Anyone rode 'Joe Brown Hwy' out of Tellico Plains, TN?

[RT_Jim]

A friend of mine is heading to North Carolina for some riding and was asking about roads out of Tellico Plains. After taking the Cherohala into Tellico, he's looking for different routes out and noticed the "Joe Brown Highway" heading over to Murphy, NC.

 

Anyone been on it or know if its ridable on a GoldWing?

 

Thanks!

 

Jim

 

[TyTass]

From what I've read, it's a great dual sport road, so ...

[Richard_D]

Tell him to head south down 60 then east on 180 . Go to Richard Russell Scenic highway and then head to Helen Ga. Go to 76 towards Clayton and take Warwoman rd. and go to Highlands. We usually start in Franklin and do the Cherohola to telico and then the whole route is about 300 miles of great riding.

[CarrotNC]

If I remember right, the intersection HERE is where the pavement ends. It's pavement east toward Murphy, but gravel north towards Tellico Plains. The road headed west, Morrow Road, is a nice enough flat, level, hard-packed gravel road that parallels the river out to Highway 68 and it's easy for a Goldwing if you don't mind slow. I've had friends on cruisers who took Joe Brown all the way down from Tellico Plains and they vowed never again. I've ridden it on the dual sport and loved it!

 

By the way, I'd recommend the Hiawasse Dam Access Road. It's a blast to ride and a really neat area.

[tallman]

please delete your post so this isn't on the Internet.

Few ride it now and that's a good thing.

 

[TyTass]

I sure hope you are joking ... because if not ... it's too late ... all our " little secret roads" that we hold so near & dear to our hearts are not 'secrets at all.

 

First off, they're graded (at least) and most often paved by counties, states, & sometimes the federal govt, and most often documented by those same entities. Besides that there are motorcycle road apps, websites, books & maps covering almost every possible "good ride" - not to mention dozens of m/c discussion board threads "out there" in the ether ... discussing these very same "secret" roads. Heck, all one need do is search on secret road and you'll find a bunch.

 

If we wonder why roads are getting more crowded with bikers ... its because there are simply more riders than ever before AND we live in the information age.

 

With every person we tell a ride tale to (to say nothing of posting them) we broaden the knowledge base substantially.

 

[Kinsley]

Joe Brown is paved, but rough in some places up to Hiawassee Dam Access Rd where you can stay on the pavement by turning south.

 

60 and 180 are great roads depending on when you ride them.....traffic and LEOs can steal the joy.

 

...and yes, there are still many "little secret roads" and even areas where many motorcyclist don't frequent. I share my "Special Reserve" with a few riding buddies and have even let some loose for El Paseos, BRRs, etc. I find that for the most part the general motorcycling community is too lazy to link them together, so they stay on the roads they know. Maybe 10% of the riders out there will look for alternate routes, so they'll never be crowded compared to the well known roads.

[DavidEBSmith]

I rode it on the Fundurrrro 3 or 4 years ago and it was fun. At that time it was gravel from Hiawassee Dam Rd to a little east of TN 68, with about a mile of fresh, loose, deep gravel on the NC side.

 

It could be done on a Gold Wing - I know of many people who've ridden worse roads on Wings - but I wouldn't want to do it. I've ridden worse roads on my RT, but I wouldn't take an RT up there without a really good reason.

[Richard_D]

Ken, We can get them out of you with waterboarding....

[Kinsley]

Ken, We can get them out of you with waterboarding....

Yes, as long as you don't go sharing them with your HD buddies.....oh, never mind, they like roads with paint

 

[Richard_D]

I know it may be hard to believe living in Daytona Beach, but I don't have any Harley buddies. I refuse to hang out at the Garbage Patch.