Trail riding near Gatlinburg?

[Muddy Bean]

Browsed around your club forum for a little while this morning and you guys are pretty organized and super active. Makes me wish I lived in Tennessee. But alas, I'm a Michigander land of few cruiser heads. I'm taking my wife and in-laws do to hopefully do some gentle riding first week of December and wanted to know where some nice areas close to Gatlinburg were. I'm assuming wind rock is my only choice? Stock 100 series with just a few Tbar cranks. Windrock has plenty of green runs that I'm assuming are safe for us to do alone....am I mistaken? I know you guys are running December 7, but we can't make it for that

 

[Goode]

Hi Bean, thanks for posting. As far as anything close to Gatlinburg, I'm not aware of anything out that way. WindRock would be a pretty good haul from Gatlinburg. I would guess about 1:15 or so to get there. Not sure what your schedule will allow. WindRock definitely has plenty to offer for all types of trucks from big to small. Royal Blue might be a little closer and straight interstate. I haven't been to Royal Blue in a while, but from what I remember there are plenty of easy paths to ride and places to play around on. If I can think of anything else I'll let you know. Enjoy your visit to East Tennessee!

 

[Muddy Bean]

Hi Bean, thanks for posting. As far as anything close to Gatlinburg, I'm not aware of anything out that way. WindRock would be a pretty good haul from Gatlinburg. I would guess about 1:15 or so to get there. Not sure what your schedule will allow. WindRock definitely has plenty to offer for all types of trucks from big to small. Royal Blue might be a little closer and straight interstate. I haven't been to Royal Blue in a while, but from what I remember there are plenty of easy paths to ride and places to play around on. If I can think of anything else I'll let you know. Enjoy your visit to East Tennessee!

Thank you. Very helpful. We actually are ok with driving there since we are in Gatlinburg for over a week. But I'll check out royal blue and see if that's a better fit for us. Thanks again!!

 

[Goode]

If you have the time then, I would go to WindRock over Royal Blue.

 

[Muddy Bean]

If you have the time then, I would go to WindRock over Royal Blue.

Which will be easier to navigate? We are solo so just want to be sure we don't get ourselves stranded out there.

 

[RSHARPfzj80]

Which will be easier to navigate? We are solo so just want to be sure we don't get ourselves stranded out there.

Windrock will be easier. There are plenty of gravel roads to navigate. Definitely worth seeing the windmills while you are there.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Windrock will be easier. There are plenty of gravel roads to navigate. Definitely worth seeing the windmills while you are there.

Thanks! If we do Windrock we will likely stick to the green trails. Thanks again

 

[profro]

The elk viewing tower in Royal Blue is pretty cool to and might yield good views since its mating season.

 

[cphillips]

The elk viewing tower in Royal Blue is pretty cool to and might yield good views since its mating season.

Nothing like taking the wife and in-laws out to watch some big bull elk drill a cow-

 

[jynx]

Nothing like taking the wife and in-laws out to watch some big bull elk drill a cow-

Where is my "Like" button!!

 

[Goode]

Moooooo....

 

[RSHARPfzj80]

Now that's funny!!

 

[Muddy Bean]

Oh dear. :-/ although dad in law is an avid hunter, he might really like that....

 

[Muddy Bean]

Leaning towards royal blue because I really want to see the elk....so does dad, and wife now too. Go figure...mom, shes undecided thank you much for the thoughts an advice. Will help make a bright spot in our vacation. Will post some pics

 

[RSHARPfzj80]

Another awesome place to go is Cataloochee. There are some monster elk there too. Pretty cool winding dirt road to get there. This is actually much closer to Gatlinburg than RB or WR.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Another awesome place to go is Cataloochee. There are some monster elk there too. Pretty cool winding dirt road to get there. This is actually much closer to Gatlinburg than RB or WR.

Ok. Mapping this out...adding it to the list.....

 

[profro]

Don't feed the elk. The park service will kill it. I at least hope somebody got the meat.

 

[Muddy Bean]

Nah, won't feed the elk. They can feed themselves. So I checked it out. Will definitely head to cataloochee. Where exactly is the dirt road you're talking about? The park is huge...is there a specific landmark we should look for or even an address or gps location we should punch in to get to the dirt road in cataloochee?

 

[RSHARPfzj80]

Pm sent

 

[Muddy Bean]

Pm sent

Thanks! Driving to Gatlinburg today. Will head out this week. My dad apparently has been to this place and knows where the elk are...he said one tried to stick it's head through their window...crazy. I might call you anyway to just get a better idea of what we are in for in royal blue. No one in the truck wants to have to front $17/person for windrock