View Poll Results: What weekend would you like to take a trip to Tellico?
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Tellico OHV Trip!
11-06-2008, 08:31 PM
#161
JK Junkie
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North Alabama
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More Trail Input
The Tellico ORV Area is a fee access area. The cost is $5.00 per day/vehicle payable at the Forest Service entrance station. The station is operated on the honor system, so you will need to have correct change (they do accept checks). The money collected here is used to keep the trails open for all of us. Southern Four Wheel Drive Association (SFWDA) maintains the Tellico ORV trail system and contributes thousands of dollars and man-hours to this endeavor each year. If it weren't for their efforts in conjunction with the Forest Service, we wouldn't have this area to enjoy with our friends and families. Please do not litter or drive off the established trails. This is a dry county and it is against the law to have alcoholic beverages in your vehicle within the ORV area. If you get caught with it, you will be fined, you have been warned.
Directions
Caution:
All roads are narrow and twisty with steep drop-offs and no shoulders, please slow down and stay on your toes, as several folks have driven off the sides by simply not paying attention. Be prepared to meet oncoming traffic such as log trucks with trailers.
From Murphy, NC- From the McDonalds in Murphy on Hwy 64, turn north (left) onto Hiwassee St and go to the first traffic light. Turn left at light onto Tennessee St and leave town, the road becomes Joe Brown Hwy (there is a couple of places along here to buy gas) continue for 2.8 miles until you come to a blinking caution light. Turn right at caution light and continue for approx. 5.5 miles and turn right onto Davis Creek Road. Pavement will end soon and the Forest Service entrance station will be on your left. Trail #1 starts here and continues through the ORV area and turns into River Road at the NC/TN state line.
From Sweetwater, TN- Take Hwy 68 East at exit #60 off I-75 to Tellico Plains, TN. Just past the Hardee's restaurant in Tellico Plains (last chance for gas), turn left onto Hwy 165, which leads through downtown. Once through downtown, the Tellico River comes into sight. Turn right onto River Road and from this point on, always follow the river! Follow the signs to Bald River Falls .If you do not see the river for a few hundred yards next to the road; you have made a wrong turn. Most roads beyond Tellico Plains are not well marked. Bald River Falls can be seen on the right when passing across a bridge. Continue to follow the river and you will eventually come to the infamous Green Cove Motel. If you happen to get lost, ask a local for directions to Green Cove. The TN/NC state line is about 5 minutes past the motel and when the pavement ends you are on Trail #1 in the ORV area.
Tellico ORV Area was donated a couple of decades ago by a logging company and consists of 12 trails of varying lengths and difficulty. The trails consist of rocks, mud, big rocks, ruts, loose rocks, steep hills, rock ledges, a few water crossings, highly eroded dirt "walls" with roots and rocks protruding from the sides (sidewall eaters) and rock gardens. The easy trails can be run with stock vehicles, vehicles that do the medium trails should have 33" tires and a rear locker, the hard trails require 35" tires, front & rear lockers, winch, and a disregard for body damage. Our "hard" trails are quite different than the ones out west; with their near perfect traction. More times than not, you'll find the trails at Tellico to be wet with several of the hardest obstacles having seeping springs located right at the base of them. Ultra low gears are not needed here and sometimes hurt more than they help, as wheel spin is required to clean the tires and heat up the rubber in hopes that they will stick to the wet rocks. You will see a lot of local rigs here with 300 horsepower and tires in the 40"+ range. These big rigs (locally called hybrids or cab trucks) are what keep our trails interesting. When they "hammer down" they tend to move large quantities of rock and dirt, so the trails are in a constant state of change. Therefore, the "line" that worked for you on your last trip, may not be the correct approach the next time out. That's what makes this place such a hoot to ride - it's always changing!
Trail Rating Legend
Trails are rated from 1(easiest) to 10 (most difficult). Keep in mind that rain or snow can increase the ratings at Tellico by two to three points.
1-3 feature trails with obstacles that are easy to navigate. In optimum weather conditions, some of these trails may not require the continual use of four-wheel drive (4WD).
4-7 trails are moderately demanding and require 4WD. You may encounter a wide variety of challenges, including mud holes, boulders, and stream crossings.
8-9 ratings indicate that the likelihood of getting stuck is considerably higher. Mud holes here may be deep and rock climbing will be more arduous. There is a chance for parts breakage and body damage on these trails.
10 is reserved for the rocky, off-camber, most difficult obstacles. Rollovers, breakage and body damage is to be expected here.
