Darrell Duke
Bears In The Mist ?
Heintooga Round-Bottom Road. No bears today, but we did see elk, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and dozens of turkeys.
Per BlueRidgeMountainLife.com
Heintooga Round Bottom Road is rugged and remote 28 mile and mostly one way gravel road that weaves its way down to into Cherokee North Carolina. The road offers views of pristine forest, wildflowers, wildlife, and creeks. You’ll drive through and alongside often untraveled areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The road is rough, remote, incredible scenic, and long. While probably drivable in a normal car in optimal weather conditions, we would definitely recommend driving this road in at least a 2-wheel drive SUV with some ground clearance, or preferably a 4×4.
Directions:
Heintooga Round Bottom Road is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Maggie Valley NC. Coming down the Parkway, towards Cherokee, turn right on Heintooga/Balsam Mountain Rd at Milepost 458.2. The entrance will be obvious, just look for the 3 separate entry ways going into the entrance. Follow this 9 mile long paved road all the way to end where you will reach a large cul-du-sac and a picnic area. You’ll see the narrow gravel, and clearly marked Heintooga Round Bottom Road straight ahead of you.
We went early in the morning. The road was smooth with a few rutted areas and we never had to use our 4 wheel drive. Back in the old days you had to cross the creek in your car, but now a new bridge crosses the creek.
Bears In The Mist ?
Heintooga Round-Bottom Road. No bears today, but we did see elk, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and dozens of turkeys.
Per BlueRidgeMountainLife.com
Heintooga Round Bottom Road is rugged and remote 28 mile and mostly one way gravel road that weaves its way down to into Cherokee North Carolina. The road offers views of pristine forest, wildflowers, wildlife, and creeks. You’ll drive through and alongside often untraveled areas of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The road is rough, remote, incredible scenic, and long. While probably drivable in a normal car in optimal weather conditions, we would definitely recommend driving this road in at least a 2-wheel drive SUV with some ground clearance, or preferably a 4×4.
Directions:
Heintooga Round Bottom Road is located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, near Maggie Valley NC. Coming down the Parkway, towards Cherokee, turn right on Heintooga/Balsam Mountain Rd at Milepost 458.2. The entrance will be obvious, just look for the 3 separate entry ways going into the entrance. Follow this 9 mile long paved road all the way to end where you will reach a large cul-du-sac and a picnic area. You’ll see the narrow gravel, and clearly marked Heintooga Round Bottom Road straight ahead of you.
We went early in the morning. The road was smooth with a few rutted areas and we never had to use our 4 wheel drive. Back in the old days you had to cross the creek in your car, but now a new bridge crosses the creek.