North Carolina mid June

[davedel44]

Planning a trip to NC mid June.  Spending a few days in Ashville then would like to do some riding in area before returning to Texas.  I'll have my small van trailer and V7 so I'll be self contained.

Suggestions?

Dave
Galveston

[Trialsman]

Around Robbinsville is good.  Everybody does the Dragon or 129 but there is even better stuff South like 28.  The whole area is very scenic and close to Ashville.

[Ncdan]

Hi Dave, any riding in the great Smoky Mountains is a great ride. I live about two hours from Asheville. You are welcome to stay with Lisa and I for a night and I can take you on a ride and put you on the parkway back to Asheville.

[kballowe]

421 from Mountain City, Tennessee, northwest to Bristol (snake)




then interstate 81 northeast to Marion, Virginia then 16 to Tazewell, Virginia (Back of The Dragon)




165 east out of Tellico Plains (Cherahola Skyway)



.......which turns into 143  when ya hit NC, and then continue 143 thru Robbinsville  to 28 and then make a left on 28.  This is a great section of highway 28 and will lead you back to the Tail of the Dragon.





And you could go get your picture at the "Tail of The Dragon" sign.   

[Ncdan]

421 from Mountain City, Tennessee, northwest to Bristol (snake) then interstate 81 northeast to Marion, Virginia then 16 to Tazewell, Virginia (Back of The Dragon)

165 east out of Tellico Plains (Cherahola Skyway) which turns into 143  when ya hit NC, and then continue 143 thru Robbinsville  to 28 and then make a left on 28.  This is a great section of highway 28 and will lead you back to the Tail of the Dragon.

Come on to NC Kev and we’ll ride it sometime.

[kballowe]

Come on to NC Kev and we’ll ride it sometime.

You be careful with those invites....    hahahahahahaha

 
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[cliffrod]

I lived in Asheville, then Knoxville & immediately west during the 90's before ending up back here in Spartanburg, SC in 03 an hour south of Ashevile.  There's a lot of good riding between here and Knoxville. 

The dragon in Deals Gap is great for twisties, but the traffic and idiots don't help.  Haven't been up in a while but I understand the police/highway patrol are far more diligent than ever before.  Except for mid week in Jan-Feb-Mar, it was getting crowded to the point of being a drag even back in the 90's. Now it is a full tilt tourist trap.  Maybe a must see, but not the insider kind of special place like it used to be.

There's other area routes I like more with far less tourism/show-off monkey business- 

From Asheville, taking 19-23 north to Weaverville, then 25-70 to Hot Springs (which used to be a good old fashion speed trap town, but just pay attention) and on to Newport TN is a favorite bypass of 1-40 over the mountain.   Good hills, nice long sweepers vs tight twisities like the Dragon and good relative straights as you get into TN.  Then you can go all the way into Knoxville on 70 (and beyond to Nashville) if you want or come back to Asheville directly on I-40.  More state patrol to watch for but pretty great curvy interstate.  A longer old road ride is to continue west on 70 past Knoxville to 58 in Kingston, turn left, then turn left again on 72 (great road.. drive by the remains of my old house in Paint Rock) then turn left onto 411 to go straight to Fontana, 129 & the dragon to go back over through the mountains via Cherokee to Asheville.  That's a long ride but it's quite a ride. Full day.  Doublecheck directions about on turning on 411 to see what works for you.  I went lots of ways to go, but know it only took one left turn from 72 to go to the dragon.

Or you can shortcut directly from Newport towards Pigeon Forge/gatlinburg/smoky mountain park and find & ride the Dragon back towards Asheville.

Wheels Through Time is in Maggie Valley, off I-40 west/north of Asheville.  If Dale is up & around and you hope to meet him, you should stop.

Traveling south/west of Asheville-

25 goes all the way to Greenville SC.  I like riding the old major highways like 25 and 70.  Used to be more to see on these roads, some still remains.   Directly north of Greenville into the NC mountains includes Ceasars Head,  Hwy 11, Pisgah Forest,  and the deep mountains.   There's so many good roads (up towards Brevard, to Lake Keeowee-Toxaway) we would just go and get lost.

176  south of Asheville includes the Saluda Grade between Hendersonville and Tryon near the NC/SC border.  Not as long but it makes the Dragon look like a straight road.  Fairly steep with deep switchbacks so some like going up (towards Asheville)) better than coming down (from Asheville) when you're laid over sideways. Watch for gravel if it's been raining.

