Exploring Eastern TN And Smoky Mountains (Rocky Top Rd)
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Saints,
After a year plus of upgrades, mods, and catching up on maintenance, my 99 XJ was put to the test and achieved my goal I had in place for it, which was, take the 400 mile trip to Gatlinburg for vacation, hit some mountain trails, and make it 400 miles back home in one piece. And it succeeded at it's mission, thank you Lord! Total miles on this trip was 1160 round trip.
We were wanting to hit Hall Top Rd originally but then when we got there, we found the road was closed for tree and road maintenance, it must be getting pretty popular to need the widening we saw, but after a few minutes using On X Offroad, we went and tackled Rocky Top Rd 15 minutes away, and that is the main story in the video, you'll just have to watch and see.
We probably seem like novices in the video, and for my wife that is true, but I am mildly experienced with 4x4ing, I just don't do it often enough to be over the butterfly stage when I go offroading again, I'm hoping this soon changes, as I'm hoping to go more than ever.
Enjoy,
Yourfriendstchris and Kaela
Great adventure 👍
Unique timing on finding this video. My wife and i just went through Rocky Top Road today (4/26/23) starting at the other end, headed back toward where you started. We were in a Polaris RZR, a turbo 1000 4-seater. We've also got a '17 Tahoe that we've "tried" on some of the trails here, but the RZR's suspension handles this stuff so much better. Im aware of the road maintenance going on headed up to Hall Top. Theres another way around to that at a split in the trail right as you clear the national forest land on the southeast end. Turns you sourh for a little bit and then you can get hooked back up to Hall Top road. We live about 2-3 miles east of this area on 107. Its a great area.
Thanks for commenting! Is the main Hall Top road expected to open back up anytime soon? I saw via onX offroad that there is a few different ways to both Hall Top and Rocky Top from the east. I just didn't have the extra time to go all the way around to the other side to approach the opposite way up, though would have loved it if I could. Next time. This one experience gave me the drive to find similar stuff back home in Missouri and so far I've found a few trails in similar fashion to Rocky Top. It's been fun. Cherokee is starting to struggle on the current suspension I have, I've really been putting strain on it as of late.
I'm not really sure. I was on that road, at least up to a point probably a few weeks before you went up there and haven't been since. I was able to go to the extent of what they HAD repaired/upgraded, and saw the old part. I wasn't going to be able to hit that with the Tahoe. Too lame a suspension. Also about that time, Polaris hit me with a stop-ride recall for my RZR, so I'm done. Moving to current time, I just recently got my new clutch and can run my RZR again, YAY!. Now to get to that road, I'd have to drive from Del Rio on 25/70, not legal for my UTV. There's another way that involves me going down old 15th to Rocky Top, over to Bridgeport-Edwina (where you entered), following B-E onto 73, past the Hunts Tomato facility and then into that neighborhood where you go back into the hall top road. But there's two other ways to get to Hall Top from the east where I live, and another where I go far south on Big Creek down to Hartford, and back up Hartford road up to 73. There's a great deal of fun stuff to rid on around here. Hope you get a chance to get back here someday and try more of them out!
OK, an update... We went up to the tower today (4/29/2023) and the road you previously attempted to use, is finished and open. Likewise the split off of Rocky Top Road is open, as well as Hall Top Road all the way down to Old Fifteenth. My wife and I, along with another couple, took our UTV's up Hall Top (off of Sweetwater) and spent an hour and a half up there, great views. Couple other folks came up with RZR's, and one fella came up with an older Chevy Blazer. He said it was slow going, but the trip up was "ok".
Thanks for the update! I may have to attempt the trip to G-burg with my Jeep again, and hit the trail, So I guess the entrance is still a gravel road, that eventually becomes more so natural? And by chance is the tower still accessible to climb? I love me a good old firetower. Just went on one this weekend at Missouri's highest point, Taum Sauk Mountain, which is only 1776 ft, and the observation tower is about 125-150 feet on top of that.
You can drop a link on here and delete shortly after, I'll watch for it and let you know when I see it? OR my fb is under Christopher Paul Menz, direct message me on there and I'll connect with you!
Can get to hall top road off of sweetwater r which can find off of hwy 73 coming out of newport,tn.
Another good road is gulf road located just west of max patch road. Can go west from max patch road and drive over a logging road to gulf road.
3 weekends ago up by top of max patch i got to see 2 smaller yearling size aboutb120.plus lb bears within a 3 hour period of time.
this isn't the Smokies. it's the Cherokee National Forest where bears are still wild and haven't been fed and chased by tourists and their cell phones. that's why you didn't see any wildlife... it's still wild and they, of course, could hear you coming.
Is that Trail for beginners? Stock Honda Pilot?
It's a 4/10 trail from memory, the Rut at the bottom would probably give you a run for your money, especially on street tires, if you have All-terrain tires, it is doable but you would need 4WD, and AWD would maybe go up it with some struggle. I would not go alone if you have never off-roaded before.
Consider how much clearance my Jeep has, on the front end and then compare that to your pilot, my tires easily touch obstacle first up to 16-20" tall, Your pilot if I guessed has at best 12" of clearance factory at the nose.
@@YourFriendStChris Noted and thank you for the feedback. It's difficult to judge, watching your video. Just trying to get some ideas to do while we're out there.
@@vashaun84 Look up some 2/10 trails, and you'll have a good time, is your Pilot 4WD?
@@vashaun84 I use onX offroad and it leads me to good stuff, you could maybe push a 3/10 if you don't shoot for the harder stuff in the tougher spots, take your time, don't go alone, and if it starts to slip, don't just give it more gas hoping it will go, back up easily and then get out and see what was limiting you from moving forward. And before you hit anything harder than you have ever done before, "if in doubt, walk it out", get out and look for obvious things you should not drive over, and just familiarize yourself with what terrain looks like from multiple angles, on foot behind the wheel, and this will make you a better judge of future drives. You'll be able to reference back to past experiences and go, I know I can do that, because I did X in the past.