Harlan, KY trip 19-22 May

so how do u know he left a voicemail......
and u do know u can check ur voice mail by landline right

 

You kids got it all mixed up you go to harlan for april fools when they do the toyota event, and you spend the weekend before memorial day at Golden Mtn (sparta, tn) for the GSMTR event..

Btw, harlan is one of my fav spots, lemme know if yall need info on the place

 

I'll be there. The wife and kiddo are a possible right now. Will come down Thursday but won't get there until 10-11 pm. Wheel Friday and Saturday and break camp and head home on Sunday.

As far as camp spots, you will want to stay and the top left hand clearing. That's where I always camp. It's the farthest from the bathroom / showers but it's also the one that is the farthest off the main trail which helps keep it a bit quieter and less dust if it's dry out.

The camp ground is Harlan County Campground, obviously there are fees to camp however it's pretty reasonable. Also you can get your trail pass right there as well.

If anyone has any questions about the place just let me know as I have been there many times now.

 

$ 20 or 30... I forget.

 

It's good for the whole time though.

 

Yea it's actually a 30 day pass you get so it will cover this whole trip. Or you can buy a 1 year pass for a few dollars more if you think you might go back this year.

 

man.... i typed a big long reply, and then my browser decided to go "back" and i lost it all

We usually stay on the Evarts side. There is a city campground over there and it has a pretty decent bathhouse. Its more of a 'gravel lot' than the nice grassy camp area on the Putney side, but its closer to civilization/gas/food/etc. And personally, its closer to many of the trails we like to run.

That, and there are the Black Mtn Cabin Rentals LINK which are really nice, and affordable if you have a buddy or 8 to split with. They have their own bathrooms/mini fridge/microwave, etc... and there are a few different options (w/diff sleeping arrangements) and it works out well if you get a group together. I am pretty sure we have never been in Harlan when it hasn't rained atleast one day... and its nice being able to lock your stuff up and not having to worry about it. For our April Fools trip in a few weeks, I have two of the smaller cabins rented (side by side) and will be housing ~8-10 people over the course of the weekend.

Also, the Evarts side has DAIRY HUT We ate there for like $9 and the two of us were full ... can't beat it. LOL.

 

As far as trails go ... get a Map! The ones the check in station sells are great, have lots of detail, and are pretty good about their ratings. "Difficult" does mean DIFFICULT, especially in comparison with the ratings at Windrock (where difficult is do-able for a stock-ish-er on 33's).

Some of our favorite trails include the area up by Whitetail Camp, Lower Damnation, Lower and Middle Rock Gardens (of course), it just depends on who's with you and in what condition of truck... and of course the weather!

Then, of course, it's pretty cool to check out some of the 'Extreme' trails (not run them!) because there is some AMAZING stuff up there - Lions Den, Mason Jar, Cream Puff, etc. If you catch somebody running those trails, bring a camera! It's pretty cool.

Half the fun for me is just seeing where stuff goes. We have come across some awesome scenery up there, and have ridden around for hours each trip and found someplace new. Its definitely the kind of place you will want to be open minded about just 'trail riding' and taking in all there is to see. We came across this one spot last October that was like a HUGE plateau on top of the mountain ... i couldn't tell you how to get back there, but it was wayyyy up the mountain, and an awesome place to stop for lunch and take in the 360* mountain views.

 

Now for some photos



White Tacomas ... buy two get one free!



There is a wild horse that lives up in the Hawk's Overlook (or something like that) area ... pretty cool! It has two different colored eyes!





I have a million more, just hard to chose which ones to post!

 

It's hard to NOT get one ... that area is so OHV friendly isn't not funny, I don't mind giving them $35/year to keep the trails open! We go twice a year, so it definitely pays for itself.

Evarts even allows buggys/atvs/etc to run on the streets legally, so I like spending my money in a town that WANTS us there! (screw you murphy, nc!)

 

darcy, more pics.

 

btw- i'm not saying you shouldn't stay on the Putney side LINK, I just have personal (positive) experience staying in Evarts. Putney just finished a new bathhouse, but I still like the Evarts one better - I'm a pretty small person, and the restrooms in the new bathhouse over there make even me feel claustrophobic! The cabins over there seem pretty nice (the ones with the restrooms in them) .. but are good for singles (all guys), I'm not sure I'd like staying in a cabin with 7-8 GUYS (such a girl thing to say LOL), w/ no privacy - all the beds are in one single room.

 

I've just always stayed on the Putney side and tent camped. For that it seems better than the Evarts side since like you said your not in a gravel parking lot basically. Plus for me it makes me feel a bit more "out there" by not being in town, I always bring everything I need for the whole weekend anyways however I typically drop down into Evarts one day for lunch at the "cafe". Man that place is good!

 

Looks fun! 8hrs for me...