Wheeling around Chattanooga?

[TNrunner01]

Sounds like AOP is going to be the best way to go, what is plan? As far as arrival time, we should get there around 930 or so maybe even earlier.

I'm sure the rain we had last night didn't help the water situation at the cove, but within all do time Iwould check it out.

I will have my two little girls with me and my buddy will have his wife and little girl.
[MENTION=88967]TNRunner99[/MENTION] [MENTION=87436]ugamurph[/MENTION]

 

[ugamurph]

AOP trails open at 09:00 Central Time. I say we meet there about that time or slightly earlier.



It takes me about 1 hour 15 minutes from Smyrna to get there. [MENTION=94360]TNrunner01[/MENTION], if ya'll will be taking interstate, I don't mind meeting you in Murfreesboro so we can caravan down.

 

[TNRunner99]

Sounds like AOP is going to be the best way to go, what is plan? As far as arrival time, we should get there around 930 or so maybe even earlier.

I'm sure the rain we had last night didn't help the water situation at the cove, but within all do time Iwould check it out.

I will have my two little girls with me and my buddy will have his wife and little girl.
[MENTION=88967]TNRunner99[/MENTION] [MENTION=87436]ugamurph[/MENTION]

That sounds good. Meet at AOP around 9 Sat. morning and we can plan the ride from there. They have maps available and all the trails are rated. I pm'd you my number [MENTION=87436]ugamurph[/MENTION] has it as well. Looking forward to riding with you guys. I've got to get my compressor installed tomorrow to be ready.

 

[ugamurph]

Here's a little something to get you excited about Saturday.




Watch this one to the end... Texting and Driving don't mix.

 

[TNrunner01]

Well I can see sliders and skid plates in my near future.

 

[ugamurph]

We'll keep you off of the rocks.

 

[ugamurph]

One more of [MENTION=88967]TNRunner99[/MENTION] at the cove last year.

Derek, was this the trip that I broke my back glass?

 

[Styer]

How was the trip guys!? really wish I could get some time for offroading. I'm off work and free from the 27th through the 3rd. Thinking about possibly making an overnight trip down around big frog wilderness or somewhere near there.

 

[TNRunner99]

One more of [MENTION=88967]TNRunner99[/MENTION] at the cove last year.

Derek, was this the trip that I broke my back glass?

Yes That was the trip you decided to use an alternative method to roll it down.

How was the trip guys!?

It was awesome. The weather was perfect and we had a great time riding.

 

[Chuckles89]

New FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1692564570960159/

 

[ugamurph]

From our December trip to AOP. Unfortunately the only video I took.

 

[TNRunner99]

New FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1692564570960159/

Good idea. I just requested to be added. Thanks

 

[jwkilgore]

I didn't read the whole thread, but here are the places I've found local to Chattanooga. First, the legal places:

• Two pay-to-play parks, Adventure Offroad Park (ski-resort style graded and mapped trails)
• Aetna Mountain Adventures (just some guy's land on the mountain you can play to ride on and get muddy... search on Facebook).
• The guy who runs Tennessee Trials Training Center (near the entrance to Coppinger Cove) has discussed opening some of his land for a pay-to-play 4WD park, but it's just speculation for now.
• Prentice Cooper WMA is free with easy to moderate difficulty forest roads (some with mandatory 4WD), open March-December, closed during a half-dozen or so weekends each year for scheduled managed hunts. By "moderate" I mean I used to drag my running boards before my lift, so a stock Limited or anything with running boards will have problems; anything else should be fine.
• Cummings Cove WMA (on Aetna Mt.) has a challenging single unmaintained but public through road. The road is public, but leaving this road is tresspassing and illegal. It is accessed off Cummings Highway through a subdivision up Aetna Mountain road. The west access is through Whiteside, but the hunting club leasing the land west of the WMA claims the road as private and has it gated. They also have guns, so use that route at your own risk. There is a lawsuit pending to get that road officially declared public. Google maps has the public roads correctly shown.
• The North Chickamauga Creek WMA's Patton Unit (on Montlake Mt.) has a single public and unmaintained through road with a few spurs. Parts are very challenging, with mud, rocks, ledges, and a couple of shallow creek crossings. A friend of mine lives right at the south entrance. The NCC-P WMA is accessed via Cain Creek Road or Window Rock Road. Google maps has the public roads correctly shown.
• Coppinger Cove north of Sequatchie, TN, is a series of old unmapped logging roads on private land (mostly timber companies, a conservation trust, and one area of state-owned land). I understand that the land owners allow riding, or at least don't forbid it. Stay away if the water is up unless modded because some of the crossings get really deep and the water can be moving very fast. Moderate to very challenging roads/trails. If the water is down a skilful driver in a stock SR5 or Trail (or a normal driver with a skillful spotter) can make it. Limiteds will drag unless lifted. Lots of water crossings and rocks. Absolutely beautiful karst topography with caves, springs, sinkholes, waterfalls, etc.

