How to find new trails.

[Carp]

Anyone ever done any "scouting" on wildlife management areas? There seem to be a lot of them around and its not hunting season now. Might be a good expedition style trip.

Doesn't Jocassee Gorges open up soon for the Spring?

 

[lt1fire]

Back in November, I saw a real estate sign on a plot up near the top just before the hard switchback to the campsite approach. Could be that they are planning on developing some property up there near Sugar Creek Gap.

That's a good way to save the environment from us demon off roaders.

Sounds like what they've slowly been doing to Moab.

"oh we have to close these trails and this section because you guys are destroying the environment there."

6 months later.... houses start going up.

 

[BMThiker]

Actually the section near Sugar Creek Gap has always been 'private' land IIRC. The gate to the trails just west of the campsite is the beginning of the 'managed' land I believe. But if the land gets developed and houses start popping up, it means the access becomes harder...one way in, one way out and no loop sections if they decide to block entry from the east side.

 

[97TJGUZZY]

moses=closed
caney=closed
cobble road up from chimney (caney alt) =closed
MTS parallel at top of caney=closed
shocksnapper=closed (top and bottom)
chastain ck(church)=closed
Piney mtn= open one side
rough butt=??? lots of treefall just past 2nd creek
gravel to sugar creek at 281= gated; unknown for season or for good


Sorry fellas, but you can still hit the group camp site on moses if you need a place to stay for the night or the campground at the chimney at base to caney fork side. Enjoy the biking.

look toward madison county as my family is from that area and last june after the reunion my brother and I took some locals advice as suggest by trollhole in original post and followed his "shortcut" suggestion to get around an overturned truck. And a delorme backroads edition atlas at walmart still lists 4wd roads on it all across the mtns. Ive heard there is a good road off tail of the dragon outside robbinsville.

ended up heading up to pisgah and mountainbiking, but parkway was closed as well as all fire roads...ended up doing alot more riding than planned and less driving, but a great time none the less. The snow and ice really did a number on WNC, there was stil snow in places, and we spend most of the first weekend clearing trees and limbs from trails.

i'll have to check out the trails in madison, thanks for the headsup

 

[jfz80]

Tank trapped or gated? Seasonal roads are still closed for the winter/wet season.

sorry, just saw this. BOTH is your answer. Pretty permanent. Only two gates not backed up by a trench were the gravel road off 281 and one lesser known trail at the very very top of caney road, almost to the MTS parallel trail. everything else got the double whammy.

 

[delta21]

anybody familiar?

read post 384

9TH ANNUAL ADVRider EASTERN RENDEZVOUS MAY 13TH-16TH - Page 26 - ADVrider

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

I believe that would be the richland gap trail up near blowing rock. fairly easy trail that takes a couple of hours at most.

link to the olde north state land rovers map of the area:http://www.theoldnorthstate.org/adventure/pdf/richlandgap.PDF

HTH

 

[delta21]

Always searching for the ultimate overland trail......

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

Always searching for the ultimate overland trail......

I hear you on that one; I used to spend hours searching the internet for any obscure mention of a trail... and spent countless hours pouring over old USGS maps looking for "jeep trails" and I sadly came to the conclusion that I need to move out west where there are truly vast uninterrupted spaces to explore.

 

[BMThiker]

I don't think you are going to find a continuous trail that goes very far on the east coast. People have been here longer than anywhere out west, so more "interruptions" in terrain can be found. I don't think its far fetched to do an "dual sport" ride that includes some pavement and some trail if you wanted to do an extended trip. Thinking something like starting around Chattooga/Burrells ford area and going north from there up to Rich Mtn and Black Balsam.

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

I agree you could certianly string together a long run of FS gravel roads with some light wheeling thrown in everynow and then. You could probaly cover a fair portion of NE GA and W NC on gravel roads only......

 

[Southeast Overland]

The southeast is too populated to have vast, uninterrupted stretches of trail - but a 'dual sport' ride is possible. I am currently exploring the Burrell's Ford area, heading west into GA, then trying to swing north into NC. I've explored Oconee Co SC pretty well and there are a few short places to explore but nothing contiguous.

Far western NC and eastern TN has more options and I have a couple longer treks out there that I'm mapping out. I'll provide those as soon as they are finished. I'll also look into the Richland Gap/Blowing Rock area and post up a new map if it passes muster.

If you want long, uninterrupted treks then you need to head west young man!

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

Steve, you know you rode that richland gap trail with me a few years back right?

 

[Southeast Overland]

Steve, you know you rode that richland gap trail with me a few years back right?

Didn't know. I'll check the map the Rover guys posted, MVUM, etc and get back to ya.

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

It was the trip with Andy and Alex, the night we stayed at camp "ketcabuzz"

hey if you are looking for trails to add to your site, especially since you mentioned NC/TN border area look into Hurricane creek.... it is a legal FS road right off of I-40 around mile marker 8 before the TN border. 4wd is required and there quite a few water crossings.

 

[Southeast Overland]

hey if you are looking for trails to add to your site, especially since you mentioned NC/TN border area look into Hurricane creek.... it is a legal FS road right off of I-40 around mile marker 8 before the TN border. 4wd is required and there quite a few water crossings.

Thanks - I'll look and see if that is one of the two I'm currently mapping out.

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

here is a link with the USGS map...... there are some other good trails listed on that site that you might be interested in. That site is what first lead me to cullowhee years ago......

Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap and Cherohala Skyway, Graham Co, NC