Western NC?

Anyone in the far western part of NC?

I'm not in far western NC, but I'm only 1 hour away in Eastern TN. Been hoping to get over and ride some of the gravel between Ducktown, TN and Franklin.

Lot of good stuff west of Franklin.  Got my first gravel ride in just west at Standing Indian.  Look forward to exploring Fire's Creek out in Hayesville soon.

Glad to see there are others interested in riding the area. We have a small place near Sapphire, NC so we drive past Standing Indian on the way and back from there from Chattanooga. I've been mapping out rides there and am just trying to figure out an excuse to stop there to ride!

Next time you are planning a ride around there on a weekend send me an email (email is in profile on this forum) or PM me and I'll see if I can fit it in my schedule. Or depending on where you are in Western NC, if you want to jump across the border to the Cherokee NF side of the border / Ocoee area on a weeknight, let me know. 

Or if you are just looking for gravel routes on this side of the border, let me know and I can send you GPS files etc.

Panthertown is another option if you are in Sapphire.  I have not been in there on the bike yet but looking forward to it.  I am just down the road in Highlands.  My farm is just above cullasaja falls.  There is actually quite a bit of gravel back in here to.  I would say the options on your drive over are about endless.  My next ride will be Jackrabbit on lake chatuge this week sometime.  Its all single track but very smooth and gravel bike friendly.

Good to find another gravel rider in the area. I've run a lot of Panthertown, but haven't ridden up there yet. Riding up and through then back is on the list of things to do.

I bought the Nat Geo map for around Cullasaja and have been looking at where the roads are, but haven't ridden near there yet.

I'll send a PM next time we are in the area. Might be this weekend, but would be for road ride (Tour de Cashiers) but haven't decided yet.

I've ridden Panthertown once and hiked it once. Rode Panthertown on my Salsa Casseroll back in January of 2013. First photo is checking out the conditions before crossing Ford Falls.

Nice bike Jim!!!  I was in there backpacking at the end of January.

I considered Tour de Cashiers but my 7 year old asked to ride Jackrabbit and I could not tell him no.

rangerjoe - guess I never answered your question.  I'm from Atlanta but have a couple of friends - one who's dad has a place on Satulah Mountain in the Highlands and another who has a house on Lake Glenville so I've been riding (mostly road) in that area about half a dozen times over the past 5 or 6 years.  Love that area!