I was just in Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg to blow off steam and decided to cruise over to US 129 to see what it's all about. Cops were EVERYWHERE. It was definately a great drive, though.
By the way, I've been taking spring vacations to that area since my boyhood. And in the past 5-6 years, the level of development and commercialization around the park has become truly alarming. The park is still beautiful, but Pigeon Forge now sprawls all the way to I-40. There is a mini-Vegas (but without gambling) atmosphere about the place.