Old Nc 105

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brianb2

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Not trying to contradict anyone, but a few of us are meeting up there in a couple of weeks and I’ve been told that the northern part of the road coming in from the falls is in rough shape. No problem for a 4x4, but not something I’d tackle in a sedan. Good friend who lives close by told me he didn’t think his outback could make it. I haven’t been up there in a few months, so this is second hand info but from someone I trust. Enjoy the trip.
 

Jason and Cayce

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thanks mrlead really appritiate it! We are just going to have to see when we get up there as far as conditions but thanks for the heads up. Any other ideas in the blowing rock areas that the little soul could tackle. we live in florida so my wife has never done any real trails so trying to get her to get her feet wet see how she likes it for when i finish the truck and i start taking big trips. fingers crossed she loves it as much as i do.
 

MrLeadslinger

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thanks mrlead really appritiate it! We are just going to have to see when we get up there as far as conditions but thanks for the heads up. Any other ideas in the blowing rock areas that the little soul could tackle. we live in florida so my wife has never done any real trails so trying to get her to get her feet wet see how she likes it for when i finish the truck and i start taking big trips. fingers crossed she loves it as much as i do.
Roseboro, Craig’s Creek, Brown Mtn. Beach Rd, Pineola Rd, and the routes up to Table Rock are all in that area and all gravel forest roads. Nice drives and beautiful scenery out there. They’re all on google maps too so are easy to find and follow. Many of them connect to each other.
 
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MrLeadslinger

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Not trying to contradict anyone, but a few of us are meeting up there in a couple of weeks and I’ve been told that the northern part of the road coming in from the falls is in rough shape. No problem for a 4x4, but not something I’d tackle in a sedan. Good friend who lives close by told me he didn’t think his outback could make it. I haven’t been up there in a few months, so this is second hand info but from someone I trust. Enjoy the trip.
Just a matter of perception I suppose. Some people definitely wouldn’t be comfortable taking their car up there but I pass a lot of subaru’s up there and have seen many two wheel drive cars up there. There is one rough hill coming from the north that you would need to pick your line carefully on in a car and a couple pretty rough hills coming from the south.
 
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Sasquatch SC

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Just a matter of perception I suppose. Some people definitely wouldn’t be comfortable taking their car up there but I pass a lot of subaru’s up there and have seen many two wheel drive cars up there. There is one rough hill coming from the north that you would need to pick your line carefully on in a car and a couple pretty rough hills coming from the south.
My overland rig IS a Subaru. Granted it has been highly modified - but Old NC 105 is a simple track. I don't know what kind of attempt could result in a bone stock 2.5 Outback not being able to make it there. It's a gravel road, super wide & highly maintained. It can't even remotely be considered a trail. The initial northern end and either side at one spot that they laid a little asphalt on for erosion reasons are spots where you'll need to slow it way down on, but unless you make a really bonehead move you will be good.
 

MrLeadslinger

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My overland rig IS a Subaru. Granted it has been highly modified - but Old NC 105 is a simple track. I don't know what kind of attempt could result in a bone stock 2.5 Outback not being able to make it there. It's a gravel road, super wide & highly maintained. It can't even remotely be considered a trail. The initial northern end and either side at one spot that they laid a little asphalt on for erosion reasons are spots where you'll need to slow it way down on, but unless you make a really bonehead move you will be good.
Yeah it’s a great drive. I definitely don’t think someone should let the fact that they drive a two wheel drive car keep them from going up there. If a Dodge Challenger can make it out there anything can.
 
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Sasquatch SC

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Yeah it’s a great drive. I definitely don’t think someone should let the fact that they drive a two wheel drive car keep them from going up there. If a Dodge Challenger can make it out there anything can.
Worth mentioning... If you try any of those other spots - I have posted routes with campsites, hazards, etc for a lot of the other areas mentioned. I didn't map Brown Mountain Beach Road which runs straight through Wilson Creek because it is such a mainline track. Craig Creek is closed because the road was washed out (at least as-of a recent Rally Point event on Sept 7). I did map out Pineola Road over there, as well as Maple Sally. Maple Sally is a GREAT, easy route with some awesome campsites. Just make sure if you are in that area, watch out for Old House Gap Road.... if you come in from the north it is unassuming and then BAM you are up to your elbows.

