Western NC & Standing Indian Campground

GSACHIC & I are going to Standing Indian Campground to explore the area, May 12-14. No set plans, just ride & explore. I am somewhat familiar with the area, but have not explored on a M/C. The campground is about 15miles from the closest store, so you need to pack everything in. Plenty of paved twisties and great gravel. Campground is located between Franklin & Hayesville off rt 64, on Old West Murphy Rd, easy to find, has showers etc. If anybody wants to ride some in the area, just show up. We should arrive around 5o pm on Friday.


ATTENTION svta - Since you are getting married in a couple of weeks, you should really try to make this one ! This will probably be the last time you get to ride either one of your bikes before they go up for sale !
I am first in line for the TA & Lesa wants the 250 oser

Hey.....no fair.I thought I had dibs opn the 250 ,I think its in my contract!

Hey Don,

You probably know about this but about where the last turn is before the campground is a trail down to the biggest tree in the state (at least that's what I was told four years ago when I camped there). It's worth the hike to check it out.

David

Thanks David, we will plan on checking that out ! PM if you still want to meet up in VA Memorial weekend.

I live a couple of miles from Standing Indian and know the area pretty well. I'd love to ride a bit this weekend and will try to catch up with you Friday evening or Saturday morning. PM me for contact info if you'd like.

Right now the weather report for this weekend is good but be prepared for rain. It's been wet lately - we're getting back into a normal precip pattern over here.

The trail to the Wasilik Poplar is at Rock Gap - about a quarter mile after you turn in to Standing Indian off of West Old Murphy Road (Old Hwy 64), 1st parking area on the left. The tree is alleged to be the 2nd largest yellow poplar in the U.S. It's almost dead now and won't last much longer.

Wayah, Winding stairs, Burningtown, Needmore, Tellico, Hwy 28 (my fav, better than the dragon), 64 and lots more.
I'm not as familiar with the roads west of there, but I see exploration in my future.

I will try and make this event. Be there Friday night around 8pm.

Everybody missed a great ride ! Made a new advrider friend, thanks foster for showing us some new sights ! Experienced everything that makes an adventure ride for us, camping in 34 degrees, bike that wouldn't start, abandoned roads, gravel roads, great scenic views, creek crossings, waterfalls, rain, and two HAIL storms (one while riding Sunday morning) !!
I will post a few pics here, and a link for the rest of them. Thanks again foster, we will be riding up there again soon. We love riding in NC !!!

Link: https://dlrides.smugmug.com/gallery/1460994

Waterfall along an abandoned road:


Area we were riding in:


Bradal Veil Falls, you can ride your bike under this waterfall :


Wayah Bald, met some HD riders here from Ohio. Several miles out a gravel road ! They said their bikes travel gravel roads all the time to see sights. Not all HD riders are posers:





GSACHIC & foster on an abandoned road. This road was never opened and is not maintained. Looks to be 40+- years old;


Same road:


Another abandoned road near Fontana Lake:


GSACHIC & creek crossing:


Some fool on a GSA !


Second oldest poplar tree:


GSACHIC crossing a creek during a hail storm (note the hail hitting the creek):


Some more waterfalls:

Cool pics Don. Looks like y'all had a good time. Sorry I missed it. Did a certain someone stick her ass in the creek?

Don,
Saturday was great! I enjoyed meeting you both and spending the day riding with you. Came by Standing Indian on Sunday but you were already gone so I rode on out to Coweeta and then back home. Next trip I have several other good routes for you: One from Hayesville to Andrews, one from Cowee to Bryson City, and several near Cullowhee. There's also a lot of good dirt in Graham County that you are probably familiar with. I'm still exploring and looking for more........

Maybe next time the other half won't be on call and will be ready to join us for a bit of dirt! Looking for a good F650 for her.
steve

I will make sure you get an "as* in the creek" shot when we go to VA in a couple of weeks. The water will be warmer by then, so what's the "points".:eek1

Saw the tree, but I don't know about "worth the walk". I couldn't get on my bike after that hike !!!

Nice!
Lesa looks mean coming out of that WC, looks like she has her dirt legs figured out.

I wouldn't bet on that water temp, it's been in the 40's up here for the last couple days.

Got your messages, been on 2nd for the last couple weeks. I'll try to call you Sunday.

Dang Don!Looks like a good ride!I wish I could have made it,but SVTA's party was calling my name....lol.I have some pics of that,but due to the porn rules on here ,I better not post them....lol.I will be seeing ya on the birthday ride tho!

I have e-mail !!!

Hummmmm, I wonder Who's Bike did not start? Looks like some Fun, out of the way roads, Don! Lesa does more and more each time out, huh! Creek Crossing with Hail!..........Great!


Boojum!

lol....ill send them today!

Foster thanks for riding with us, had a great time. Thanks again for the complment when you said I inpressed you. I just love riding.

NO ASS WAS STUCK IN THE CREEK, but if no showers I would have.

I haven't thought about Standing Indian in a long time. I used to fish up there a good bit back in the day. Believe it or not there used to be ( probably still is) a salmon run up the Natahala River from the lake. Back in the 50's they stocked Northern Pike in the lake and they were worried about the Pike eating all the Rainbows so they stocked Kokanee Salmon for the Pike to eat, basically a landlocked Sockeye. The Pike didn't make it but the Salmon did. There is also a "Steelhead" run, except these are lake rainbows instead of sea run. Thanks for bringing it back to my attention, I'll be riding the bike up there soon.