Blue Ridge Parkway

Elaine and I are taking a 2-up road trip in late April with our final destination being the Blue Ridge Parkway. We would like to hit as many scenic non-highway roads between Houston and the B.R.P. and were hoping some of you might have some good route suggestions and maybe a GPX file or two.

This kind of came up on short notice so we are scurrying to get the bike, the gear, and us prepared quickly so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Natchez Trace would be a great start.


Jeff

jhansen said:

Natchez Trace would be a get start.


Jeff

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Definitely got that one on the short list!

You could take the Natchez Trace Parkway, that would get you from Natchez Mississippi to Nashville (444 miles long). Then you could cut across and do the Cherahola Skyway which would get you almost to Cherokee NC which is where the Blue Ridge Parkway starts. If you have not done it you could squeeze in a run down the Tail of the Dragon which is real close when you get to the end of the Cherahola.

The Trace is a slow ride with very little scenery unless you want to visit the historic places along the way. When I head to the Smokies, I ride the slab, usually I10 to I12 to I59, all the way to the mountains then have more time to enjoy good riding. Blue Ridge is 45MPH and requires some time to see it all. Lots of good roads in SW TN and NW NC that are very scenic.

Just something to think about...

I've been many times. JMO but I'd say get to Townsend NC as quickly and easily as possible. Nothing between here and there is worth the extra time, not even routing through Arkansas,... unless maybe you have a burning desire for the roads around Suches Ga. Once you're there, there's Never enough time to do everything you want to do from Deals Gap, Cherohala, Going to the Sun Road, etc etc etc. And you just cannot find a bad road anywhere around the BRP. Here's a few out-of-the-way suggestions:

One place right off the BRP is Little Switzerland. Eat lunch in the hotel and then do the short roller-coaster road off the back side of it. Can't remember the number of the road but you'll see it on a map.

Eat lunch at Doughton Park. Last time I was there the waitresses were practicing their hymnals for their Sunday service. I had a cigar out under the shadetree in front and took a nap on a sunny afternoon listening to them practice How Great Thou Art. They woke me up with a bowl of ice-cream and blackberry pie.

Meadows of Dan is a great place to stop. I just love the name. Just outside of the little town there's a BRP roadside park, Rocky Knob) and nearby campground. Watch the sunset off the hillside. That's the most beautiful part of the BRP to me. It combines it all, road surface, fences, and groomed pastureland. Plus, there's a motorcycle campground in MOD, great place to stay.

Mabry's Mill for Breakfast the next morning. Awesome. A preacher was there once and bought me breakfast.

If you go far north enough, I'd plan to stay a night at the Peaks of Otter. Beautiful lake and some great hiking.

Have a great time.

Another note, I've never gotten a speeding ticket on the BRP, its a Federal fine and I've heard never goes off your record. Having said that, the only time I bothered with the 45mph speed limit is when I'm nearing one of the Stations, like Crabtree, or Doughton park. That's where the patrols usually hang out,...stick to the speed limit there. On the rare occasion I passed a patrol on some deserted stretch, I was doing 15-20mph over and they'd flash the lights for me to slow down, which I always do til I'm out of their vicinity.

Of course, I ONLY go to the BRP when school is in session. In the summer months that place is a parking lot.

I'm definitely in agreement that there just isn't much between here and there that is worth taking the time to see, at least, not when that time could be spent there.

There is not a bad road out there. Even the slab through the surrounding mountains is pretty.

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Keep in mind that the Natchez Trace is 45mph the ENTIRE length and it is patrolled. Since it is a Fed offense, it is more expensive than a typical state/municipal ticket. Unless you have the time for a leisurely drive down the trace, I would avoid it or just do a short section of it. It is not really anything special road wise, just wide sweepers and gentle rolling hills in the woods, much like many FMs in East Texas... but MUCH slower

There really isn't an exciting way to get across East Texas and Louisiana without losing a lot of time, so I just take the most direct route East. Once into Mississippi and Alabama, things get better. I generally loop around the North side of Birmingham and come into North Carolina near the Tennessee/NC border, which is close to the Cherohala Skyway and Deal's Gap. From there it is a short hop over to Cherokee, NC., and the start of the Southern end of the BRP. Most of the route below is highway speeds and not too indirect, so you can still make pretty good time. It is two long days for most people or three medium days. A long day for most people is 500-600 miles unless they are used to doing consecutive long days in the saddle. A medium day might be closer to 400 miles. From my place in Huntsville to Guntersville in NE Alabama was right at 760 miles. I ran it alone, in NASTY weather and fog and it took me about 18 hours.