There are several ATV parks in North Georgia, but I'm only listing full-size 4WD areas. There are also hundreds of miles of maintained Forest Service roads in the Cherokee (TN), Chattahoochee (GA), and Nantahala (NC) National Forests that make for fun trips, but I'm not listing roads that can be easily handled by a Subaru Forester or a 2WD pickup.

Next the illegal areas:

• Aetna Mountain is the most infamous. Popular with the local rednecks. People take the public road up the mountain then leave the road and trespass on WMA and TN River Gorge Trust land. It is rare, but TWRA has been known to ticket trespassers. People gather from three states to 'wheel here. There are youtube videos showing gatherings of hundreds of people. The environmental damage up there is extreme.
• Big Fork is on Signal Mountain, just across from Prentice Cooper. No trespassing signs everywhere. Lots of moderate to extreme rocky trails. Lots of drunk rednecks. Common to hear shooting. Beautiful view of the Sequatchie Valley off of Woodland Way.
• I don't know the name, but there's a "4WD playground" around Gray Creek between Montlake and Flattop Mts. It's accessed via T Crowe Circle, Snyder Loop, or Harvey Road. It's owned by a conservation trust and leased to a hunting club. I personally know members of that hunting club, and know that unauthorized riding is trespassing. But I also know that, unless you are ripping around near a stand during hunting season, there is almost zero chance of any problems.

 

[jwkilgore]

As for clubs, there are:

The Middle/East Tennessee 4Runner Facebook group mentioned earlier in this thread.

SFWDA (Southern Four Wheel Drive Association). Large organization made up of local clubs and business partners. Lots of group rides posted to their Facebook page, both local rides and destination rides as far away as Moab.

CORE (Chattanooga Off Road Enthusiasts). I believe it's mostly Jeeps. No website, but they have a Facebook group. I believe they meet and ride regularly, but Facebook group isn't very active. Member of SFWDA. This is the only official club I'm aware of with membership dues, t-shirts, decals, etc.

STLCA (Southeast Toyota Land Cruiser Association).

Nooga Off Road (Facebook group). Unofficial group, appears to mainly ride on Aetna. Facebook group is very active.

Coppinger Cove Offroad (facebook group). Unofficial group, not very active, just an informal place for information.

 

[Chuckles89]

]Big Fork is on Signal Mountain, just across from Prentice Cooper. No trespassing signs everywhere. Lots of moderate to extreme rocky trails. Lots of drunk rednecks. Common to hear shooting. Beautiful view of the Sequatchie Valley off of Woodland Way.

Last time I went to Big Fork, I didn't see any no trespassing signs except for one spot and that was for the land on the side of the trail. I read online that early this year, there have been signs put up and cops called. Have you been up there recently?


I also made a post in the group trip with TTU offroad in the FB group about the April 9th ride. I have made the decision to change it to Coppinger cove because the confusion I have about Big Fork. I'll check out Big Fork when I'm in a two person group down there sometime.

