Tellico Adventure Trail, TAT501, +SM500+, and Damascus-Augusta Trail.

PLEASE NOTE: I use Garmin Basecamp to design and edit my TRACKS (these are not routes). For overseas stuff I've used the TomTom planning website. I use dedicated satnav GPS devices. GPX files are a simple format, such as point coordinates and colors. If you use a decent device these files will all have separate tracks, colors, names, etc and you will be able to see and use the ones you want. All the features I see while designing them you'll see on the satnav. I take NO responsibility for the crappy phone device or phone app you choose to use and then wonder why you can't edit, view, or use them. So far I haven't seen one with functionality to match a Garmin unit (not saying there isn't one), they often just seem more "social" oriented than functional. Please learn the difference in tracks versus routes, or why north up is different than 3D "driving" view, etc. and you'll have an easier time

Tellico Adventure Trail. See page 86 of this thread for a description of the latest updates. TAT is now seven main tracks and two alternate tracks that total 1300 miles. Of course the vast majority are gravel roads, but no way to not mix in a few hot backroads and a few miles of highway as needed. The named loops are big bike friendly (the bike shouldn't be the issue anyway), but you should at least have some dual sport tires, not street.

• Apalachia is 172 miles. This track takes in many of the interesting sites associated with Apalachia Dam, Apalachia Powerhouse, the penstock, and historic McFarland work camp ruins.
• BlackBear and BlackBearAlternate are 170 miles. You might have great luck seeing bears in either the Cohutta Wilderness in Georgia or Big Frog Wilderness in Tennessee.
• DoublecampBald is 150 miles. Includes some seasonally open (fall hunting) roads north of the Cherohala Skyway, the Doublecamp loop, and Bald River areas. DoublecampBald_Alt is an alternate when the seasonal roads are closed.
• Snowbird Tears is 170 miles. Includes several high balds, the Trail of Tears, and the Snowbird Wilderness
• JoeBrownDog is also about 170 miles and was an original track that includes some of Snowbird and Doublecamp prior to Tatham Gap road re-opening.
• Trail 81 and Trail 82 (single track moto trails) are also included.
• Four Peaks is 110 miles and takes in four progressively higher peaks, from 2400 feet to 5000 feet.
• Helen is 230 miles and should be a great dual sport loop for bigger bikes that are no problem to handle a few liason sections on the highway. Get some German food for lunch.

• In SnowbirdTears, seasonal closures in NC include Joyce Kilmer and Tatham Gap; they are open from 4/1 to 12/31.
• In DoublecampBald seasonal closures in TN include the section that runs north of Rafter Rd to Citico Creek (Miller Ridge); that area is only open 10/1 to 12/18. Use Doublecamp_Altduring other times.

I've completed TWO revisions to the popular Smoky Mountain 500 track done by @andy29847. First is the TAT501 and second is the +SM500+. Both tracks are more small and medium dual sport friendly than Andy's version, and takes in a few things I know to be a bit rowdier, and less highway.

One problem recently is that the traditional stops of Stecoah and Suches do not always have places to stay for one night, they've gone to two-night minimums. Tellico Plains always has (my inn, the Farmhouse Inn for one). Another issue is limited restaurants. The TAT501 is also a three-day loop but instead the stops are Tellico Plains, Dillard, and Ellijay. Choices for hotels and restaurants are much better. The loop is 501 miles.

If you are looking to extend your Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route (MABDR) to the south, then I have a track for you as well. The Damascus to Augusta Trail (DAT). This track is 900 miles. You can also use this track to merge in with the SEAT track.

As detailed below the gpskevin Trans Am Trail track is STILL (as of June 2020) routed into and through the SMNP, Cades Cove, and Parsons Branch (see below). If you want to avoid all this miserable traffic, I have the Maggie Valley to Andrews alternate track.


Road Closures;
As of August 2023, River Road between the Ranger Station/Wildcat Road and North River Rd is closed for repairs and the Bald River bridge replacement project. This is scheduled to last until fall 2024.

As of 6 June 2022, Parsons Branch is open again (been closed since 2016 or so?). But, I would NEVER send motorcycles into Cades Cove loop just to do that road, unless you just really want slow traffic and a pic going through Deal's Gap. As a local routable road it's not much use, there's just not a lot over there to pair it up with.

You can PM or post questions here, you can also call the Farmhouse Inn at 423-253-3123. Of course, I would love for you to stay with us, but if not, we have many options in Tellico Plains. Even if you don't stay here stop by and say hi, get a Tellico Adventure Trail sticker, grab a water, sit on the porch and take a break, or buy a T-shirt. Stop by after your ride and we can chat by the fire.