When I made the trip, I typically ran US 190 to Jasper, Tx 63 to the border, and then La121/28 through Alexandria to Natchez. Then if I feel like it, I might run the Trace up to Jackson. You can get off the Trace and run MS 18 into Jackson as well if you want to run a quicker pace. If you are not used to knocking down long days in the saddle, Jackson will be a good stopping point for the day. It will be right around 400 miles, give or take a few.

From Jackson, head NE on MS 25 to Louisville and pick up MS 14 East. At the border, this becomes AL 32, which hits AL 17. Run 17 NE to Carrollton and pick up AL 86 running due East. At US 82, turn back NW a short bit to AL 159 and run North. At Fayette, head East on AL 43/18/69 to Jasper. Run 69 NE I-65, run up to Cullman, then head East on 69 To Guntersville. Guntersville is about 330 miles from Jackson. If you are making pretty good time, then you might want to press on to Rome, Ga., which is about another 100 miles. That last 100 miles is pretty cool though. You want to run AL 227 NE of town through the state park, then it turns back SE to AL 68 as Crossville. Run 68 East to AL 176 just on the other side of I-59 and turn North. About 10 miles up, 176 makes a hard right to the East and goes over to the edge of the Little River Canyon National Preserve. Then it follows the rim of the canyon NE to AL 35. This is a REALLY cool stretch of road and worth the short detour. Run AL 35 down across 68 to AL 9, then run 9 East to the border where it becomes GA 20. Run that on into Rome. That would make for about a 430 mile day from Jackson.

From Rome, head North on US 27 to GA 156. Run 156 NE to US 41, then pick up GA 225 North to US 76 and on into Chatsworth. Heading East out of Chatsworth, look for US 76, 52 or 2. Different maps show different numbers, but they are all the same road. It runs up into the mountains past the Fort Mountain State Park over to Ellijay. It is a great ride! At Ellijay, hop on GA 5 and run it NE to Blue Ridge. At Blue Ridge, it is decision time.

If you want to get to the BRP ASAP, then you will want to Stay on 5 just past town and look for Lakewood Hwy on the North side of the highway. That runs up to Mineral Bluff, where you can pick up Murphy Hwy and run that to the border and pick up NC 60 to US 64. Run 64 to US 19 and that will take you all the way into Cherokee where the BRP starts. It is about 180 miles from Rome.

HOWEVER....

You can also get there by way of some MUCH better roads!! Head North out of Blue Ridge on Blue Ridge Dr. to Copperhill, Tn. From there it becomes TN 68. Run TN 68 North all the way to Tellico Plains. This is a superb ride. I have done it numerous times. Stop in Tellico Plains and get gas. Then head East on TN 165 to NC 143. This is the Cherohala Skyway, 55 miles of motorcycle Nirvana. At the end of the Skyway, you can either peel off on on Joyce Kilmer Rd., to loop around the lake to US 129 or run 143 on into Robbinsville on 129. Either way, you will eventually head North on 129 to Deals Gap and the Crossroads of time. Run the gap a few times if you like so you can say you did it. Stop at the Crossroads of Time to take some pictures and get your T-shirt and stickers. Then head South on NC 28 all the way to Franklin. You will really like 28, especially the section just South of US 19!! Once in Franklin, you can stop for the night if you like. It will be about a 300 mile day if you do Deals Gap once. The Franklin Motel is a nice biker friendly place to stay with nice rooms and good rates. If you are still up for some easy highway miles, you can run on up US 441 to Cherokee and stay there for the night, but it will likely be more expensive. The start of the BRP is 33 miles from Franklin.