Tellico ORV Area Trail Ratings
Trail #1. Rated Easiest. We agree and give this one a 1. This is the rough dirt road running through ORV area from NC to TN. Even though this is the easiest trail in the ORV area, you still need to pay close attention while driving. One weekend last year (2000) in Sept., two different vehicles ran off the side and rolled down the mountain. It is very steep with nothing to stop you, except a tree if you're lucky.
Trail #2. Rated Moderate. Definitely WRONG! The bottom of 2 is known as the "Rock Garden" and is a solid 8-9 with a couple of real nasty ledges. Which ledge is the toughest depends on what the weather has been and how much traffic the trail has had. Due to erosion and rocks being moved (or stacked) it's hard to say which ledge you'll have the most difficulty with. Be assured though, both are fun! This was the site of SFWDA's Rock Crawling contest during the 2000 Dixie Run, and none of the BIG DOGS completed the course without winching. The upper part of 2 is known as the "Bobsled Run" and is a 7-8. Trail 2 is arguably the "Most Difficult" trail now at Tellico.
Trail #3. Rated Moderate. We believe that it's easier and give it a rating of 2-3. Trail 3 offers a nice view of the bottom of Trail 12 and the backside of Trail 11.
Trail #4. Rated Easiest. We disagree and give it a 4. It has a nice creek crossing and connects to Trail 6; together they run across the entire area and are used to access most other trails.
Trail #5. Rated Moderate. Challenging level 5&6 with some ledges and rocks. The creek crossing that used to be known as "Rough Crossing" has had the obstacles removed that made it a challenge. A bridge is also going to be built across it to reduce the amount of sediment washed into the stream.
Trail #6. Rated Most Difficult. Interesting fun trail, but definitely not in the same league as Lower 2, 9, 11, or 12. It's more of a hard moderate and we rate it a 6-7 going up and a 5-6 coming down.
Trail #7. Rated Moderate. Most of the trail is an easy 2-3 with the exception of one big rock ledge that is a 7-8 and has been the scene of many rollovers. This ledge used to be pretty much impassable to all but the those with extra long wheelbases. However, some recent "trail work" has been performed here and now shorter vehicles can navigate it. Trail 7 is also known as "Peckerwood".
Trail #8. Rated Moderate. We agree and give it a 4-5. Very nice loop trail with some loose rocks that provide excitement.
Trail #9. Rated Most Difficult. Known as "Hard Rock" going up and "Slick Rock" coming down, either way, this trail provides plenty of excitement. The approach to the rock runs right up a creek bed with lots of big, loose muddy boulders that get shifted around each time someone goes up. Steering linkage damage and tires coming off the rim happen quite frequently here. There is no getting around Hard Rock, so when you reach this point on Trail 9 you are committed. The rock has a very smooth surface, is about two stories tall, and has a natural spring at the base to ensure that it's always muddy and wet. There are three lines that can be taken to ascend the rock, you can hang either far left for the easiest approach; far right and it will be an 8-9 climb, or you can attempt the middle and take your chances! This is a favorite place for the locals to gather and watch the show and rollovers are quite common. The fun is not over when you get to the top of Hard Rock either, as there is still a couple of good ledges awaiting you before you run into Trail 8.
Trail #10. Rated Moderate. ATV and motorcycle use only. The only time that we've been on the trail was to haul an injured ATV rider out of the woods in our Jeep. We've not seen the entire trail, but understand it has some tricky sections.
Trail #11. Rated Most Difficult. We give it an 8-9 going up and a 10 going down. The two hard spots are known as "Guardrail" a.k.a. "Half-Way Rock", and "Helicopter Pad". Guardrail is a huge rock face that has a guardrail attached to some trees to keep vehicles from rolling down the mountain. Again there is no "go around" here, so you either have to climb it or pull cable. Shortly after getting up Guardrail you are faced with the decision of hopping on the Helicopter Pad or taking the bypass to the left. If you choose to go up the Pad, pay close attention to the rock outcropping on your left. If your not careful (or lucky) it will leave you with a souvenir all the way down the drivers' side of your vehicle.
Trail #12. Rated Most Difficult. Known as "School Bus" and it is a good 8-9 trail up the mountain. It is a long, steep, rutted hill climb, with many ledges and tight turns. Once you start there is no letting up until you reach the top. Coming down is a lot of fun too, but if your rig has an automatic, disc brakes are highly recommended. This is no place to be in a hurry! For years School Bus was considered the toughest trail at Tellico, but the big ledge at the top has now been smoothed out, so... our vote for the most challenging trail is Lower 2. Come ride them both and decide for yourself!
