Planning a trip! Need help!

[Mitch65]

Hey guys! Towards the end of March me my wife and 8 year old son are taking a trip from northeast Ohio down to Sarasota Florida to visit family. We have 10 days so I wanted to find a few spots to camp on the way down. I figure we can take 3-4 days to drive down and wanted to see what cool spots you guys know of that’s not too far off our route.

I’m in the process of building a small off-road trailer to pull behind my Tacoma so we have more room for lots of gear. We are also taking our 80lbs Great Pyrenees!

I was originally wanting to do flagpole knob on the VA/WV border but it looks to be to far off our route.

I’m open to anything along either route. VA, KY,NC,GA or eastern TN.
Whats good out there!?!?!?

 

[Murphy Slaw]

The Blue Ridge Parkway is on your way.

Everybody should see it.

 

[USStrongman]

2nd the Blue Ridge Pkwy. I lived in C-ville for a year and loved that area so much.

More important, good on you taking your son on a Dad & Me trip. My daughter and I did one last year for 8 days. Great memories for both of us.

 

[Mitch65]

The Blue Ridge Parkway is on your way.

Everybody should see it.

Just did some research and that looks like an awesome idea! I found a trail close by to there too called hurricane creek and max pass so we may very well be stopping in that area! Have you ever been on hurricane creek?

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Have you ever been on hurricane creek?

No, but I have been through a few hurricanes when I lived in Louisiana...

 

[huachuca]

We've driven Hurricane Creek to Max Patch in a stock TRD OR DC Tacoma - fun drive. If you're coming down the Blue Ridge Parkway, Lake Powhatan is a Pisgah NF campground just off the Parkway and on the edge of Asheville that has modern showers if you need a break to clean up a bit. Next door is the NC Arboretum which is free other than a charge for parking and Biltmore is nearby if you;re into that sort of thing. The BRP ends outside Cherokee, NC where it joins Great Smoky Mountain NP. Smokemont is a decent Park Service campground just up the road and there are almost always Elk to be seen in the meadows near the Visitor Center. If you have a day to spend in that area, take 441 through the Park up to the Cades Cove area and drive the wildlife loop there. Nantahala Outdoor Center opens in early March and is a great way to enjoy a half day or longer whitewater rafting trip. Horse Cove is a small USFS campground within an hours drive of NOC or there are several really nices dispersed sites along FS81. Have fun and post back with photos and a TR.

Al

 

[Mitch65]

We've driven Hurricane Creek to Max Patch in a stock TRD OR DC Tacoma - fun drive. If you're coming down the Blue Ridge Parkway, Lake Powhatan is a Pisgah NF campground just off the Parkway and on the edge of Asheville that has modern showers if you need a break to clean up a bit. Next door is the NC Arboretum which is free other than a charge for parking and Biltmore is nearby if you;re into that sort of thing. The BRP ends outside Cherokee, NC where it joins Great Smoky Mountain NP. Smokemont is a decent Park Service campground just up the road and there are almost always Elk to be seen in the meadows near the Visitor Center. If you have a day to spend in that area, take 441 through the Park up to the Cades Cove area and drive the wildlife loop there. Nantahala Outdoor Center opens in early March and is a great way to enjoy a half day or longer whitewater rafting trip. Horse Cove is a small USFS campground within an hours drive of NOC or there are several really nices dispersed sites along FS81. Have fun and post back with photos and a TR.

Al

Thank you for all that info! Really appreciate it!

 

[HeelsFan72]

Thank you for all that info! Really appreciate it!

FYI, Hurricane Creek (as of the last few months) is closed. BRP is excellent and worth the drive absolutely. Most of my overlanding trails are kind of right in the middle of those two suggested routes, so may be too out of your way. Old NC 105 (runs along the Linville Gorge) is beautiful and a nice little drive if not too far out of your way. Hurricane Creek Trail in NC

 

[Mitch65]

FYI, Hurricane Creek (as of the last few months) is closed. BRP is excellent and worth the drive absolutely. Most of my overlanding trails are kind of right in the middle of those two suggested routes, so may be too out of your way. Old NC 105 (runs along the Linville Gorge) is beautiful and a nice little drive if not too far out of your way. Hurricane Creek Trail in NC

Thank you for the heads up about hurricane creek! I’ll check out some of the spots you recommended