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Other rides near Tail of the Dragon?

jenunn01

New member
My wife and are going to spend 10 days in the vicinity of the Tail of the Dragon beginning Sept 25th. Can anyone suggest any other "must ride" roads in the N. Georgia, east Tennessee and west N. Carolina area. We plan on staying at 3 different hotels and making day trips from each. Looking forward to your suggestions....thanks.
 
A fun ride in North Georgia is the Six Gap loop. You can do it all day long. Wolf Pen Gap road is part of it and is Dragonesque. http://www.sixgap.com/

I just had a short fun ride today on Highway 183 riding towards Ellijay. Saw a turkey minding his own business right on the side of the road.
 
Don't miss the Cherohala Skyway Hwy 143 and 165 down to Telico Plains and eat lunch at the Telico Beach Drive-in. Then ride it back.:thumb
 
The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful ride and this time of year would be breath taking with all the leaves changing. Cherohala as mentioned is a great ride. Both of those are very scenic. The BRP being miles and miles of scenic as it stretches from TN through NC and VA. There are lots of twisty roads fun to ride all over that area but the best mountain vista views are from those two. Considering the time of year the roads will be pretty bare as well. The Dragon, well that is always packed. If you can catch it during the week.
 
A fun ride in North Georgia is the Six Gap loop. You can do it all day long. Wolf Pen Gap road is part of it and is Dragonesque. http://www.sixgap.com/

+1 Fun ride for sure -- Wolf Pen Gap is one of our favorites.

And: Deals Gap -- I've had great rides early in the morning before the traffic gets going. My best rides were before 8:00AM when we had the place mostly to ourselves -- things start picking up around 9:00 AM -- that's about when the photogs start setting up.

Cherohala is a must ride for us whenever we're in the area.

Also: Foothills Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway. There are several roads that cross the BRP -- 215, 276 are two -- depending on the road surface condition, they're great rides, too.

HWY 28 between Lauda NC and Franklin NC

64 between Franklin NC and Highlands NC

64 between Franklin NC and Blairsville (heading west) where it intersects 129 is a great ride getting you to N. Georgia

441 across the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Little River Road and Laurel Creek Roads inside the park -- might have some slow moving tourist traffic
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/grsmmap1.pdf
 
As others have suggested, Wolf Pen Gap road and the Cherohala Skyway are a must. While close to Deal's Gap, AKA "The Tail of the Dragon," you might want to ride the Foothills Parkway. It is on the northwest side of the Dragon with very little traffic. It is a rather short ride but very nice.

If you decide to do Wolf Pen Gap road in northern Georgia, you should also ride the nearby Richard Russell scenic highway. It is Hwy 348 and runs northwest out of Helen Ga. It is also a scenic ride with very little traffic. For some reason this road doesn't get mentioned very often, but I really enjoy riding it.

Have a nice ride, all of the roads recommended here are good. Good luck!
 
A good all day trip for you and the Mrs.
The route begins at Deal's Gap; adjust accordingly.
Make sure you have some gear for riding the Blue Ridge Parkway; it could be cool.

1. Deal's Gap to Robbinsville continuing east to Hwy 74. 30 mins

2. Hwy 74 N for 1.5 miles to Wayah Rd, go right (Filmed some of Thunder Road along this road)
3. Wayah Rd E to Hwy 64 N: 40 Mins

4. Hwy 28/64 Intersection: N 64 toward Cashiers/Rosman, NC
Approx 1 mile S of Rosman, NC, Take Hwy 215 W (leads one to the Blue Ridge Parkway) (12 miles +-)

OR,
Take the Hwy 28 part of the 28/64 intersection: West to return to Deal's Gap, OR, Hwy 64 toward Rosman/Brevard, NC

OR, Hwy 28 E will take you east to Highlands, NC. PRETTY Ride along a river, and wife will love Highlands. (Shopping) It'll cost you!! :)

Hwy 28 will intersect Hwy 64 in Highlands anyway, and you can take Hwy 64 N to continue with a choice from below.

Choices of route returning to Deal's Gap:
1. (see no. 4 above) From Hwy 64 on your way to Rosman take hwy 215, which will lead you to intersection of Hwy 276/215, and eat at the Jukebox Junction, or W on Hwy 276 (Waynesville, NC, to Hwy 74W, W to Hwy 28, back to Deal's Gap.

Or.

Hwy 215 to The Blue Ridge Parkway, head S on the BRPW to the Bryson City Exit,
then take Hwy 74W, then Hwy 28 back to Deal's Gap. You will pass the high point of The Blue Ridge Parkway.
Or.

Continue Hwy 64 N to Brevard, NC. Intersects 276, and you will be on 64/276N in downtown Brevard, NC.

Brevard is the gateway to The Pisgah Forest, TAKE HWY 276-well marked.

Enter The Pisgah Forest, at the Hwy 276/64 intersection. Leads to The Blue Ridge Parkway (30mins)

Go North on The Blue Ridge Parkway to The Pisgah Inn. EAT@@@@@ Nice, nice, great view, lots of Mcycles, particularly loafing at the rocking chairs at the convenience store. NOT expensive, and first class with great views!!!!

(think you are a long way from Deal's Gap?? only 2 hours west)

CHOICE of routes returning to Robbinsville or Deal's Gap:

The Blue Ridge Parkway will lead you back south to The Bryson City Exit, and YOU WILL pass the highest point of the BRPWay. About MM 430. Great Photo opportunity with the sign. On the left side of the road heading south. Another 6 miles, about that, to the Bryson City Exit, and hwy 74W.

OR,
The fast way to The Pisgah Inn is Hwy 74 East to Hwy 276 in Waynesville, NC.
Hwy 276 to The Blue Ridge Parkway, then north for 5 miles to The Pisgah Inn. (See above.)

Good luck, and you may want to check this out on a map for clarification. Sorry I didn't take more time, but you will have fun on this day.

Someone mentioned Foothills Parkway. If you do that, and get to the north end, go east down to Cades Cove, or go across to Clingman's Dome. Nice ride, and should not be too crowded right now as the leaves have not changed.

I know you'll have fun.
Other places: Ocoee, Nantahala Outdoor Center (whitewater rafting) and not far at all from Robbinsville. Actually NOC is right east of Wayah Rd on Hwy 74/129 intersection.
 
Thanks to all.....a lot of great suggestions

I appreciate all your input...I am really looking forward to this trip!

Jim N.
 
.........................

Go North on The Blue Ridge Parkway to The Pisgah Inn. EAT@@@@@ Nice, nice, great view, lots of Mcycles, particularly loafing at the rocking chairs at the convenience store. NOT expensive, and first class with great views!!!!.....................



+1 Not a bad place to stay either, great desserts!
 
I've been going down to NC/Tenn/GA area for 6 years now. There are now bad roads. Getting lost is a bunch of fun on those twisty roads!

Just stay away from the Dragon on the weekends!
 
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