PROBLEM:
So, some of you know I pulled the tracks earlier after it was evident some of the "pay to play" tracks had been revised on the free stuff that either myself or Andy (SM500 and SM1000 tracks) have put out. That's "aggravating" to put it mildly. Well you know what's even more aggravating? Having fellow adventure riders have a miserable experience because of road closures or just horrible routing provided by guys that don't seem to either really know or care.

SOLUTION:
In the spirit of the ADV community, provide the tracks and updated information to maximize the riding experience. I already try to keep up with information in my direct area, but I'm going to go back to providing the tracks to people that ask. If you want to help support this effort with feedback, road/trail suggestions, buying a t-shirt, sending me a few bucks in paypal, joining a trail organization, attending public access planning meetings, or having a beer together then great. If you just want the tracks then that's OK too. Why? Read about the Trans Euro Trail and see what they've accomplished and are providing for free, pretty impressive and inspiring. I'm really hoping people will help me add on and expand the area the tracks cover.

So if you want the tracks, please provide your email in a PM.

The current Tellico Adventure Trail overview (the file includes the DAT):



The TAT501 overview:



The +SM500+ overview:


and the Damascus-Augusta Trail overview:

BlackBear and BlackBearAlternate; going CCW from Tellico Plains, starts off with some good fun backroads to south of Reliance, then up to Benton Mountain and Oswald Dome, and Chilhowee Mountain overlooks of the Ocoee River. The entire loop south of 64/74 through Big Frog Wilderness (TN) and Cohutta Wilderness (GA) has NO gas stops. You may want/need to fill up at a gas station or two along 64 before turning south unless you have a supertanker.

Continuing east along US64/74 to Ducktown you can see the Olympic whitewater venue, maybe even see a few boaters if the water is running. Ducktown has plenty of gas. Then back north through Isabella (part of the mining boom ruins) and Farner. Check out the Apalachia Dam in Farner, and the huge pipe that transmits water to the power station (penstock). On Apalachia track you can check out the power house, penstock, and McFarland ruins.

Apalachia; warmup on a few backroads on the way to Starr Mountain (get bonus miles if you can find any White Cliffs resort hotel ruins). Then we go back west north of the Hiwassee on the way down through Farner on the way to some awesome examples of NC backroads. Some gravel, some two-track, some paved, all a lot of fun around the Candy Mtn area. NC just has a style of backroad that different than TN and they are really fun.

Then we'll head back west through the area between Hiwasee and Ocoee Rivers. Ride Lost Creek, McFarland, Kimsey Hwy, Smith Mtn road, etc. You can ride Trail 81 off this loop. Along McFarland road you can stop and see the McFarland "Aztec" ruins of a small construction village from when they were making the tunnel for the Apalachia penstock. The cleanout tunnel is still there, as an access point to the penstock. Ride down and see the powerhouse. Ride down another spur road and see the penstock daylight across Turkey Creek. Smith Mtn road is probably the most technical in this area, being rocky, with small ledges and less maintained or traveled than the others. You can also catch Trail 82 at the TN/NC border on the way north to Coker Creek. Finish up the day on the infamous Witt Road. Or run the opposite direction and start your day on Witt Road.

Gas shouldn't be too much of a problem. Available in Reliance, Greasy Creek, along Hwy 68 and I think in NC. Might have to run a couple miles to nearest town.

SnowbirdTears runs to Robinsville and Andrews North Carolina. We start off running through Rafter on the way past Bald River falls. Check out the view from Whiggs Meadow (close to 5000 feet) on the TN/NC line before continuing on to the Little Snowbird area. Gas is available at Thunder Mountain on the Skyway, and Andrews.

That was a huge amount of work, and most appreciated! I've ridden numerous times in the Tellico Plains and Murphy areas but the Cohutta Wilderness is still on my bucket list. Not for much longer, though. Thanks again!

A few picture highlights along BlackBear

Gas in Reliance TN


Chilhowee Mtn, Ocoee River overlook (looking toward Big Frog and Cohutta Wilderness')


Views from Cohutta and Big Frog Wilderness





Buck Bald



Trail 82

Apalachia Power Station construction ruins along McFarland Road




Apalachia power station (from the north side, you'll get there from the south)


NC on the way back, northeast of Farner.


And of course finishing up on Witt Road

North River Road


Whiggs Meadow








Action on the Tellico River.

Nice job putting this together.

I have ridden a lot of it, but looks like I have more exploring to do now.


