ebradway Posted on July 11 2003,2:25
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I'm planning to leave Thursday as well. Anybody want to declare a starting point? I'm also thinking about heading up through Murphy and the Appalachian Highway. I came back that route from Full Moon in Joon. It was much, much nicer than the Knoxville route. I'm just not sure about the stretch through NC from Asheville to Boone...
The first time we went to this we went up to Elizabethton above Knoxville (Johnson City area) and it was a combination of fast (highway) and scenic (some back road, 321, I think).
The past 2 times we have gone we have taken Hwy 64 to Murphy, 19/74 through Nantahala Gorge to Waynesville, onto I-40 (which is still 74) to Asheville and then onto the Blue Ridge Parkway to Boone. We much prefer this route. The only Interstate you get on is between Waynesville and Asheville, and you don't even have to get on then, really.
The Blue Ridge Parkway between Asheville and Boone is not that daunting. The speed limit is 45 mph, and there are some places where you can actually get to the speed limit or, heaven forbid, surpass it. There are some curves and hills and it is slow going, taking up to 4 hours to go the 80 or so miles between Asheville and Grandfather Mtn. Campground outside of Boone (in Seven Devils). But to us, the scenery and the mostly hassle-free drive is worth it.
Whoever is going, let's make travel arrangements in the Club Member's section
