JEEPTALK.net: Tellico NC - JEEPTALK.net

Well our club's official BBQ date is October the 18 which is a Saturday. About 50% come on a Friday and leave Sunday. The other 50% come and stay at least a week, this is what I'll be doing.

Let's continue with this post to see who will be going and what dates.

Btw, I usually camp on the TN side with my motorhome. I heard that Crawfords campground has a nice set up also, never been there. Can anyone that has been at Crawford give us some feedback? Does anyone know how long it takes to the trailhead where you pay from Crawfords?

Crawfords Campground is a nice set up, Steve is a great guy. It's approx. 15 mins. from crawfords to the pay area. Caloosa Jeepers was just in Tellico in May, were trying to plan a return for October.

Hey Bevis! It would be great if you and some of your friends can meet us up there around the same time.

Why don't you start setting it up... :spike:

I'll bring it up at our Officers meeting next week.

I plan on getting there on the 18th and leaving the next Friday.

I removed that misleading photo of Tellico.

Joe

Tellico Plains

I do not know how this is gonna turn out, but heres a linkto Mapquest.

Thanks Ian.

I assume there are signs posted to Crawfords and other campgrounds too. If I get lost I'll be yelling 'Oh my God' on the CB. ha ha




Joe

Joe,

Everyone usually camps on the TN side and wheels in the NC side. Once you enter the park from Tellico Plains via 165 to River Rd, keep making rights and you will run into it. Many camp sites along the way. Most everyone camps towards the end.

If you are going to stay at Crawfords (never been there) I believe your are going to want to enter from the Murphy side.

El Nino:

Howard from Broward and I visited Crawfords Campsite.......it's a nice
place for big motorhomes (although it is a long and windy road
getting there) with a garage and tools to rent, if needed. It's even got
a rock-crawling course on premises.

But, it's a long drive to the trails.......you enter from the Murphy side,
and the first trail you hit is upper 2.

Crawford's got a website......I think!

My advice......park in the campsites.....closer to the trails, you have the
river, and the other Jeepers.

I went through Tellico OHV area on July 3'd....the place was crowded,
the river was up high, Green Cove motel was full, The road (Trail #1)
from Stateline to
the paved road was freshly graded.....smooth as a baby's butt-sky.

Mountain Man

Here is Crawford's web site.

Crawfords

I will be tenting so I can camp anywhere...
Where will the bbq be?

Joe

We genrally take over campsite #7. Lots of room for tents.

EDIT: That's where the BBQ is held.

Ian,
Thanks, I'll be there the evening of Oct 16th and leave the 20th. Hope to get in some fishing too.

joe

I'm going up October 14'th.....and leave about Halloween.

The Bar-b-Q is at TELLICO RIVER CAMPSITE #7.

Somewhere.....I have the driving directions from the south...
I'll try to post them....once I find them.

But, the map of Crawford's site does have the rough
directions......

Mountain Man :

Here are some directions on how to get to our camp site coming in through Murphy that someone gave me. I personally come in through Tellico Plains.


Info on how to get to our 18'th annual Fall Foliage Color Cruise (Bar-b-q - October, 18, 2003) location.....TELLICO RIVER CAMPSITE # 7. Entering from the Murphy side through trail 1.

NOTE: You do NOT want to take a long vehicle with a trailer through the backroads....nor a real low vehicle, CELL PHONES do NOT work in the Forest. If you have an RV or are towing your rig you should consider coming in through Tellico Plains which are a different set of instructions than from the ones listed below.

Driving distance is around 800 miles, and depending on how fast you are going, usually takes 12-18 hours.

FROM South Florida, either take the TURNPIKE north, NORTH to I-75. Continue on I-75 to the Macon by-pass on I-475, which will connect you back up to I-75 to Atlanta.

Continue on I-75, just north of Marietta, Ga. exit on I-575.

I-575 becomes Appalachian Hwy. 515 (Zell Miller Mountain Parkway), stay on Highway 515 through Jasper, Ellijay and Blue Ridge, Ga. and note that the highway is also marked GA-5, and US 76.

Continue on US 76, and 4 miles north of Blue Ridge, turn left on GA 60 (traffic light).

Go approximately 2 miles to Mineral Bluff, Ga. and turn right on GA SPUR 60.

Spur 60 eventually widens into 4 lanes, and crosses into North Carolina and becomes NC 60 (total distance about 13 miles) and dead-ends at US 64/74.