So that gets you to the start of the BRP. You can do it in two days if you are both up to doing 500-600 miles in a day. If you have not done that kind of distance in a while or are not used to riding such distances in a day, it might take more out of you than you think. With the two of you, you might want to consider doing three days, which is what I outlined above. Keep in mind, it is three days back as well unless you just slab it. Even if you slab on the interstates and major highways, you are still looking at two long days to get home assuming you start the ride home from the Western edge of the area.

The BRP is a great ride. Keep in mind that like the Natchez Trace it is also 45 mph and is patrolled. It is also a Fed ticket. There are a TON of great little paved backroads out in that area that are much less traveled and no less fun than Deals Gap and the BRP. If you want more info about those, let me know. To give you much more, I really would need to know what kind of time frame you are working with and how many miles you want to ride in a day. Bear in mind that a 250-300 mile day in the twisties of TN, GA, and NC is a LOT of riding in one day because of the amount of concentration it takes compared to something like riding the Twisted Sisters in one day.

I should add that after having done the trip on the bike several times, I now trailer out. It is quicker, saves wear on the tires, and costs less in gas if I get enough people sharing the ride. It also allows me to arrive fresh and ready to have fun on the good roads. I generally leave on a Friday evening and drive straight through to somewhere like Franklin, NC. That gets us there early enough to have a nice evening to relax and a full night of sleep before the first day of riding on Sunday morning. I ride Sunday through Friday. Head home sometime Saturday morning and get in during the wee hours of Sunday AM. That way I can take a nap and be good for the rest of the day on Sunday. From Huntsville, it is about 18 hours to Franklin if I head up US 59 to I-20 and run 20 to I-85, then US 23 North into Franklin.

The Little Switzerland loop is 226 A/B. The best part is the West side, which is twistier and has MUCH less traffic. I usually just run it down and back rather than make the loop. Getting stuck behind big trucks and RVs that are cooking their brakes is NOT fun, which happens a lot on the East side. If you get far enough out on the BRP to reach Little Switzerland, there is also Mount Mitchell just back to the West from there. That is a cool stop off.

A great place to stay, eat, or get gas on the BRP is the Pisgah Inn. It is just West of Asheville on the BRP. No phones in rooms. Every porch has spectacular view and has rocking chairs. Food in the restaurant is great. I've stayed there several times and usually make a lunch stop there at least once on every visit.

Roads that are superb off the BRP include NC 215, 276 and 151 (151 is VERY tight, be CAREFUL!!). 215 and 276 on both the North and South sides of the BRP are great. I usually do 151 as a down and back. It straightens out when you reach the bottom, so I turn around there and run right back up to the BRP and continue on my way. Further East on the other side of Asheville, NC 80 is another great run, from US 70 all the way up past US 19 up to NC 226. That last stretch between 19 and 226 is absolutely incredible. It is a fun up and back, or you can make a loop by cutting West at the top over to NC 197, and head South just a short bit to the start of Double Island Rd., which runs all the way down the other side of the river back to US 19. I learned about that one from a local I followed up 80 the last time I was out there. It makes a great loop. If you get as far East as Blowing Rock, there is a stretch of US 221 that roughly parallels the BRP before you reach Blowing Rock. It is a lot of fun and very pretty. If I were going as far as Blowing Rock and then turning around, I'd run it one way and the BRP the other way.

I better stop now... It is giving me an intense craving to head back out there and I don't think I would survive trying to get a kitchen pass for that given all the other stuff I have going on right now

Well, ya'll have definitely given me a LOT to think about and map out!

I am going to find these roads on a map and will have some more questions I am sure.

Scott, thank you for the recommendations for places to stay. That was going to be my next line of questioning was good places to stay not only while there but perhaps between here and there. We are leaving on April 19th and return sometime the week of the 30th. Our return will be dependent on how long we feel like staying out there, problems on the road, ect...

