Deep Gap Road conditions?

[Dr_Steamer]

Doing Addis Gap to Deep Gap next weekend. Can anyone update me on the conditions of Deep Gap Rd. and Wildcat Rd.? Thanks.

[generoll]

Deep Gap is open and easily driveable in the family sedan. Is Wildcat the road to Addis? If so that's also fine. Gated about one mile from Addis of course.

[Mountain Shuttler]

Actually,the road to Deep Gap has some very tight turns in places and can be very dangerous if you're not careful. Just this past Saturday I was up there in my 15 passenger van and met a pick-up truck on one strech of it who had to back up so that we could pass one another. The road is also overgrown with vegetation on the sides in some spots. There are also a few rough spots like on all forest service roads. You can make it back there in a car,but ALL forest service roads can be intimidating if you're not accustomed to driving on them especially when they're wet! I haven't been on Wildcat Rd. lately.

[daddytwosticks]

Drove Deep Gap road on Labor Day weekend in a low-slung Scion xB. It was doable...Mountain Shuttler's observations are dead on. :)

[generoll]

should you meet someone unwilling to move over you will have to back up to let them pass. otherwise it's like any other forest service road.

[Mountain Shuttler]

Drove Deep Gap road on Labor Day weekend in a low-slung Scion xB. It was doable...Mountain Shuttler's observations are dead on. :) Thanks daddytwosticks!

[Sierra Echo]

should you meet someone unwilling to move over you will have to back up to let them pass. otherwise it's like any other forest service road.

My dad ended up having to back about half a mile after dropping me off.
There are some turns that and sharp and you can't see whats coming. Great place to have a head on collision if someone is flying. Road is pretty smooth though.

[Mountain Shuttler]

should you meet someone unwilling to move over you will have to back up to let them pass. otherwise it's like any other forest service road. Not true at all! Some are a lot rougher and more winding than others! Maybe you haven't been on some of them. I'll be glad to name them if you like!

[generoll]

sure, tell me one I haven't been on.

[Mountain Shuttler]

My dad ended up having to back about half a mile after dropping me off.
There are some turns that and sharp and you can't see whats coming. Great place to have a head on collision if someone is flying. Road is pretty smooth though.Very good point Sierra Echo about the chance of a collision if you're not careful!:)

[generoll]

I'd say your odds are worse going backwards then they are forwards. Since the traffic is two way you'd do better to just turn around. SE, are you sure we're talking about the same road? Deep Gap has a large parking area to turn around in and plenty of places to turn around in the middle of the road. These roads were after all made for logging trucks. Unless you're driving a bus you shouldn't have any problem on FS 71. You can also have a chance of collision in the parking lot at Walmart, but that doesn't mean you need to stay home or hire someone else to take you.

MS, just to make it easy for you, I've driven every forest service road between Springer and Tellico Gap. The only one I'd advise people to steer clear of is the road to Blue Ridge Gap. I've driven it end to end, but it's in really bad shape and doesn't appear to have seen any maintenance for a decade. The forest service gates off the roads in NC during winter and keeps them locked if there's any reason for concern. The biggest concern on these roads is the driver that insists on taking his half from the middle.

[Sierra Echo]

Yep it was the road to Deep Gap. 13 miles outside of Franklin.

[generoll]

ok, where did he drop you off? I'm just can't feature anyplace on that road that would require a .5 mile backup. how big is his vehicle?

[Sierra Echo]

he dropped me off in the parking lot. there is a long stretch with no pull overs towards the end where the blind curves are.

[Mountain Shuttler]

sure, tell me one I haven't been on.Maybe you just weren't paying attention then because FS 77 or Winding Stair Gap is extremely rough near the intersection with FS 42 as well as another section about half way up from the FS 28-77 intersection. Also,the road to Indian Grave Gap is really rough before the High Shoals Parking Area and Tray Mountain Rd. has several rough & sometimes slick spots. Then,there's the road to Blue Ridge Gap from Upper Hightower Road which is probably one of the roughest. Can you make it up that one in the family sedan? Cooper Gap Road from the Ranger Camp up to the FS 80-42 intersection is another rough & slippery one especially when it's wet. Oh,and don't forget the road up from Coweeta Labs past Mooney Gap either. The FS road from Davenport Gap over to the Waterville Area is another really winding and rough one too. I'm sure that I probably left some out,but you get the picture. If we're going to give out information let's make sure that it's ACCURATE!

[Mountain Shuttler]

he dropped me off in the parking lot. there is a long stretch with no pull overs towards the end where the blind curves are.There sure is!

[generoll]

it may have escaped your notice, but Davenport Gap is well past Tellico Gap. Yes, forest service roads are rough. after all, they aren't paved. and
I already mentioned the road to Blue Ridge Gap, go back and read my post. I can say with certainty that you can drive the family sedan to Tray Gap. I drop people off there all the time who've left their car there and hiked to Dicks Creek. One group even drove in that way from Helen because they didn't want to drive through the stream at the start of the road. the road from Mooney to Coweeta and on out to 441 is a winding road. What do you expect? it's a forest service road and not a superhighway.

by the way, last week I passed a full size Cadillac coming down from Deep Gap as I was going up. no one had to back up, we both moved to our side of the road and passed each other with a friendly wave.

These are dirt and gravel roads. they turn a lot. they're narrow. they have bumps. they're also perfectly accessible for normal size family cars and don't require AWD or extraordinary ground clearance. just courtesy and common sense.

[Mountain Shuttler]

it may have escaped your notice, but Davenport Gap is well past Tellico Gap. Yes, forest service roads are rough. after all, they aren't paved. and
I already mentioned the road to Blue Ridge Gap, go back and read my post. I can say with certainty that you can drive the family sedan to Tray Gap. I drop people off there all the time who've left their car there and hiked to Dicks Creek. One group even drove in that way from Helen because they didn't want to drive through the stream at the start of the road. the road from Mooney to Coweeta and on out to 441 is a winding road. What do you expect? it's a forest service road and not a superhighway.
by the way, last week I passed a full size Cadillac coming down from Deep Gap as I was going up. no one had to back up, we both moved to our side of the road and passed each other with a friendly wave.

These are dirt and gravel roads. they turn a lot. they're narrow. they have bumps. they're also perfectly accessible for normal size family cars and don't require AWD or extraordinary ground clearance. just courtesy and common sense.Davenport Gap is past Tellico Gap? Really? Glad you told me that one because I never would have guessed it on my own! Lol. Guess I have a bigger shuttle coverage area than you do,huh? Forest service roads are not and will never be like paved roads. That's why it takes around 25-30 minutes to safely drive the 6 miles or so from Hwy 64 to Deep Gap on a forest service road! I just want people to know that forest service roads aren't as easy to drive down (especially in wet weather) as some "Experts" would have them believe!