At US 64/74 turn right and proceed about 6 miles towards Murphy, NC. ****Good opportunity to get FUEL and FOOD in Murphy******

Right after the McDonalds in Murphy, TURN LEFT and proceed about a 1/4 mile to the traffic light and turn left onto Tennessee street.

Tennessee Street turns into Joe Brown Highway (Rte 1326)......go about 2.8 miles to a flashing yellow light. (CAUTION: You will see the light after coming out of a long sweeping turn)

Turn RIGHT at the flashing yellow light (Rte. 1331) which will be Hanging Dog Road and go about 5.5 miles. Note, after you pass the old Hanging Dog General Store (it was closed on my last trip there in July 2003) there is a bridge, turn to the right after you cross the bridge....and continue on Rte.1331. After you pass "TRANQUIL COVE" you continue on Rte. 1331....Hanging Dog Road (looks like it goes straight but it actually takes a turn to the left) and then over a bridge....if you continue straight, you are on BOILING SPRINGS ROAD....and you do NOT want this road.

After you cross the bridge on Rte. 1331, go about 3/4 of a mile, and look for a road on the right (Davis Creek or Davis Branch Road) , Rte. 1337.

Take Rte. 1337.....this road will eventually change from a paved road to a gravel, forest road. It's about a 40 minute ride from this point.....many blind corners, and the speed limit is 20 mph when applicable. Stay on the road, it becomes Forest Trail 1. Do NOT go on Forest Trails 2, 4, 6,, or 5. Stay on Forest Road 1.

Eventually, you will go over 2 wood bridges, after the 2'nd bridge, turn left.....and continue to State Line (sign Tenn/NC border) and you will now be back on a paved road (Forest 210).

Continue on the paved road (Forest 210) about 3/4 of a mile, and you will find Tellico River Campsite #7 on the right side.

El NINO:

GREAT JOB...couldn't have done better MYSELF!

Just to clarify......TURN LEFT, right after the McDonald's in MURPHY!

I'll send you the directions from the NORTH....to get to the campsite
via Tellico Plains, Tenn!

Mountain Man

Mountain Man,
Please post the directions from the north here too. I'll be coming from Arkansas and I-40.

I usually head over to Tellico through Tellico Plains from South Florida, since I'm towing a rig. Most take the I75 to 68, but it is 40 minutes longer.

The way I go is:
Turpike, N
I-75, N
I-475, N
I-75, NW
US 411 (SR 401), N
SR310, E
SR39 (SR310), E
SR68, S
SR 360 (SR165), SE
SR, 165, SE, Note: At the Y, take the right side.
Continue on 165 until you see the brown sign (Bald River Falls, Ranger Station, Green
Cove, Fish Hatchery). Right after the sign make a right, this will be River Road.

Stay on River Rd, keep making or staying to your right, you'll pass the falls.

The distance from Tellico Plains to the campsite is about 23 miles. It takes about 45 minutes. If you are towing it will take you longer.

The campsite is on the left and they are well marked.

Below is some info I got from Mountain Man.
Basically it is all the same after you get on SR68 with the exception that if your are coming from the north or south you take Take I-75 (assuming you are coming from the NORTH) into Georgia and exit at the CHEROKEE NATIONAL FOREST - CHERHOLA PARKWAY exit, follow it and the road eventually becomes Highway 68. I've tried this route from the south and it's 40 minutes longer.

There is another way of coming that is more picturistic than any of the above that were mentioned. This is coming from the south through the mountains. I've done this and it's gorgeous, especially through the old towns. It's a bit complicated, lots of winding roads.

Hoping to make this my first Jamboree. Does anyone know if registration will be possible on Friday Morning and if it is possible to attend and pay for only one day of the Jamboree?

Snorky

Snorky:

Don't know if you can do a ONE DAYer at a Jeep Jamboree.....that is,
only pay half. I'm sure they will let you pay the
entire amount and only go one day. Suggest you contact Jeep Jamboree USA.

Usually, the Appalachian Jeep Jamboree sells out. But,
I have seen people waiting at the last minute....hoping
somebody doesn't show up, or their vehicle is NOT
operational

We go up the week after the Jamboree to avoid the
massive traffic jams in the forest......they cut the number of vehicles
off at about 125.....but still, the area is open to the public,
and you wait, and wait, etc.

We do the same trails as the Jeep Jamboree but with much smaller
groups of vehicles (goes much faster) , plus other trails,
and we do some sight-seeing (Fish Hatchery, Bald River Falls,
Whiggs Meadows, trip to Cades Cove, etc.) and we are 3 minutes
from the trails
when we camp in the forest, and we save the $250.00 per
adult.....and eat real good!

