Although a massive rock slide on I-40 has closed the interstate that connects Knoxville, Tenn., to Asheville, N.C., at mile marker three in Haywood County in North Carolina near the Tennessee-North Carolina border, Cherokee is easily accessed using a scenic detour. Travelers to Cherokee from the Asheville area, the travel route is unaffected by the slide; however, travelers heading to Cherokee from the west and eastern Tennessee may use one of the following alternate routes:
- From Sevierville, Tenn., take exit 407 off I-40 West. Turn right off the exit ramp onto Highway 66 (Winfield Dunn Parkway) toward Sevierville. Continue straight through the intersection with Main Street in Sevierville, where the road becomes U.S. Hwy. 441/71. Stay straight on U.S. 441, which becomes 441/321/73/71, through Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Follow U.S. 441 through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Cherokee.
- From Newport, Tenn., take exit 435 off I-40 West, turning left on Highway 321/32 (Cosby Highway) toward Newport. Turn right onto Highway 25/70 (East Broadway Street) toward Hot Springs, N.C. In Hot Springs, make a right onto N.C. 209. Bear left at Ferguson Supply Store to stay on N.C. 209. Continue on N.C. 209 through the Crabtree and Iron Duff communities. N.C. 209 soon intersects with I-40 at Exit 24. Continue on N.C. 209 to Lake Junaluska. From here, take the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway (U.S. 19/23/74) west toward Sylva. Pick up Hwy. 441/74 in Dillsboro just past Sylva, and follow Hwy. 441 into Cherokee.
- For those who would prefer an all-interstate detour, take I-40 East to I-81 North to I-26 East to I-40 West. From I-40 West, take exit 27, Hwy. 19/23/74 toward Sylva. Pick up Hwy. 441/74 in Dillsboro just past Sylva, and follow Hwy. 441 into Cherokee.
Cherokee Visitors Center: 1.800.438.1601 / www.cherokee-nc.com
North Carolina Department of Transportation: NCDOT.org / 511 Travel Info Line / 877.DOT.4YOU