If you aren't dead set on that specific area - about 40 miles south of Asheville there is a pretty good set of tracks that can be combined that accumulate to a little under 50 total miles (30+ miles gravel). Pinnacle Mountain in Dupont State Forest to Sky Valley in Dupont State Forest to Avery Creek in Pisgah National Forest to Yellow Gap in Pisgah National Forest. The route ends just below the Blue Ridge Parkway.
 

Jason and Cayce

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Y'all are awesome! I understand that these may not be what most people consider a hard core trail by any means. But with the fact that my 4x4 rear diff needs a complete rebuild and I have an itch to get out there so I'll take what I can get. Besides my wife hasn't done anything like this so I think it would be a good start for her to get a feel for long hours on a trail of some kind. Who knows maybe the start to getting her a rig of her own. As far as camp sites a friend has an off the grid cabin in that area so we will be staying there. Looking for trails we can complete in a day or afternoon. Not really set on a trail just keeping options open. Mostly just want to do some sight seeing and get some data for when the truck is ready.
 

Roost OR

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Sorry to revive a dead post, but how bad is Old House Gap Road? On YouTube, there is nothing but a few motorcycle POVs and a 50 second video of a Jeep that is at best unhelpful for trying to see the difficulty. My family recently purchased a Jeep JLUR and want to do something a little more challenging than Old US 105, but by the look of things, Old House Gap might be too much of a step. Would we be alright, or should we try and find another road? If the road is to difficult, what other trails are in the Lenoir area?
 

Sasquatch SC

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Sorry to revive a dead post, but how bad is Old House Gap Road? On YouTube, there is nothing but a few motorcycle POVs and a 50 second video of a Jeep that is at best unhelpful for trying to see the difficulty. My family recently purchased a Jeep JLUR and want to do something a little more challenging than Old US 105, but by the look of things, Old House Gap might be too much of a step. Would we be alright, or should we try and find another road? If the road is to difficult, what other trails are in the Lenoir area?
Old House Gap Road is BRUTAL. Here is my route mapping I did before. It was grueling and punishing. We had a hard time getting past a group going in the opposite direction and I was dialed into their CB channel. Maybe 3 miles after we got past them we heard that a Wrangler in their group had tipped to the side. It's rough, and there isn't any reward to that trail. Most have awesome views and fun parts. That trail didn't have any of that.
 

Roost OR

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Cool, thanks for the input. Is there another trail in that area that is in between Old House Gap and others like Old NC 105? We've done that one and it was great, but like everyone has been saying, it certainly wasn't challenging.
 

Sasquatch SC

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Maple Sally is over there & is a pretty cool run w/ some really good camping along it. I marked the campsites along that route. It isn’t challenging really either, but it is nowhere near as crowded as Old NC 105 is. If you want a challenge, Brown Mountain OHV is about 3 or 4 miles down the road from the southern end of Maple Sally.
 
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Ransom

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How are these roads in late December/New Year typically? Looking for some rides while up there in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
 

Sasquatch SC

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How are these roads in late December/New Year typically? Looking for some rides while up there in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
These are the Carolina's... weather here is about as predictable as a Plinko game on The Price is Right and changes about as fast. Generally they are in pretty good shape during the off-season, but a lot of forestry service resources have been diverted west by southwest over to deal with the Cold Mountain fire on the other side of Asheville. So they may not have scraped or given it the maintenance that needs to constantly be given to this route because Old NC 105 probably gets more traffic than any other gravel track in the area. All that being said - I don't know what you're wheeling, but since you are here, I am assuming you have a trail-capable rig so you should be fine out there. I've done it in my sister's Ford Edge (which is horrible) with my 8 year old and 8 month old nieces in the back. I had to maneuver around some washes and erosion spots, but it isn't unusual to see someone cruising the route in a 15 year old Camry. You missed out on catching the Brown Mountain Lights phenomenon peak (I've probably spent at least 30 nights up there in the past decade and I've only seen them 3 times) which is usually between October and mid-November, but you can catch an AMAZING sunrise over the gorge from east-facing Wiseman's View if you get cold bones moving that early - it is worth it. Happy trails.
 
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