Directions
Caution:
All roads are narrow and twisty with steep drop-offs and no shoulders, please slow down and stay on your toes, as several folks have driven off the sides by simply not paying attention. Be prepared to meet oncoming traffic such as log trucks with trailers.
From Murphy, NC- From the McDonalds in Murphy on Hwy 64, turn north (left) onto Hiwassee St and go to the first traffic light. Turn left at light onto Tennessee St and leave town, the road becomes Joe Brown Hwy (there is a couple of places along here to buy gas) continue for 2.8 miles until you come to a blinking caution light. Turn right at caution light and continue for approx. 5.5 miles and turn right onto Davis Creek Road. Pavement will end soon and the Forest Service entrance station will be on your left. Trail #1 starts here and continues through the ORV area and turns into River Road at the NC/TN state line.
From Sweetwater, TN- Take Hwy 68 East at exit #60 off I-75 to Tellico Plains, TN. Just past the Hardee's restaurant in Tellico Plains (last chance for gas), turn left onto Hwy 165, which leads through downtown. Once through downtown, the Tellico River comes into sight. Turn right onto River Road and from this point on, always follow the river! Follow the signs to Bald River Falls .If you do not see the river for a few hundred yards next to the road; you have made a wrong turn. Most roads beyond Tellico Plains are not well marked. Bald River Falls can be seen on the right when passing across a bridge. Continue to follow the river and you will eventually come to the infamous Green Cove Motel. If you happen to get lost, ask a local for directions to Green Cove. The TN/NC state line is about 5 minutes past the motel and when the pavement ends you are on Trail #1 in the ORV area.
Tellico ORV Area was donated a couple of decades ago by a logging company and consists of 12 trails of varying lengths and difficulty. The trails consist of rocks, mud, big rocks, ruts, loose rocks, steep hills, rock ledges, a few water crossings, highly eroded dirt "walls" with roots and rocks protruding from the sides (sidewall eaters) and rock gardens. The easy trails can be run with stock vehicles, vehicles that do the medium trails should have 33" tires and a rear locker, the hard trails require 35" tires, front & rear lockers, winch, and a disregard for body damage. Our "hard" trails are quite different than the ones out west; with their near perfect traction. More times than not, you'll find the trails at Tellico to be wet with several of the hardest obstacles having seeping springs located right at the base of them. Ultra low gears are not needed here and sometimes hurt more than they help, as wheel spin is required to clean the tires and heat up the rubber in hopes that they will stick to the wet rocks. You will see a lot of local rigs here with 300 horsepower and tires in the 40"+ range. These big rigs (locally called hybrids or cab trucks) are what keep our trails interesting. When they "hammer down" they tend to move large quantities of rock and dirt, so the trails are in a constant state of change. Therefore, the "line" that worked for you on your last trip, may not be the correct approach the next time out. That's what makes this place such a hoot to ride - it's always changing!
Trail Rating Legend
Trails are rated from 1(easiest) to 10 (most difficult). Keep in mind that rain or snow can increase the ratings at Tellico by two to three points.
1-3 feature trails with obstacles that are easy to navigate. In optimum weather conditions, some of these trails may not require the continual use of four-wheel drive (4WD).
4-7 trails are moderately demanding and require 4WD. You may encounter a wide variety of challenges, including mud holes, boulders, and stream crossings.
8-9 ratings indicate that the likelihood of getting stuck is considerably higher. Mud holes here may be deep and rock climbing will be more arduous. There is a chance for parts breakage and body damage on these trails.
10 is reserved for the rocky, off-camber, most difficult obstacles. Rollovers, breakage and body damage is to be expected here.
Tellico ORV Area Trail Ratings
Trail #1. Rated Easiest. We agree and give this one a 1. This is the rough dirt road running through ORV area from NC to TN. Even though this is the easiest trail in the ORV area, you still need to pay close attention while driving. One weekend last year (2000) in Sept., two different vehicles ran off the side and rolled down the mountain. It is very steep with nothing to stop you, except a tree if you're lucky.