Edit: I think we may be going to windrock instead lol

 

[jwkilgore]

Last time I went to Big Fork, I didn't see any no trespassing signs except for one spot and that was for the land on the side of the trail. I read online that early this year, there have been signs put up and cops called. Have you been up there recently?

I also made a post in the group trip with TTU offroad in the FB group about the April 9th ride. I have made the decision to change it to Coppinger cove because the confusion I have about Big Fork. I'll check out Big Fork when I'm in a two person group down there sometime.

I've been to Big Fork once this last December. I didn't explore much; it was really muddy, and no help in case I got stuck. The areas I did go I saw "no tresspassing" signs everywhere.

I have checked and all that land is privately owned. Google Maps shows it to be part of Prentice Cooper, but both the TN property viewer and the Prentice Cooper official map say that Google is wrong.

All that said, the signs I saw could be interpreted to only mean "don't leave the trail".

 

[EdwardC]

Next the illegal areas:
[*]Big Fork is on Signal Mountain, just across from Prentice Cooper. No trespassing signs everywhere. Lots of moderate to extreme rocky trails. Lots of drunk rednecks. Common to hear shooting. Beautiful view of the Sequatchie Valley off of Woodland Way.
[/list]

Hello, everyone. The above mentioned area is now indeed off limits. It has been posted by at least 3 property owners - I am one. Those woods & the trail itself is private property. The area I am speaking of is just a short distance off Woodland Way.

We would appreciate it if you would kindly enjoy yourselves elsewhere. I am aware that at least one of the owners will call the law & have arrests made.

Thank you.

Editing to add: Part of the upper "bald" area is privately owned, as well. I have been told, 2 vehicles were towed from there at vehicle owner expense within the past month.

 

[Chuckles89]

Hello, everyone. The above mentioned area is now indeed off limits. It has been posted by at least 3 property owners - I am one. Those woods & the trail itself is private property. The area I am speaking of is just a short distance off Woodland Way.

We would appreciate it if you would kindly enjoy yourselves elsewhere. I am aware that at least one of the owners will call the law & have arrests made.

Thank you.

Thanks for letting us know. Is there anything we can do to help?

 

[EdwardC]

Letting fellow riders know would in itself be a big help.

I was told barb wire had been strung on one of the property borders & someone ran thru it - a couple guys riding razzors are suspected, as they woke one of the owners who was on site that night.

Otherwise, there has been some recent vandalism. So, cables, gates & cameras are being put up. If someone is caught on camera tearing down the structures, the photos will be turned over to law enforcement.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news - but.... these tracts have been surveyed and ARE INDEED privately owned. Two of the owners are in the process of moving there. One has small children.

Were it not for the trash, erosion, camping & gunfire, there might have been a possibility of leaving at least the main passage open. As the father of the children stated to one person who had stopped just short of trespassing last weekend.... there is little difference in the trespassers & he himself coming into your yard and doing doughnuts. He plans to live there and that will be his home. He is asking for the same measure of respect.

 

[Chuckles89]

Letting fellow riders know would in itself be a big help.

I was told barb wire had been strung on one of the property borders & someone ran thru it - a couple guys riding razzors are suspected, as they woke one of the owners who was on site that night.

Otherwise, there has been some recent vandalism. So, cables, gates & cameras are being put up. If someone is caught on camera tearing down the structures, the photos will be turned over to law enforcement.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news - but.... these tracts have been surveyed and ARE INDEED privately owned. Two of the owners are in the process of moving there. One has small children.

Were it not for the trash, erosion, camping & gunfire, there might have been a possibility of leaving at least the main passage open. As the father of the children stated to one person who had stopped just short of trespassing last weekend.... there is little difference in the trespassers & he himself coming into your yard and doing doughnuts. He plans to live there and that will be his home. He is asking for the same measure of respect.

I'll pass the word along. And again, thanks for letting us know. Being bummed about it being closed is better than being arrested!

I'm sure there will be quite a few crazies being arrested over the next year...