Road Trip Advice - Appalachia for a week (TN, NC, VA)

I have two brothers graduating from school this spring. We're going to do a motorcycle road trip to celebrate. We will be meeting in SE Tennesee to start there. We'll have 6 days of riding before we end again somewhere in SE TN. Looking for good roads and an idea of how far we could go.

Initial thought is to ride the Cherohala, Deal's Gap, and then head up the Blue Ridge Parkway through North Carolina and finish the BRP in Virginia. Then head back a different route. I'm thinking 2.5-3 days to get to the end of the BRP from SE TN (including Cherohala and DG). We would then have 3 days to get back to TN from VA. We don't know what other roads to ride.

For the 3 day return leg, should we stay near BRP or venture into WV or other areas? We'll be riding on roadbikes (and one dualsport!). Camping is the plan.

 

BRP is very congested most of the time. I would stay away from it unless you are on cruisers. There are many great roads in the area. I might suggest getting the "mad maps" of the area and using them. We stayed away from the popular stuff (Deal's, TWO's, etc.) for years and had a blast. Also avoid all of the rafting areas.

 

Hit up 421 near Mountain City, TN (aka Shady Valley) its a smaller Deal's Gap but its so much fun! BRP (Boone, NC) is a 45 minute drive from Shady Valley.... have fun!

 

To be honest, if you want to ride DG one time just to say you have...go for it. But i wouldn't plan your trip around DG. It is FULL of squids and cops trying to bust the squids. That road is no longer enjoyable.

The Cherohala Skyway is a better road (IMO) and less squidfull.

CS and DG intersect at Robbinsville. You could plan your trip to come across the CS, then North on HWY 129 (DG) till you get to 411. Then 411 will take you through Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Eventually you will hit 321 which is an excellent road also. 321 will take you through Johnson City TN where you can head over to 421 as previously mentioned.

I could practically make that run ^ with my eyes closed; i have done it hundreds of times. I live in Johnson City so if you plan on coming through this way, send me a PM before you leave and we will meet at Hooters for lunch or something.

 

Deals gap sux, along with 99 percent of the riding in North Carolina. Want some real fun, head up to Marlinton wv, from there you will take 39,150,66,28,250.....just about any road is good

Ab

 

This is good. Keep 'em coming! I'll have to dig out the atlas and google maps to see where some of these roads are.

Bummer to hear BRP will be congested. That was the main focus. We may have to play that by ear then.

We weren't going to do DG but I convinced them that since we're going to be there we need to go down it once. We were going to do what Chaotic described. (I may PM you if we go to JC.)

It's tough planning this one. I'll be taking a Garmin but I prefer Google maps over Mapsource program. Then I found MS Streets and Trips and having been playing with it (you can limit drive hours, set mileage for refuel, etc.) I tempted to just grab a road map and wing it.

 

Head into West Virginia instead. Great roads, less traffic, and the cops are way more friendly than NC and Virginia. A few years ago a buddy and I took a late fall weekend trip up there. We were hauling ass around a curve and a cop was coming the other way. He just did a friendly hello wave. Maybe the bikes looked slower than we actually were going because they had hard cases on them? Anyway, I've never been hassled up there if you act with only a slight degree of moderation.

 

Plus, a speeding ticket on the BRP is $500, i'd only use it to connect to other roads. From charlotte, a popular route is old 18, 181, (stop at Jonas Ridge) to 221 in Boone.

 

I live in WNC and there's plenty of good riding around here.


BRP does suck, most of the time the speed limit is 45, which is fine, but anything over that and the park rangers will be after you. And it's all federal up there

 

+1 for the Mad Maps. If you have never been to DG, you need to go. Make sure it is on a week day and you will be fine. 99% of the N.C. roads in the area are very good.
Hwy 28!! Cherohala is a good one too. BRP speed limit is 45 and you can get away with doing 55, don't rule it out completely, but it does get old dealing with the traffic.
421 mentioned above - verrry nice. and yes, the roads in W.Va. are very good.

 

421 is flat and straight, I would avoid it.

 

Had to look - 321 is the one I was thinking about

 

It is flat and straight also, stay away.

 

guess you never rode up to Hole in the Wall from Boone

Gas station at crossroads can have 100+ bikes there on a Sat. or Sun.

 

Calling Panthercity. We need the whoosh smiley.

 

In my humble opinion, if its early spring the parkway will be pretty darn good. If you are carring your camping gear, you won't be pushing too hard and the sites are spectacular. But it will be colder than you think. Otherwise pick an area and there are great roads most everywhere. Good luck

 

It will be mid to late May.

 

Also don't miss 33 outside of Seneca Rocks. If you come that far north and want to see some spectacular views, skyline drive (northern end of the blue ridge) is good for that as well.

 

One of my favorte loops starts in Marlinton, south on 219 to 39 west, then 150 back to 219 north, then 66 accross to 28north over to 250 east the south to 39 an back to marlinton

Green bank and Cass senic railways is A great stop