Wayne’s Alternative Detour Rides for Motorcycles – a better biker road that is shorter and more scenic than the TN DOT route – with map
Ignore the signs and ride to the bridge. It's an easy detour and brand new pavement!.
It came out of the blue. Not one hour after I’d sent out my monthly road report of the best motorcycle rides in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I got an alert of the announcement – a 2 year long closure of the Wolf Creek Bridge near the Tennessee / North Carolina state line.
They don't make 'em like that anymore! Look at that beautiful 1928 architecture. The best thing about the detour is you get to see the bridge!
Honestly, US 25/70 ( TN Route 9 ) is not a road the majority of Blue Ridge motorcycle riders ever see unless you’re from Tennessee. It is a good way to get to some great motorcycle rides along the NC border. The bulk of the traffic now keeps to Interstate 40 to the west, so it doesn’t carry heavy traffic.
Fugate Road is freshly paved, winding, and narrow, squeezed between the river and the railroad.
Directions:
From Hot Springs – Ignore the signs that tell of the road being closed ahead as you follow US 25/70 north of town and ride all the way to the closed bridge. Fugate Road is on the left. Follow it 4.8 miles until you reach TN 107. Turn right and follow to reconnect with US 25/70.
From Newport: Turn south on TN 107. Fugate Road will be on the left, turn left and follow it until you arrive at the Wolf Creek Bridge. Follow US 25/70 into Hot Springs, NC.
Squeezed between the river and the rail, Fugate Road gets too narrow for a painted line in a few places.
Fugate Road follows the railroad tracks along the French Broad River. Recently paved, half of Fugate Road is squeezed on an narrow strip between the water and the railroad tracks. At times it gets too narrow for a painted line and cars slow to sneak past one another. You cross the tracks in the middle of the ride and spend the rest of it married to the other side of the rails.
River, road, and rail. Fugate Road makes a nice alternative detour for motorcycle riders.
Because it’s too narrow, big trucks can’t use this detour. Local and commuter traffic will quickly discover it, though most of the commercial and tourist traffic will be led to the longer official DOT detour route to the north. Fugate road should cut your detour time in half.
Click for larger view
If you do take the DOT recommend detour, you can use Rollins Chapel Road to take a short cut and save yourself a few miles.
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Wayne Busch - Cartographer
Learn Total Control
– Wayne Busch lives in Waynesville, NC, where he produces the most detailed and comprehensive and up-to-date motorcycle pocket maps of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains to help you get the most of your vacation experience. See them here – AmericaRidesMaps.com
Wayne is an advanced motorcycle instructor for Total Rider Tech teaching Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Rider Courses. Isn’t it time you looked into advanced rider training to ride more confidently and safely? It can transform your mountain riding experience. Total Rider Tech
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Thank you for this helpful info!!
I took Wayne’s Alternative detour today……and it was wonderful – saved me time, money and patience.
I have family that live on this road, and Although they have paved it recently, Its a dangerous road for cyclists, very narrow and cars/trucks all over the road. One death already this month, car ended up in the river. The only place to get out of the way is in the river or up on the bank.
Thanks for the heads up on the detour route Kim. I’ll be monitoring for problems. The single accident so far was a fluke, a woman ran off the road for some unknown reason and drowned in the river. As far as we know, no other vehicles were involved. The road is narrow, single lane in places, too tight for large trucks and vehicles to use. Even so, for motorcycles there is ample room even when passing the largest of cars. The TDOT must have assumed the route would be used more often as they went to great trouble and expense to pave it. That certainly wasn’t necessary for the few people who live along the road and used it in the previous unpaved condition. Paving it wasn’t necessary for the existing “local traffic”, and now that it has been improved there will be more traffic on it regardless. For motorcyclists in the area, particularly those who frequent Del Rio and Hot Springs, they are essentially “local traffic”. I’ll be watching for any future problems.
It may not even exist because what he did was uinucstitotnonal – to deny help to our American citizens! They don’t want physical proof of that. If only Delta Force had gone against orders to “stand down” and gone in anyway — you know this is on their conscience…..how can you NOT wonder, “Why is our Commander in Chief denying backup?” Many unanswered questions — definitely a treasonous act.
was thinking of traveling US 25 from Weaverville, NC to Knoxville TN in June 2016. last time I went that way the bridge at wolf creek, NC was under construction wondering if it finished. thank you for your information.