CentcomPete
Member
Headed up to Bryson City, NC for several days to raft, fish and hike. Anyone have any mild/scenic trails to suggest in or near the area? I will also be in the McCaysville, GA area later in the week to raft the Ocoee river.
Bryson City NC ORV trails?
- Thread starter CentcomPete
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ECUDrummer
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I'll be monitoring this. I'm not aware of any outside of the parkway, but that's not really the same.
jwkilgore
New member
Are you looking for back gravel roads, or off-road trails? I haven't been there since I got my 4R, so all the roads I know are the twisty paved variety for sports cars, or graded gravel roads I drove with my 2WD pickup for geocaching.
Hwy 74 itself is quite scenic, especially the twisty 2-lane sections along the Nantahala and Ocoee rivers.
When you cross the pass at Topton on 74 you'll pass by the end of Hwy 129. Several miles north this stretch of road is known as the "Tail of the Dragon". If you like paved twisty roads, this is one of the best in the eastern US. For more view and less twist, drive north to Robbinsville then west on the Cherohola Skyway over to Telico Plains. Both of these are a bit out of your way.
Hey! Looking up info on the Dragon and I found out that historic Tatham Gap Road finally reopened last month! It's been closed for years because of washouts. It follows one of the Trail of Tears routes, is known as the "Gravel Dragon", and is 9 miles of twisty gravel roads over a mountain range. It goes from Andrews to Robbinsville. Make sure you take the side trip over to Joanna Bald for spectacular views. It's out of your way, but a trip from Andrews to Robbinsville to Telico then back down Hwy 68 to McCaysville would be spectacular.
A shorter detour would be to head south out of Bryson City on Hwy 28, then take a right across the river on Tellico Creek Road (different Tellico) aka County Road 1369. Follow it up the valley. It will turn to gravel then climb up to Tellico Gap. It follows a powerline ROW so the views are great. At the gap you'll cross the Appalachian Trail. You can park and walk a mile or so north to Wesser Bald where there is an old fire tower that's been chopped off and converted to an observation platform with a 360° view of the mountains. Then keep heading west (road is now Otter Creek Rd) to Wayah Road, which takes you back north to Hwy 74. Wayah Rd follows the old course of the Nantahala River from before they diverted it underground for power generation. They still send a minimum flow down the river, and after a rain there are quite a few pretty waterfalls.
If you will be rafting the Nat, know these things:
Hwy 74 itself is quite scenic, especially the twisty 2-lane sections along the Nantahala and Ocoee rivers.
When you cross the pass at Topton on 74 you'll pass by the end of Hwy 129. Several miles north this stretch of road is known as the "Tail of the Dragon". If you like paved twisty roads, this is one of the best in the eastern US. For more view and less twist, drive north to Robbinsville then west on the Cherohola Skyway over to Telico Plains. Both of these are a bit out of your way.
Hey! Looking up info on the Dragon and I found out that historic Tatham Gap Road finally reopened last month! It's been closed for years because of washouts. It follows one of the Trail of Tears routes, is known as the "Gravel Dragon", and is 9 miles of twisty gravel roads over a mountain range. It goes from Andrews to Robbinsville. Make sure you take the side trip over to Joanna Bald for spectacular views. It's out of your way, but a trip from Andrews to Robbinsville to Telico then back down Hwy 68 to McCaysville would be spectacular.
A shorter detour would be to head south out of Bryson City on Hwy 28, then take a right across the river on Tellico Creek Road (different Tellico) aka County Road 1369. Follow it up the valley. It will turn to gravel then climb up to Tellico Gap. It follows a powerline ROW so the views are great. At the gap you'll cross the Appalachian Trail. You can park and walk a mile or so north to Wesser Bald where there is an old fire tower that's been chopped off and converted to an observation platform with a 360° view of the mountains. Then keep heading west (road is now Otter Creek Rd) to Wayah Road, which takes you back north to Hwy 74. Wayah Rd follows the old course of the Nantahala River from before they diverted it underground for power generation. They still send a minimum flow down the river, and after a rain there are quite a few pretty waterfalls.
If you will be rafting the Nat, know these things:
- It's freaking cold, even in summer;
- It's kinda tame on a big raft. Try it in a 2-person ducky if you want real fun, or at least a small 4-6 raft; and
- You have to go over the "falls" at the end. If you get out at Chicken Beach we'll make fun of you.
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jwkilgore
New member
After a little research on actual OHV trails (you got me wanting to go rafting the Nat again) you'll be close to the Chattahoochee-Oconee national Forest in Georgia, and they have several OHV roads and trails: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest- OHV Riding
There's also the Wayehutta OHV trail system near Bryson City, but it may be ATV/motorcycle only. Call and ask.
There's also the Wayehutta OHV trail system near Bryson City, but it may be ATV/motorcycle only. Call and ask.
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CentcomPete
Member
Man, ALL such great information - really appreciate it! I will hit the Tellico Creek road excursion out of Bryson on the way south to McCaysville for sure.
Heard great things about the Cherohola Skyway, might do that on another trip.
No rafting on the Nat but definitely on the Ocoee. I can hear the banjos now!
Heard great things about the Cherohola Skyway, might do that on another trip.
No rafting on the Nat but definitely on the Ocoee. I can hear the banjos now!
C
Carolina Roscoe
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jwkilgore
New member
They filmed Deliverance on the Chatooga River, down on the GA/SC line. Very rural, so definitely listen for banjos. It's rain-controlled, so flow varies considerably.
As for the Ocoee, way too many people around for any piggie hijinks. It's one of (if not the) most popular whitewater rivers in the southeast. It's where they held the whitewater events for the 1996 Olympics. During the scheduled releases on weekends there is a constant line of rafts and kayaks heading downstream.
As for the Ocoee, way too many people around for any piggie hijinks. It's one of (if not the) most popular whitewater rivers in the southeast. It's where they held the whitewater events for the 1996 Olympics. During the scheduled releases on weekends there is a constant line of rafts and kayaks heading downstream.
iambhooper
New member
Fixed that for ya! Sadly, Weyehutta (or as I grew up calling it... the end of the road) is OHV only, now. When I was a kid, I used to go there fishing and camping with my Grandfather (in his CJ), and my uncle (in his Series 3... for when the jeep couldnt get us any further).
The forest service has barricaded most of the forest service roads that people used to go on. Even if you have a key, you still need to be careful.
jwkilgore
New member
I definitely recommend Tatham Gap Road, even if all you do is go from Andrews to the fire tower on Joanna Bald and back. I've been trying to go for years, but something stops me every trip to the area.
