Chattanooga and TN River Gorge

This question likely calls for the expertise of really experienced
Chattanoogans or Tennessee travelers.

I'm going to be going from the Lookout Mountain section of Chickamauga-
Chattanooga National Military Park up through downtown Chattanooga.
Then I have a choice a choice of driving through the Tennessee River
Gorge on Mullins Cove Road, or taking SR 27 up and over the river
gorge to the west.

The SCENIC DRIVING TENNESSEE tourbook talks about an alternate route
if you wish to avoid driving through the TN RIver Gorge. The gorge
looks pretty in photos. Is there any reason to not drive through it in
the fall?

Do you also get nice views of the gorge if you take SR 27 north of the
gorge?