One other favorite is take 40 from Asheville east towards Hickory, take 321 north towards Boone (big road with good long curves and HUGE views if it's not overcast), then return south on 221.  It's worth finding.  Extremely tight and isolated for early part of the 221 ride with zero traffic.  Go south until hwy 11 in Chesnee, (call me if you like and we'll connect if possible, June is busy for me..) turn right to go west to 176 in Campobello, turn right to go north up Saluda grade, through Hendersonville and back into Asheville.  It's another great loop with everything from interstate on I-40 for about an hour to no one anywhere around & everything to see from cliffs and waterfalls to log cabins, junk stores & brew pubs. Another full day ride. 

Whatever you do, have fun and ride safe.

Edit- changed a west to east... 

To expedite the loop of 58 to 72 to far end of the dragon, you can get on I-40 at Newport, head west to Kingston to 58 and skip the longer traffic ride along 70.  After you get onto 72, this will also take you out towards Tellico Plains as other mention.  imho, any of the routes you can take to ride the dragon just one direction instead of both ways made it more fun for me whenever I went.  It's hard to get enough clear roads to make both rides as good as each other and it always seems like the second round is the bad one.

[leafman60]

davedel44, and others, you can't go wrong anywhere you ride in that part of the world!

I lived in North Atlanta years ago.  I spent a lot of time in those mountains back then and I try to regularly go back as often as possible.

A quick and convenient circuit incorporating Asheville contains the following :

Take the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) south to Hwy 23/74 Waynesville exit and go north.  This is a 4-lane parkway but you will not be on it very long.

On the north side of Waynesville, take Hwy 209 and go north to Hot Springs.  This is a fantastic stretch of winding pavement.

At Hot Springs, you will merge onto Hwy 25/70.  Continue north and cross the French Broad River on the north side of Hot Springs. Continue on 25/70.  You will come to an intersection after you cross Big Laurel Creek at which point 25/70 makes a right turn and continues.  Stay on 25/70.  Watch out for some tight uphill curves there. After 9 miles look for the BUS 70 Main Street intersection that takes you into the town of Marshall situated on the French Broad River.

Stay on this road traveling southward along the bank of the French Broad River all the way back to Asheville.  It starts as BUS 70 in Marshall but then melds into Hwy 251.  This route is very scenic and takes you back to the Montford Historic section of Asheville, the old river warehouse and the arts section of town.

You can run it as I described or in reverse direction with great reward.

There are many areas to stop and savor along this loop described.  You will have some tight twisties coupled with a nice relaxing river-view ride along the French Broad River.

Hwy 209 to Hot Springs




Taking a break in Hot Springs at the French Broad River crossing


Town of Marshall on the French Broad River




251 from Marshall to Asheville




.

[DougG]

Asheville...aahhh.. .more breweries, bakeries and chocolatiers than any person could hope for.  AND, they have a drum circle every Friday night at Prichard Park.  It's just a stone's throw from the Thirsty Monk Brewery, two Irish pubs, a dim sum restaurant, two Mid Eastern restaurants, Chocolate Fetish chocolatier, Tupelo Honey Southern Food Grill, etc., etc.,etc.

By the way, Ditto on Hot Springs and beyond ride.

Much to enjoy!

Be well,

DougG

[Dilliw]

You could work it out to end up at the VA rally the weekend of June 21.  It's just a couple of hundred miles North of Asheville, NC.

https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=100679.0

[elvisboy77]

Check out the motorcycle cabins in Tellico Plains, TN.  It is beautiful territory and a great bike friendly place!

[bodine99]

Planning a trip to NC mid June.  Spending a few days in Ashville then would like to do some riding in area before returning to Texas.  I'll have my small van trailer and V7 so I'll be self contained.

Suggestions?

Dave
Galveston

  June 7th-9th is the Gathering of the Clans Rally all welcome. High Country Motorcycle campground Ferguson NC close to "The Snake Hwy-421" Dragon is safer mid-week, and a must ride is the Cherry-Cola Parkway. The Cherokee Indian Museum west of Maggie's Valley is really awesome Have fun and be safe

[BrotherJim]

Western NC is beautiful country and I've seen nothing but great riding suggestions in this thread.  Asheville is a great town with lots to do.  If you must ride the Dragon (US129), do it during the week.  LEO's and bozos are thick on the weekend.  Just don't spend too much time there, as you'll be missing out on so much more.  Tapoco Lodge is a nice pit stop a few miles from the Crossroads of Time on 28, if you need something other than gas station food for lunch.

[Perazzimx14]

A small group of buddies and I will be in that neck of the woods in mid June on our way to Helen GA to eat at the Bodensee. 1st stop in Johnson City TN to throw back a few White Zombie beers with some friends we made there then the real fun begins when they take the lead. Those ole boys know roads that make the tail of the dragon seem like I-80 going through Kansas.




 

[twowings]

We are currently in a cabin at the Simple Life campground near Robbinsville, NC...really nice place and they are bike friendly...looks like the owner is a rider...