Blue Ridge Parkway
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 8,051
Likes: 50
From: Florence, MT (Bitterroot Valley)
I've ridden the BRP a ton of times while living on the east coast. It's a great ride, but the Mounties are more than diligent on speeders, so be AWARE. They're behind every bush on the weekends especially. Enjoy, and give us a nice "trip report" with pictures upon your return. Enjoy.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 836
Likes: 4
From: NC / SC between the Mtns and the Ocean
From Cherokee go over Newfound gap (441) toward Gatlinburg. Dont go all the way into Gatlinburg, instead turn west at the Park headquarters taking Little River Road (old 73) through Townsend and take Foothills Pkwy to 129, then back to NC through Deals Gap to 28 and 19 back to Maggie Valley. Check out Wheels Through Time while your there. Cherohala Skyway is 165 between Robbinsville, NC and Telllico Plains, TN.
Click here and zoom out for a good map.
Cades Cove is nice too if your into old settlement type stuff.
Click here and zoom out for a good map.
Cades Cove is nice too if your into old settlement type stuff.
I had to make 1 leg all the way around to 19, then another leg from 19 back up to Cherokee, or it wouldn't make the complete circle.
I used Cherokee casino as the start/end point, since I'm familiar w/ it, and it's close to the 441 and the 19 you spoke of.
It says it's almost 4 hrs ride all the way around, but I'm sure it's probably double that, or more w/ stops, so I'm sure it's an all day ride right?
Looks like it's a nice route, looks like you see a lot of mountains from down in a valley close to rivers and what not, that sounds nice....
YOU HAVE TO ZOOM IN TO FOLLOW THE ROUTE AND SEE THE ROADS AND TERRAIN ETC.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=777+Casino+Drive,+Cherok ee,+NC+28719+(Harrah%27s+Cherokee)&daddr=TN-73+to:Hwy-19+W%2FUS-19%2FUS-74+to:777+Casino+Drive,+Cherokee,+NC+28719+(Harrah %27s+Cherokee)&geocode=FY0vHQId9tUI-yFO9zZ5AFlTbg%3BFfBCIAIdXk4D-w%3BFdvfGQIdKNMC-w%3B&hl=en&gl=us&mra=ls&via=1&dirflg=h&sll=35.2907 49,-83.653679&sspn=0.102004,0.22316&ie=UTF8&ll=35.4891 88,-83.642349&spn=0.814029,1.785278&t=p&z=10
OK, I think the above route is cool, but I missed the reference to 28 between 129 and 19, so here is the route w/ 28 added. Looks shorter (smaller circle overall), but says it takes just as long, again probably underestimated. Looks like this adds more water views?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...92639&t=p&z=11
Let me know if that is more or less accurate to your description or if you'd add anything...
Last edited by karz10; May 11, 2009 at 12:30 PM.
Novice
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
SOOS, I did the ride (from Cherokee to Front Royal) in '03. Took me 3 days and I did not stop as often as I would have liked to. Did the Autotrain home to FL from there. When I do it again, I plan on 5 days to do some exploring along the way. Lots of great rides in NC that are day trips from Maggie. BRP to (through) the Park to Little River Road to Foothills Pkwy to the Dragon and home on 28 is a great one. Check out Smoky Falls Motel in MV - biker friendly (covered parking) and great people. Best time to ride it is during the wek (less traffic) and watch out for fog in the AM's. Have a GREAT trip!
Chris
Chris
Last edited by chris4401; May 11, 2009 at 12:18 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,658
Likes: 33
I've ridden the BRP a ton of times while living on the east coast. It's a great ride, but the Mounties are more than diligent on speeders, so be AWARE. They're behind every bush on the weekends especially. Enjoy, and give us a nice "trip report" with pictures upon your return. Enjoy.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 3,108
Likes: 9
From: Lincolnton, NC
Get gas when possible
IMO, if you're in a hurry stay off the BRP, it's too nice a ride to rush it.
http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/
Edit-
Here's the list for fuel stops-
Where to Buy Gas on the Parkway
Parkway Stations
Peaks of Otter Mile Post 86
Doughton Park Mile Post 241
Mount Pisgah Mile Post 408
Stations in Virginia
US 250 Mile Post 0
US 60 Mile Post45.6
US 501 Mile Post 63.9
US 460 Mile Post 95.9
US 220 Mile Post 121.4
US 58 Mile Post 177.7
US 52 Mile Post 199.4
Stations in North Carolina
US 21 Mile Post 229.7
US 421 Mile Post 276.6
US 321Mile Post 291.9
US 221 Mile Post 317.5
US 70 Mile Post 382.4
US 74A Mile Post 384.7
US 25 Mile Post 388.1
US 276 Mile Post 411.9
US 19A Mile Post 443.1
US 19 Mile Post 455.7
Last edited by Neckball; May 11, 2009 at 01:15 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,890
Likes: 73
From: MA
Plan to blast off the first day and take 84 over to 81. May bed down in the Gettysburg area or if time allows try to make it to Front Royal. Then take our time down the Skyline Drive and onto the BRP. We plan on getting to Maggie Valley in 3-4 days for a weeks stay.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 197
soos,
You can run the parkway and Skyline Drive in 2 days, but you will miss WAYYYYY too much of the prettiest senery to be seen ANYWHERE in the US. Be sure to take a good camera and plenty of film or a really big storage chip, you'll need it! There's plenty of reasonably priced motels all along the parkway and I particularly recommend the one at the Little Switzerland exit. There's two other places I consider must see's. One is Grandfather Mountain and the other is Mount Mitchell. Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi and there's a REAL good restaurant on top of the mountain. As someone else posted, Wheels Through Time is closed presently, but North Carolina is in negotiations with the owners to reopen it. It's another must see for any Harley owner if it's open. If you've never been in our corner of the world before, you'll LIKE it. There's no wrong direction to ride and you could ride all year in the Blue Ridge Mountains and never see all the good bike routes winding through them. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.
You can run the parkway and Skyline Drive in 2 days, but you will miss WAYYYYY too much of the prettiest senery to be seen ANYWHERE in the US. Be sure to take a good camera and plenty of film or a really big storage chip, you'll need it! There's plenty of reasonably priced motels all along the parkway and I particularly recommend the one at the Little Switzerland exit. There's two other places I consider must see's. One is Grandfather Mountain and the other is Mount Mitchell. Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi and there's a REAL good restaurant on top of the mountain. As someone else posted, Wheels Through Time is closed presently, but North Carolina is in negotiations with the owners to reopen it. It's another must see for any Harley owner if it's open. If you've never been in our corner of the world before, you'll LIKE it. There's no wrong direction to ride and you could ride all year in the Blue Ridge Mountains and never see all the good bike routes winding through them. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.