This will be our first trip to the Smoky Mountains. Plan to go mid-August. I'm trying to decide where to stay. I've heard of Maggie Valley, so would that be a good place to stay? We will be there from Monday to Friday.

Plan to ride through the park, see Biltmore, ride on BRP, and the Cherohala skyway. I have an Ultra with my wife on board so I want to do the most scenic roads. Let me know what are the must see roads.

I can get a motel in Maggie Valley for about $50 a night. Are there good places to eat there?

Is there a better place to stay with more to do in the evenings?

 

There is a ton of waterfalls down there to see as well. I stayed at the Johnathan Creek Inn or something like that. It was ok, clean at least. They had a route sheet for the waterfalls, try doin a search on the net for a list. One is called sliding rock where you can slid down the rocks in the water. Don't foget to do deals gap since you are so close!

http://www.jonathancreekinn.com/

http://www.americaridesmaps.com/NC009.htm

http://www.holidaymotel.net/W.N.C.%20Waterworks.htm

 

I find Maggie Valley to be a bit too busy and commercial for my tastes but there are lots of hotels and restaurants there.

My preference would be Townsend, Tennessee and the Econo Lodge is a nice hotel with good parking for the bike.

On the west side of the Cherohala Skyway is Tellico Plains, and the Cherohala Motorcycle Resort is hands-down my favorite place to stay in the area. The coffee shop downtown has the best handmade pastries I have ever eaten!

Although Gatlinburg is always crowded, the sidewalk scene after dark is always entertaining and there's a festive atmosphere that is really enjoyable. The Comfort Inn just outside the Park is clean and very convenient. Lots of great restaurants and shops.

Have a great trip!

 

Maggie Valley is a good place to stay. Lots of nice roads to ride. Blue Ridge parkway North and South. Cherokee 15 miles away. One of my favorite roads is going to Hot Springs, NC.
I think it is Hwy 209.

 

I just came back from Maggie Valley. Nice area to stay in and easy to get in and out without a lot of traffic to deal with. Just keep in mind that the town rolls it's sidewalks up at 9:00 PM. Make sure you get dinner before that or you'll have to eat out of town. We also stayed at the Jonathan Creek Inn. I highly recommend it. Very clean and comfortable with an indoor pool, hot tub, and it's right along side the creek. I would go back in a heartbeat.

 

Maggie Valley is a good place. Another is Fontana Village on 28. If I remember correctly there is a place in Robbinsville that has a bike garage with the rooms. For a nice loop take 441, Newfound Gap, from Cherokee over toward Gatlinburg, take a left at the visitor center on Little River Road 73 toward Townsend, drive thru Cades Cove , on the way. Once thru Townsend take another left onto Foothills Parkway, left again on 129 and go thru Deals Gap, another left at the store on 28 to go back to Cherokee.

 

Get a copy of Mad Maps for the Smoky Mountains. http://www.madmaps.com/roadtrips/products/view/38/ I've been on most of the routes for that area and reccomend all of them highly. There are some suggestions for restaurants, attractions and has contact numbers for hotels. Just looking at the map has me itching to go back. Ride safe

 

The choice is yours & only depends on the depth of your wallet & the things you want to do. Maggie Valley, Townsend, & some of the more rural places offer peaceful, reasonable cost accommodations, but lack late night activity. Gatlinburg offers a broad range of prices & things to do at night but requires you to put up with rampant tourism. Asheville is the big town & offers a variety of hotel/motel prices along with nighttime entertainment. The good thing about all of it is that you're never more than a few minutes from great riding. You can get from any of those places to any ride you want to make, enjoy the ride, & be back in time for dinner.

 

Which of the two, Maggie Valley vs. Gatlinburg, would you stay at? I don't want to go too rural. Maggie Valley seems to have some things to do but I don't know if they have enough stuff. And I don't want to get in a big traffic jam all the time either.

 

We have stayed in Maggie Valley 3 times and have always had a good time. Last time we stayed at lowesmotel or something like that. It was very reasonable, not real fancy but clean and they have a pool. The Salty Dog is one of the local watering holes, good food and some nights entertainment. The Cherokee Village is a good place to shop and the casino is right there. I usually go for the riding and am usually ready for bed by 10 or so each night(I ain't as young as I used to be). I enjoy the area, because of the layed back atmosphere,etc. If you are a member of the Masonic fraternity, then there is a Masonic memorial monument on the BRP, just after you get on in Maggie Valley, very interesting and worth the stop, hell if you aren't a Mason, it is interesting.

Joe