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DUAL SPORT ROADS
Dual Sport Twisties |
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(Map to be posted later) The following route is designed for intermediate riders on larger dual sports. We rode the route on our KLR650's. There are no water crossings, there is some pavement including a couple stretches of awesome twisties. The intermediate rating is due to quite a few steep hair pin curves on gravel requiring you to use first gear, rear brake, clutch, and throttle all at the same time. We began this route at Tapoco Lodge, home of the annual Triumph Raid. The Raid brings out quit a few Tigers, and we feel this route would be perfect. Plan on leaving Tapoco around 9:30am. This will bring you conveniently into Robbinsville around lunch time. Leave Tapoco Lodge heading south on US129. Follow US129 approximately 8 miles. You will see a Santeetlah Baptist Church on your left and a sign on your right indicating Joyce Kilmer National Forest. Take this paved right following Old US129 along the Cheoah River for approximately 1 mile. Take the first right and cross a one lane bridge (Joyce Kilmer Road). Stay on this paved road which follows the shores of Lake Santeetlah for approximately 7 miles. You will pass thru Horse Cove campground and come to a stop sign. At the stop take a left. After about 3 miles, this paved road will come to another stop sign at an intersection with the Cherohala Skyway. Take a left following the paved Santeetlah Road for approximately 1.5 miles. Watch for the street sign Old Santeetlah Road on your right. Turn right and follow this gravel road approximately 1 mile until it ends at the paved West Buffalo Road. Take a right crossing a bridge over West Buffalo Creek. Stay on this paved road following West Buffalo Creek for approximately 4 miles. Watch for a gravel road to your left (Hard Slate Road). Take a left on this gravel road for approximately 2 miles until the road ends at the intersection with a paved road (Dick Branch). Take a left on Dick Branch Road and travel for approximately 1 mile. Take the first right on paved Snowbird Road. Follow this paved road for approximately 4 miles. The pavement crosses a bridge and then turns into gravel. Stay straight, following this gravel road (SR1115) winding up the Snowbird Mountains. You will see another gravel road to your left titled "Masters Mission", do not take this road but this is a good stop for pictures and a break on the wooden bridge over Little Snowbird Creek. Continue on this gravel road where you will ride thru an open valley, known as "Dentons". Turn left and cross the wooden bridge at the Cole Denton Road sign. You will notice a change in the road conditions as you get further out from civilization. Follow this gravel road for approximately 6 miles. Little Snowbird Creek is on your right and offers a cooling breeze at these higher elevations (approaching 3000'). Continue straight at the first intersection (at the "Idlewood" sign). Continue another ½ mile and take a left at Porterfield Gap road (unmarked). This road climbs steeply for the next ½ mile to Porterfield Gap. Road conditions should not present a problem for average or better riders, but there are some switchbacks and ruts. Even though this road is rather desolate, be aware that you might meet oncoming traffic. We like to stay to the right in blind corners. Road conditions improve after Potterfield Gap. Continue on for the next 10 miles on this gravel road. This gravel road will end at Beaver Creek Road, west of Andrews NC. Take a left on paved Beaver Creek Road for approximately 2 miles. Take a left on paved road Stewart Road (SR1389). Follow this paved road approximately 1 mile and take a left at paved Tatham Gap Road. Follow this paved road ½ mile and take a right onto gravel Tatham Gap Road (the "Dual Sport Dragon"). Follow this road 4.4 miles to Tatham Gap. At Tatham Gap you can take a right (do an up and back) to Joanna Bald which offers fantastic views of Andrews and the valley below. Tatham Gap Road from the gap to Robbinsville was closed as of July 2003, but you can bypass the roadblock and continue into Robbinsville. There is one section of road for about 100 feet where the road bank has collapsed and is very precipitous. This should not present a problem, simply slow down and stay to the left. The slide area is well marked. Tatham Gap Road turns into pavement (Long Creek Road SR1110). Continue on this paved road for approximately 2 miles until you come to a stop sign. Take a right at the stop sign and continue on into Robbinsville for lunch and gas. Afternoon Ride: Take US129 south from Robbinsville and turn left on US19/74. This road descends into the Nantahala Gorge, the popular white water rafting venue. After passing the Wayah Road intersection (rafting put-in), continue on US19/74 for approximately 1 mile. Watch for the checkered bike crossing zone and take a right on Winding Stairs Road (this road is hard to see, be sure to slow down at the first sign of the marked crossing). You will cross two single lane bridges over the Nantahala River. At the second bridge you will see the rafters floating by. Winding Stairs Road is a steep, winding, gravel road which climbs out of the gorge. It has many switchbacks and some of the steepest dropoffs we have ever seen. This is no place to go off the road. Be aware that you may meet oncoming traffic, even though you might not expect it. Climing out of the gorge you come to Queens Creek Lake on your right. Continue on the gravel road (SR1412) along the lake. This gravel road turns into pavement. Follow pavement for several miles and take a left at paved Briartown Church Road. Be aware that road conditions worsen on this paved road with loose gravel. At the stop sign, take a left on Otter Creek Road (SR1365). This paved road turns into gravel as it climbs to Tellico Gap where the Appalachian Trail crosses. From the gap, continue on this gravel road (now Tellico Road) descending towards the Little Tennessee River. Be aware that the downhill section has some very steep, gravel switchbacks that require slow speeds and controlled braking. As Tellico Road levels out, you will pass thru Tellico Trout Farm. After the trout farm, you will cross a bridge. Stay left and continue on Tellico Road for the next few miles and the road will turn to pavement. You will have an option of taking a left on Needmore Road, which is several miles of gravel along the west side of the Little Tennessee River leading back to US19/74. OR, continue on Tellico Road and cross the Little Tennessee River to Hwy28. Take a left on Hwy28 which will take you thru some of the best paved twisties in the area. Hwy28 will also take you back to US19/74. Regardless of which option you choose, take a left on US19/74, and then a right on Hwy28 which will take you along the twisty "Fontana Dragon" and into Fontana Village. At Fontana Village, you have another option. For those who haven"t had enough gravel, take a left at Fontana Road (at the gas station). Take a right on Welch Road (just past the general store on right) and follow it thru the village to where it becomes SR1246. This road eventually turns into gravel and turns into SR1247 and leads you back to Tapoco Lodge at US129. Most of this route is gravel. For those who have had enough gravel, continue on Hwy28 to US129 at Deals Gap. Take a left on US129 to return to Tapoco Lodge. This route is approximately 150 miles, and is a good day trip for average or better riders. |
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