Enthusiast III
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.
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.
Member III
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.
Member III
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.
Enthusiast III
Off-Road Ranger I
Member III
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.
Off-Road Ranger I
Member III
Off-Road Ranger I
Member III
Member III
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.
