Me and the wife travel to the Gatlinburg area at least once a year. We are looking for off the beaten path rides around that area. We have rode the Foothills, Cherahola, Blueridge and Deals Gap but are looking for the little known best rides in the area. So help a brother out and help me with a few ideas. Any aid would be greatly appreciated!

 

Get a Mad map it has lots of great rides

 

Here's a link to a Google Map showin a loop up thru Newport on US-321...then to Hot Springs, NC on US-70, which is a pretty li'l putt...on down outta Hot Springs on 209, which is a twisty li'l ride...pick up US-19 thru Maggie Valley...and, over the mountain back to Gatlinburg.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,1.069794&z=10

'Bout ten miles before ya get to Hot Springs...comin from Newport...there's a biker bar on the right called the Bobarosa. Good place for a break...and, dependin on what day ya hit it...might have a band goin too. If ya hit it on a Sunday, you'll likely see a few hundred bikes there...so, plan accordin to yer likes/dislikes of big crowds.

One question tho...why Gatlinburg? One of the most congested areas of TN...yuck! There are other more desireable areas to stay close to the mountains...Maggie Valley, NC...Townsend, TN...blah blah blah.

 

Be there in three weeks, can't wait!!! I'm staying in Gatlinburg too. I'm staying there because we've got a time-share there so we won't have to pay (out of pocket anyway) for accomodations.

 

The reason we are staying in Gatlinburg area is we have a friend who owns the cabin and we are staying there and it ended up being really cheap. Nice little ride TequilaJohn that one we will have to take.

 

The web site motorcycleroads.com has some nice area rides. I just rode the Hwy 66 to Hwy 33 to Hwy 58 to Hwy 70 to and from Rogersville, Tn. Good twisties with nice scenic views and gas stations along the way. Check the web site for rides.

 

Well, Moondog, I will share my favorite area rides you can try on your trip to my neck of the woods. TN SR 129 from the Foothills can head you in the right direction to a small little German town, Helen, GA. It is a great little resort town that is almost entirely German everything...great German food, beer, etc. It is a nice ride, about 130 miles from Townsend. I would suggest at Blairsville take the scenic SR 348 (Richard B Russell Scenic Hwy) to Helen which is a curvy, scenic mtn road. The Appilachian Trail crosses it at one point. Once you get to Helen and enjoy its ambience, consider the short ride over to Suches, GA, the home of the world famous motorcycle resort T.W.O. and terminus for the world famous GA Triangle (see attached magazine review): http://www.philmages.com/writing%20T...0Triangle.html Plan for the whole day, but it is well worth it. If you have time spend the night in Helen, you would enjoy it. Jerry

 

TNharley7 Hwy 129 does look like a good ride. We will be in the area for two weeks and plan on riding every day.