Mike

Great job Bagg!! I rode Witt/fingerboard/lost creek/McFarland to Ditney mtn road to Kimsey Saturday. Ditney is really cool...really no maintenance on it so very little gravel. You can haul ass. I've stuck to the fsr's mostly because I am by myself on a 990 adventure. I would like to do the trail 81 and 82 with it. Whatya think? What's the ride on 81 and 82 like?? I would love to come up and stay at the farm house and entice you with a case of beer for a ride.

F-in A Bubba! I work/ride for beer. However, my beer tastes tend toward the extreme, so a case might cost you more than $100. However a few choice bombers or 750ml Belgians and I'm good! I ride by myself a lot too so don't venture onto the extreme off-FR stuff much. I rode Trail82 from Hwy 64 to Buck Bald recently and it was fine tho. there's another double track between N River Road and the Skyway I'd like to try, but gotta be with somebody.

Smith Mtn Road is maybe even less maintained and used than Ditney, so it's fun too.

PM me, I live near the casual pint and can get some decent stuff and I am serious. I am pretty much good to ride this week through Sunday. Basically anyday of the week is good. Just give me a few days notice and I will be there. BTW...my wife told me yesterday I was awesome ....SO..just saying. Let me know, I'll pull chalks and be on the way.

A friend of mine did some research on this area. This used to be the old McFarland concrete mixing plant.

Pretty amazing that nature has done such a good job reclaiming. Although I have to doubt the plant we see near McFarland was that large or active. BUT....who knows??

Tobes2102 and I wanted to check out some of the single track. We went for Trail 81. DON'T GO! Right now the trail is blocked in four places with fallen trees. one was fairly easy to get around, the other three not as much. Three over or around, and one under. The first tree we went over we lost control of his Husky 650 on the skid plate and it managed to slide down the tree a foot or two (which is a LOT on the steep slope) before we finally managed to drag it back up and get it over. Very soft loamy soil on this trail too. Not even a handlebar width under this tree, but we managed to shimmy them under. There is really not very many places to turn around and bail out of this trail either. Seems most of the blockages were toward the north end (one actually several hundred feet up the trail from McFarland Road is all. We rode from south to north and got a long way in before running across the trees. Thinking I might go back with chain saw and do some trail cleaning.

Same thing happened to me about 5-6 years ago. I had ridden 82 numerous times, no sweat. I brought a couple newer riders from Florida up for some dual sport riding and we spent a day over around TP. We ran 82 and a bunch of the gravel, then decided to do 81 late in the afternoon. From south to north, and no one had been down it since the last storm. Big mistake. Some trees we were able to get the bikes over, but towards the north end we into a big tree across the trail at the bottom of a long downhill. All 3 of us slid into it, no stopping by the time we saw it. We took all our gear off and drug the bikes underneath, then suited up and got a little ways down the trail and came to a bigger tree down. We had to dig out some of the bank to get the bikes underneath. I bet that one tree took over an hour. If there had been a way to turn around we would have done it. Soaking wet with sweat, we geared back up and within 10 minutes ran into the 3rd downed tree. Same process all over. Didn't come out on gravel at the north end until after dark, and didnt get back to TP until very late. The Tellico Cafe was still open so we had a hot dinner, I had a dry t-shirt to wear and used my Frog Togg for a windbreaker for the trip back cross the Cherohala (we had run River Rd over tht morning). It was cold and foggy and basically they just followed my taillight across. Got back to my home in Sylva after 2 AM. I spoke with Mike and Tom afterwards and I heard they did a cleanup day after that.

I hadnt wanted to go back to 81 since then. But I was over there for MMM in March, and started getting the itch again. But that was a very wet weekend so I stuck with gravel. I had never thought about spending the night over in the TP area and making a 2-3 day trip out of it. I've always wanted to explore the Cohutta Wilderness. I ride alone most of the time, so have been hesitant to get too far into something I can't get out of LOL. That day on 81 I would have probably been walking out if I had been solo. Thanks for the routes, maybe I can get back up here next month

Had a great turnout of local (E TN) ADV riders today. We met at the bakery, about half trailered and parked at the Farmhouse. Nine of us headed out for a few hours in the Cherokee National Forest.

We are hosting our second around the world traveller today. Nick is English and headed across the US on the Trans America Trail (the "other" TAT, ) and then down to Brazil for the Dakar Rally. His bike has already covered much of Europe and northern Africa. This is awesome adventure bike porn, KTM 690 Enduro R fitted with all sorts of Rally Raid and Adventure Spec equipment...

Nick's ride report is here..I'm subscribed !
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1001057

Sweet ride

Posted a revision 1 file on the first post. There were some minor errors here in town where the streets don't really go through and connect anymore (new highways cut them off). Other than that...