Trail #2. Rated Moderate. Definitely WRONG! The bottom of 2 is known as the "Rock Garden" and is a solid 8-9 with a couple of real nasty ledges. Which ledge is the toughest depends on what the weather has been and how much traffic the trail has had. Due to erosion and rocks being moved (or stacked) it's hard to say which ledge you'll have the most difficulty with. Be assured though, both are fun! This was the site of SFWDA's Rock Crawling contest during the 2000 Dixie Run, and none of the BIG DOGS completed the course without winching. The upper part of 2 is known as the "Bobsled Run" and is a 7-8. Trail 2 is arguably the "Most Difficult" trail now at Tellico.
Trail #3. Rated Moderate. We believe that it's easier and give it a rating of 2-3. Trail 3 offers a nice view of the bottom of Trail 12 and the backside of Trail 11.
Trail #4. Rated Easiest. We disagree and give it a 4. It has a nice creek crossing and connects to Trail 6; together they run across the entire area and are used to access most other trails.
Trail #5. Rated Moderate. Challenging level 5&6 with some ledges and rocks. The creek crossing that used to be known as "Rough Crossing" has had the obstacles removed that made it a challenge. A bridge is also going to be built across it to reduce the amount of sediment washed into the stream.
Trail #6. Rated Most Difficult. Interesting fun trail, but definitely not in the same league as Lower 2, 9, 11, or 12. It's more of a hard moderate and we rate it a 6-7 going up and a 5-6 coming down.
Trail #7. Rated Moderate. Most of the trail is an easy 2-3 with the exception of one big rock ledge that is a 7-8 and has been the scene of many rollovers. This ledge used to be pretty much impassable to all but the those with extra long wheelbases. However, some recent "trail work" has been performed here and now shorter vehicles can navigate it. Trail 7 is also known as "Peckerwood".
Trail #8. Rated Moderate. We agree and give it a 4-5. Very nice loop trail with some loose rocks that provide excitement.
Trail #9. Rated Most Difficult. Known as "Hard Rock" going up and "Slick Rock" coming down, either way, this trail provides plenty of excitement. The approach to the rock runs right up a creek bed with lots of big, loose muddy boulders that get shifted around each time someone goes up. Steering linkage damage and tires coming off the rim happen quite frequently here. There is no getting around Hard Rock, so when you reach this point on Trail 9 you are committed. The rock has a very smooth surface, is about two stories tall, and has a natural spring at the base to ensure that it's always muddy and wet. There are three lines that can be taken to ascend the rock, you can hang either far left for the easiest approach; far right and it will be an 8-9 climb, or you can attempt the middle and take your chances! This is a favorite place for the locals to gather and watch the show and rollovers are quite common. The fun is not over when you get to the top of Hard Rock either, as there is still a couple of good ledges awaiting you before you run into Trail 8.
Trail #10. Rated Moderate. ATV and motorcycle use only. The only time that we've been on the trail was to haul an injured ATV rider out of the woods in our Jeep. We've not seen the entire trail, but understand it has some tricky sections.
Trail #11. Rated Most Difficult. We give it an 8-9 going up and a 10 going down. The two hard spots are known as "Guardrail" a.k.a. "Half-Way Rock", and "Helicopter Pad". Guardrail is a huge rock face that has a guardrail attached to some trees to keep vehicles from rolling down the mountain. Again there is no "go around" here, so you either have to climb it or pull cable. Shortly after getting up Guardrail you are faced with the decision of hopping on the Helicopter Pad or taking the bypass to the left. If you choose to go up the Pad, pay close attention to the rock outcropping on your left. If your not careful (or lucky) it will leave you with a souvenir all the way down the drivers' side of your vehicle.
Trail #12. Rated Most Difficult. Known as "School Bus" and it is a good 8-9 trail up the mountain. It is a long, steep, rutted hill climb, with many ledges and tight turns. Once you start there is no letting up until you reach the top. Coming down is a lot of fun too, but if your rig has an automatic, disc brakes are highly recommended. This is no place to be in a hurry! For years School Bus was considered the toughest trail at Tellico, but the big ledge at the top has now been smoothed out, so... our vote for the most challenging trail is Lower 2. Come ride them both and decide for yourself!
Last edited by JK-Rubi; 11-06-2008 at 08:36 PM.
11-07-2008, 03:14 AM
#162
OK, so the stars aligned and I am going. I'm leaving in a few hours and will be camping across the street from Tellico Cabins. If you guys haven't heard from us on your way to the trail head, stop by. We'll be on the left where the pavement ends on your way to check in. 
