Recommendations in Western NC

Hey y'all. New here. Just got my Tacoma a few weeks ago.

I'd like to take my boys 5 and 9 on a trip to the Western NC mountains this fall for some tent camping and very mild off-loading.

I'm looking for some recommendations on scenic forest service type roads we could travel for their first little adventure.

I'd welcome any suggestions have!

 

Dont know much about the roads, but as far as camping goes the Standing Indian Camp Ground near Franklin was a favorite of my family when I was younger. Its in the Pisgah or Nantahala national forest and right near the Appalachian trail I believe but dont quote me on that.

 

@EricL you been up here right?

 

This sounds like a perfect Chestnut Mountain Road trip. Mild offroading until you get past the bridge, then it's not too bad. Plenty of hiking at a lot of different trails, with waterfalls and primitive camp sites at the entrance to the park. If you really want to get away from it all, take the truck down Chestnut Mountain Road, then hard right and all the way down Auger Hole Trail to the river, go across the metal bridge at Horsepasture River and keep going up to the top of the mountain where there are some really nice and secluded camp sites. At a steady pace it takes about an hour to get to the top.

Pick up the Friends of Gorges map at the visitors center.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/chestnut-mountain-road-runs.516937/

 

https://www.ncparks.gov/gorges-state-park

 

Chestnut Mountain Rd looks like a really good option. Thanks!

 

Take some pics and post them up in that thread I linked ya to!

 

I'm looking at the fall. But will do if I remember!

I just bought my Tacoma and the dealer put some shutacular new tires on it. I'd have preferred they mark the price down and supply my own but it is what it is.

Not gonna throw good tires out but will some mild street tires w/ 4x4 suffice if we don't venture past the bridge?

 

Bent Creek area in Pisgah.

 

My first trip there I did the whole thing stock AF with AT tires, but there was a point where I put it in 4lo to clear one spot -- just because I didn't want to hammer it and break something since we were solo. This was also coming back down the mountain. If you only go to the bridge you can do everything in 4hi or even 2hi on the way down to the river. It's just steep in spots on the way back out where you'll need 4wd.

 

I'll check it out. Thanks!

 

Pleanty of options there!!!

Yellow Gap, SF 1206, runs from N Mills River Recreation area in North Henderson County all the way to 276 in the PNF. All kinds of campsites and offshoots from that road.

Also posted about a couple of other roads that were a fun drive today...

 

How's the Off -Road Trail Guide app?

 

I subscribed today. $9.99 a year.

It is a good guide for some of the FS roads but not all have been recorded and posted. So, it’s a good starting point.

It operates like on phone map apps, off the phones GPS. also allows a limited (huge limit) amount of offline access downloads for areas with poor to no signal.