A couple comments on Tourmeisters post,... First Wow! I thought I knew a lot, but in my defense I usually just Drift. So my directions are more like, take that sideroad on the left at the barn north of Doughton and you'll see a little hotel on a hilltop,...well you get the picture.

2nd, on Cherokee, its a toilet. Get through it as fast as possible. And on Deals Gap. In the old days if you ran it during the week it was usually pretty dead. But the last three times I've been there I did the run once and got the heck out of there. It's a squid-fest and just not worth the risk to me,...and I reluctantly admit to treating it like a racetrack until I met an 18-wheel rig up there one day. Like others have said, there are a TON of roads that are far better.

One time I did a road called Foothills Parkway on the way to the Gap. I've looked but never found it or been able to get to it again. All I remember is chasing a RC51 on my R1 all the way up it and we were both exhausted at the end.

I also agree on the Trailering part. No shame in saving a day or more on both ends if your best option is the Slab. If I ever go up there again, I'll trailer to NC.

There are now a LOT of places to stay in the area around Tellico Plains, TN., and Robbinsville, NC., because of the massive increase in motorcycle tourism to the area. Several TWT folks stayed at the Iron Horse Lodge a year or so ago and they really liked it. Robbinsville has many of the chain hotels now. I like Franklin because it is a little further from Deals Gap and thus still quiet and nice. It is also ideally located for 3-4 days of great riding. I tried to find the info on the Franklin Motel, but I think it has been sold since I was last out there. Regardless, there are still many other hotels in Franklin. NC 28 down to Highlands from Franklin is really cool and has some neat waterfalls. Downtown Highlands has all kinds of cool shops that Elaine might like.

On my first trip out there Beth and I were with another couple. We stopped in Maggie Valley for a few days and rented a house in the hills. It was cheaper than a motel and VERY nice. It was a full sized home, fully furnished, had multiple rooms, a BIG game room, a hot tub, a deck with a nice grill, and a garage for the bikes. I found it via a local real estate service that lists homes for rent. Pretty much in any area where you might want to stay, there are TONS of cabins that can be rented. We stayed in a really nice cabin just North of Franklin off of NC 28. It was WAY up on the mountain, which was nice except for getting the bikes up the STEEP gravel drive that had just been covered with several inches of gravel the day before we arrived Anyway, it was not expensive and there are tons of them in the area, not all with bad driveways. You can find most by just Googling the nearest town name with "rentals" or "cabins".

There is also a neat museum in Maggie Valley, Wheels Through Time. I've yet to visit because I am always too busy riding since I have limited time when I go out there. Same for the Barber museum...

The Foothills Parkway is North of Deals Gap. It runs between US 129 and US 321 along the NW edge of the Great Smoky Mtn NP. I've run it and it is a nice ride, but it is more of a cruising ride where you relax and enjoy the scenery. It is not tight and technical like many other roads in the area.

US 441 through the Great Smoky Mtn NP is a nice ride, but traffic can be bad and there are few safe places to pass. As early as you are going, that is not likely to be an issue. If you go after school is out, it can be an RV parking lot... Climngman's Dome is the tallest peak in the park and the ride up to it, and subsequent hike to the summit is cool. It is not a long hike. There is a concrete sidewalk with rest benches along the way.

If you want to see pics and descriptions of roads and routes, here is my most recent trip report,

Escape to Witch... er... The Smoky Mountains! May 19-26, 2012

There are also tons of other ride reports by other folks here on TWT. Just search the Story Telling forum for "North Carolina".

Wheels through time is an absolute must.

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I watched the owner jump on a 1919 ( or around that) Harley, start it, ride it out of the building, through the parking lot, and back in.

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Some more,...Grandfather mtn where they filmed Last of the Mohicans. Hot Springs NC on the Appalacian Trail is a great place to get a massage and a hottub, lots of hikers converge there.

GSMNP also has some dirt roads and some one-way paved roads that are well worth taking. For the full experience get a copy of a couple of books written by one of the pioneers that settled the park and then wrote about life there until the govt moved them out. It will give you a new understanding of why you only see 3 or 4 family names in the little community graveyards.

Are you guys camping or hotel'ing?