east of Statesville I'd stick with 52/I77/I81.
 
CYJKrawler said:
IMO, do NOT take exit 1, 421. That 20 miles to Duffield is curvey, narrow and hilly. If you run into any traffic it will be a lot slower. I have clocked every route you can take, several times. I go all the way to I26 to Kingsport exit 57, 23 to Weber City. Be sure to take the 23/58/421 bypass around Gate City, into Duffield and then 421 into Harlan. It's only an few miles further than exit 1 and easier and faster. The only real problem is the pull out of Duffield. It's straight and the grade isn't too bad but it's a long pull, about 4 miles. Watch for the 421 right turn about 10 miles from Duffield off of 58, it comes up on you quick. There is one short stretch just before you hit the four lane into Harlan that is super curvey and narrow, kinda like the curvey part of Nantahala Gorge going to Tellico. There is one hair pin curve, 15 mph, heed the warning, I've been off the road there! Just my .02 after 12 trips over there and back! You shouldn't have any problem with your rig if you're careful.
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X2. From winston/greensboro and points east.
 
Thanks guys. Still not sure if were taking the motor home or gettin a motel, but that route looks better no matter what we drive.

Duane
 
CYJKrawler said:
IMO, do NOT take exit 1, 421. That 20 miles to Duffield is curvey, narrow and hilly. If you run into any traffic it will be a lot slower. I have clocked every route you can take, several times. I go all the way to I26 to Kingsport exit 57, 23 to Weber City. Be sure to take the 23/58/421 bypass around Gate City, into Duffield and then 421 into Harlan. It's only an few miles further than exit 1 and easier and faster. The only real problem is the pull out of Duffield. It's straight and the grade isn't too bad but it's a long pull, about 4 miles. Watch for the 421 right turn about 10 miles from Duffield off of 58, it comes up on you quick. There is one short stretch just before you hit the four lane into Harlan that is super curvey and narrow, kinda like the curvey part of Nantahala Gorge going to Tellico. There is one hair pin curve, 15 mph, heed the warning, I've been off the road there! Just my .02 after 12 trips over there and back! You shouldn't have any problem with your rig if you're careful.
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I live in Kingsport and I think John has the best route here. It may be a few miles longer, but it's quicker. It's all interstate until I-26 ends into Hwy-23 @ the TN/VA line.
 
421 from Boone to Bristol is probably one of the worst roads I can imagine pulling a trailer of any sort on. The I26 route is by far the easiest.
 
bjack said:
421 from Boone to Bristol is probably one of the worst roads I can imagine pulling a trailer of any sort on. The I26 route is by far the easiest.
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That's for sure. If you take that road you're likely to be picking pieces of a crotch rocket out of the grille of your truck.
 
CYJKrawler said:
IMO, do NOT take exit 1, 421. That 20 miles to Duffield is curvey, narrow and hilly. If you run into any traffic it will be a lot slower.
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Heed this warning. I did this a few weeks ago with a 34' RV and a 16' trailer. It brought the suck. I couldn't even keep up with a retirement home van that pulled out in front of me. The only road I've ever been on that's worse (with this setup) is the road up over the mtn going to Crawfords Camp at Tellico.
 
CYJKrawler said:
Be sure to take the 23/58/421 bypass around Gate City, into Duffield and then 421 into Harlan.
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Is that a brand new road? I saw it and wondered about it, but it didn't show up on my Garmon.

I think there needs to be a sticky on the most trailer friendly route to Harlan. LOL
 
CYJKrawler said:
IMO, do NOT take exit 1, 421. That 20 miles to Duffield is curvey, narrow and hilly. If you run into any traffic it will be a lot slower. I have clocked every route you can take, several times. I go all the way to I26 to Kingsport exit 57, 23 to Weber City. Be sure to take the 23/58/421 bypass around Gate City, into Duffield and then 421 into Harlan. It's only an few miles further than exit 1 and easier and faster. The only real problem is the pull out of Duffield. It's straight and the grade isn't too bad but it's a long pull, about 4 miles. Watch for the 421 right turn about 10 miles from Duffield off of 58, it comes up on you quick. There is one short stretch just before you hit the four lane into Harlan that is super curvey and narrow, kinda like the curvey part of Nantahala Gorge going to Tellico. There is one hair pin curve, 15 mph, heed the warning, I've been off the road there! Just my .02 after 12 trips over there and back! You shouldn't have any problem with your rig if you're careful.
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+1 EASY AS PIE. By far.... my favorite way.
 
x3 on NOT taking exit#1 421
see pic...

HarlanMap1.jpg
 
Throwing this out there to heed off anyone thinking about it, another route NOT to take is US-58A. Not sure how the hell we got going that way but a buddy of mine and myself took two tow rigs and trailers across US-58/US-23/KY-38. That was some scary crap and really hard on the trucks pulling up some insanely steep grades on some ridiculously windy and narrow roads going through the mountains. It comes in on the backside of Harlan through Evarts. If you like scenery that's where it's at, other than that avoid like the plague.
 
willness33 said:
How much more time are we looking at, compared to 421? It looks straighter on the map, but still. If it adds less than an hour, I'll head this way next time. A little extra time on the road, and less years off of my life is OK with me.
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I bet the time is within 5 minutes of each other. The I26 route is maybe 10 miles longer, but at 70mph instead of 40.....
 
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