My GPS Sent Me Here… Big Mistake  

My GPS suggests I take a shortcut through the mountains. Should I take it? 

We ran a story in my newspaper – or I should say the newspaper where I work my day job – probably 12-15 years ago about a woman whose GPS rerouted her in the mountains up near Cocke County, in Hartford, I think. She followed the instructions precisely and wound up stuck in a small creek running over a dirt road. 

I would laugh. However, I once followed GPS instructions to take the back way to Max Patch – again through Cocke County. And as a result, I found myself on a semi-precarious gravel road that led me to a feral donkey that lived near something called Rattlesnake Gap. We made it. But I felt foolish for listening to the computer instructions instead of just following the map.

Still, today I use GPS technology – which has improved significantly – when I’m driving in Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg. Do I know the way? Yes, I’ve been driving those roads for 35 years or so now. But the GPS is helpful for letting me know where traffic is and – lately – has been suggesting routes to avoid it. 

Dodging traffic in the Smokies

Unless you’re counting No Way Jose’s attempts at Mexican food, the traffic is probably the worst thing about the mountains. Any attempt to avoid it is worth considering. But it should be noted that just because the GPS suggests it, it doesn’t mean it’s a clever idea. 

We were riding in moderate traffic recently on our way to Wears Valley Road. We were passing Wilderness at the Smokies when my wife said, “You were supposed to turn there.” I didn’t have notifications on. I wasn’t aware that the computer wanted me to take an alternate route. After a couple of suggestions at a U-Turn, it rerouted me and put me back on the route I was supposed to be on.

We hit a couple of instances of heavy traffic, but nothing that warranted getting off the main track, IMO. As I said, I’ve been around the mountains a while and I know most of the main shortcuts. But you never know when some little announced roadwork, usually connecting a new housing, cabin, or apartment development to a main road, will open up. And that presents some intriguing opportunities. 

So later in that drive, when the GPS suggested I turn onto New Era Road – over by the Walmart from heck – I figured we’d try it and see what happens. It is a fairly small mountain road with many twists and turns. But the kind I’d been driving on my whole life. We came out near Sunliner Diner, presumably having bypassed some traffic. And so, per the GPS, we would now arrive four minutes later than originally anticipated. 

Was it me or the GPS?

Now, in fairness to the GPS, my wife noted I was anticipating where I thought it wanted me to go. As a result, I took a left one turn earlier than it wanted me to. I assumed it was routing me back to the Parkway. I’ve gone online to look at the map since then, and it’s possible it was going to take me over to Henderson Springs Road, which connects to Wears Valley. That said, I’m not convinced it would have been appreciably faster. 

Should I take GPS shortcuts in the Smokies?

In Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge, I think you’re going to be all right. This is especially true if you are using Veterans Boulevard, Teaster Lane, or River Road, which are some of the established shortcuts in the mountains. I would say that if your route includes any of these – or Jake Thomas Road, Ridge Road, or Collier Drive, the GPS is probably trying to take you around some major traffic. 

The same if it wants you to use a different exit off of I-40. There’s probably a good reason. The problem is that it can be hard to accurately assess the suggested route in traffic. If it seems odd or if it will only save you a handful of minutes, stick with the established route.

What about the deeper mountains?

I would find a place to pull over and really assess the suggested route. You don’t want to end up on the back road to Max Patch. Or worse, on some winding dirt road where fording a river becomes a real possibility.

Last year, we were in the high mountains in North Carolina on I-40 when the GPS became convinced the interstate in front of us was closed, no uncertainty involved. We were heading to Florida and Disney and wanted to take the route through Savannah and along the Atlantic.

But then the GPS indicated that I-40 was closed and that we should get off the interstate near Clyde. We’d go through Lake Junaluska, onto Highway 74, and down to Atlanta. There we’d hook up with our more traditional route on I-75, which would add some time to our trip and force us to hit Atlanta, which I was trying to avoid. 

There were multiple severe thunderstorms in the area. And even though I pulled off and tried to confirm through NCDOT and other sources whether I-40 was closed, we ultimately went with the alternative route. That night, I checked to see if there’d been any closures on I-40, and it appears the GPS had been chasing ghosts. 

Still, that happened to us on major roads with heavy traffic. You do not want to be in the high mountains on back roads chasing GPS ghosts. Especially when the service is spotty. In doubt? Stick to the main roads and be willing to accept your trip might take a little longer. 

Have you had frustrating GPS moments in the mountains? Let us know your tips and tricks in the comments!