11-09-2008, 06:22 AM
#166
JK Junkie
Join Date: May 2008
Location: North Alabama
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Tellico Pics
I was in the Tellico group yesterday, and had an absolute blast. We were at the trailhead a little after 10 AM, and didn't get back to the same spot till 7 PM. The trails were awesome, the night riding fantastic (a first for me), and the GA guys were great to ride with. 
Thanks everyone for letting me tag along! I thoroughly enjoyed myself (although I might get a cabin, or bring my tent next time - that was a long day). If you get a chance to ride with these guys, do it. Great group of people.
Only down side was most the leaves had already changed, and fallen. Still a very pretty area though, and I would love to go back up there.
I'll post more pics later, but here's a few from the trail for now.
Heading up Trail 4:
Wooden bridges spanned many of the Streams:
Our Leader: 08{GA}Rubicon playing on some rocks. You typically could easily slip around more technical stuff like this when you didn't feel like messing with it.
Thanks everyone for letting me tag along! I thoroughly enjoyed myself (although I might get a cabin, or bring my tent next time - that was a long day). If you get a chance to ride with these guys, do it. Great group of people.
Only down side was most the leaves had already changed, and fallen. Still a very pretty area though, and I would love to go back up there.
I'll post more pics later, but here's a few from the trail for now.
Heading up Trail 4:
Wooden bridges spanned many of the Streams:
Our Leader: 08{GA}Rubicon playing on some rocks. You typically could easily slip around more technical stuff like this when you didn't feel like messing with it.
Last edited by JK-Rubi; 11-09-2008 at 09:57 AM.
11-09-2008, 05:07 PM
#168
JK Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Ringgold GA
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We met them up there today. I took them up to get a look at Guardrail (trail 11). One guy, Mike, I believe, in a silver JK, went up the bypass to the top. He got some fender flare scratches on the way up and on the way down, so everyone else decided they didn't want any part of that! So, we went back out to the gravel road (trail 1) and went down to the bottom and went up trail 6 to 4 and out 5. We actually made it off the trail before dark. We had 5 in our group today. I don't have any pictures, but there were several cameras around, I am sure they will be posting a bunch! It was a fun day in the woods and they were a great group of guys to ride with. Saw some cool mods, like Jeff's on board air set up and Cory's homemade storage box.
After riding around in our stock rubi rubbing on every water break on the trail, I have pretty much decided that these Unlimiteds are so long, they really need 37s to do the really fun stuff!
After riding around in our stock rubi rubbing on every water break on the trail, I have pretty much decided that these Unlimiteds are so long, they really need 37s to do the really fun stuff!
11-09-2008, 05:51 PM
#169
JK Super Freak
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I had an awesome time riding with everyone! Thanks to everyone who made the drive, I think Gary and Cameron had the longest drives, 3+ hours 
A total of 7 JK's made it out for Saturday and Sundays ride!
On the way home I found a vibration at about 60mph, I think it may be the rear driveshaft. Upon futher inspection I found damage on it caused by the same rock that removed my smog canister
! After all the cleaning that will come over the next few days 
I'll take it in and get it looked at!
Mike gets the "I WAS BORN READY" award for his flight up guard rails bypass!Bypass is an understatement while drive a wide JK ,with open differentials, 6 speed tranny (he may have hit 4th gear as fast as he was going) on this trail!
My wife took my keys and wouldn't let me drive up it, if it wasn't for her I would have done it.
Only one winch pull was needed the entire 3 days of trail riding! Jarrod got a little hung up and needing a little tug, he tried to pull Jeff back down the hill!
I'll post some pictures, as soon as I figure out photobucket.
If anyone wants a video, let me know and I'll make some copies!
Let's do it again before Tellico is closed for the winter!
A total of 7 JK's made it out for Saturday and Sundays ride!
On the way home I found a vibration at about 60mph, I think it may be the rear driveshaft. Upon futher inspection I found damage on it caused by the same rock that removed my smog canister
! After all the cleaning that will come over the next few days I'll take it in and get it looked at! Mike gets the "I WAS BORN READY" award for his flight up guard rails bypass!Bypass is an understatement while drive a wide JK ,with open differentials, 6 speed tranny (he may have hit 4th gear as fast as he was going) on this trail!
My wife took my keys and wouldn't let me drive up it, if it wasn't for her I would have done it.
Only one winch pull was needed the entire 3 days of trail riding! Jarrod got a little hung up and needing a little tug, he tried to pull Jeff back down the hill!
I'll post some pictures, as soon as I figure out photobucket.
If anyone wants a video, let me know and I'll make some copies!Let's do it again before Tellico is closed for the winter!