Mountain Man

Mountain Man

So you wait until after the Jamboree to run the trails. Doesn't sound like a bad plan. Thanks for the info.

Snorky

Hi Jim and all others that I have not met

I am planning to get down to Tellico late in the day either on the 15th or 16th, and either leave on the following Sunday or Monday. Just wanted to know how many rigs are coming from Florida. I may have one or two rigs coming from Delaware also, I will see.

Later,
Linyee

Mountain man: Armi and I are expecting to arrive Wednesday morning 8/15. Save me my USUAL campsite (next to you). HEHE. John

Damn Linyee, you must have been reading my mind, I was just going to write to you.

There will be quite a few rigs doing all the different type trails. I will probably lead a moderate trail on Sat the 18th which is the BBQ day (you and your group are all invited). The rest of the days I'll be on the wicked ones finishing up the last day with lower 2, as you know this trail will definitely challenge the make up of our vehicles :strong:. There will at least 3 more vehicles (maybe more) that will be on these type trails.

Our main goal here is to get everyone through safely without any damage, the most important thing here is to have fun with our friends and family (nothing else matters) ... and you are a master when it comes to this. I'm very glad you are coming and look forward to seeing you once again. Now for some questions:

Where do you usually camp, will you be tenting? We camp on the TN side. There are also some small cabins you can rent on the TN side. -5 star cabin

You mentioned that you will be staying till the following Sunday or Monday, do you mean the 19th & 20th?

It must be the vibs that you gave out :laughbounce:

Since my family is not with me for this trip, so it really does not matter where I stay. I will stay where ever everyone stays, and mostly like to camp (tent). For Sat BBQ, I can cook up some BBQ pork too for everyone. Yes, I will stay until 19th or 20th depending if anyone going to wheel on Sunday and how busy the place is.

Really looking forward to Tellico, since I haven't been there. Thanks for the invite

Later,
Linyee

underDawg,

Sunday or Monday is when I plan on doing Lower2. I was not aware that you have never been there. In this case you & your friends will have a lot of fun :jump:. I plan to wheel Thursday through Monday, maybe longer if I rest in between. Saturday wheeling is the easy day since everyone need to arrive at the BBQ.

With regards to the Sat BBQ pork, that pretty much has been taken care of for a good 60+ people. However I don't mind eating your pork before of after, I can then become a critic. Howard are you listening?

With regards to tenting. There are some of us including myself that stay in the pay area very near to the free area were the majority stay. As time gets near I will give you the directions for both.

If you guys are at Crawfords.. look for the Old CJ5s around there. I am going up to meet with the EarlyCJ5.com crew that weekend. we are all staying at crawfords.

DanStew,

Good to hear that you will be there that weekend!

Please look us up on the TN side and come to our BBQ Saturday night. Don't know what your schedule is but we should be able to hook up and do some trails.

I will defniately keep track of this post. I think we are going to have about 10-20 early CJ5s... you know how it is about commitment. But it is going to be a great time, i will have to get the map out to see the campsites you are at. Last time in May we went there is was monsooning all night and we were stuck on the moutnain lost, we ended up rolling through the Tennesee side past some camp sites, and the creek.. shall is say river was over top of the bridge and roaring real bad... different kind of water crossing than what is down here in Florida. How many jeeps will you guys have up?? I know we are going to split into 2 differnt rides, a tame one (for the Resotred Jeeps) and a mild to moderate ones for the trail rigs. A couple of them are set up for the tough stuff, and are not afraid of a few dents. I have to do something with my suspension, last time i was there i layed my jeep on its side because of my stiff springs. Not cool. But i do not think i can get the wrangler conversion done before then... no $$$$

But i will get the roll cage put in, actually thinking bout putting on it tomorrow.

Dan,

We will have quite a few doing all types of trails, different days (arrival/departure), & times. Everyone's goal is to make it to the Sat night BBQ. Sat the 18th, I plan to take everyone on trail 6 which is a moderate, lot's of fun and I think "most" everyone can go on this one. We got everyone through last year, even stockers. I'm sure you know which one I'm talking about.

Maybe you & some of your friends can hook up and wheel trail 6 on Saturday with us making a fun day out of it (that is if you guys don't mind wheeling with non CJ5s). :D

This brings up a question for you and Linyee. We don't need to know how many vehicles, we need to know how many "Guest" heads are coming to the Saturday night BBQ. Our club buys the food for everyone, we always have guests from other areas, we want to make sure no one goes hungry and at the same time avoid waste. Please let us know here, as soon as you guys have a confirmed head count.