Best of luck, BRP and Dragon in one day on a holiday weekend sounds awfully optimistic. Regardless, pack your patience, our mountains here in Western NC are jammed Memorial Day cagers and bikes.

 

BRP from Fancy Gap to Maggie Valley as a stopping point. As stated previously BPR is 45 mph so it'll be slower going than you might think. There are lots of turn outs along the way, Little Switzerland, Mount Mitchell to name a couple.

 

BRP is not a ride you want to make if time is an issue. It is slow paced and will get boring, if you are in a hurry.

 

Just came back from there and we jumped on the parkway in Bristol. The parkway is still closed right above Asheville so you need to get off and get back on just south of Asheville.

The roads around the Smokies are in great shape as in the past the dragon was OK but a lot better roads to ride.

 

On quick thing also the Snake by Bristol puts the Dragon to shame

 

I ride the BRP from South to North every year.

I usually take a day to ride down to the Gap, stay at Iron Horse, and then start heading north up the BRP over the next couple of days.

I'll take another day to ride from Iron Horse to Fancy Gap and stay over in Fancy Gap for the night.

You'd be looking at about 8-10+ hours of riding, depending on how many stops you make. It's 200 miles from Fancy Gap to the end of the BRP and then you'd be looking at about another hour to make it over to Deal's Gap.

If you can make the time for it, you should do it. The BRP is an awesome ride.

 

I've been wanting the check out the Iron Horse. Your Reviews?

 

Two thumbs up. I tent camp when I take this trip so I could not speak to their cabins. But the facilities, staff, and grounds are great.

 

I don't have a tent so I'd have to do a cabin. That looks like a staged photo. Beautiful place.

 

Shhhhh! The Snake on US 421 is our local secret!