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Have heard horror stories about Google Maps but this past weekend I lived one. Took the LC & wife out for some fresh air and decided to make a weekend of it, called a local motel we had stayed at several times in Cherokee, NC and they said yep but room couldn't be ready until 5PM so we had 6 hrs to kill, not a bad thing with the top down in the Nantahala Gorge area. Remembered a water fall I had been wanting to see so popped 'Bald River Falls' into the map and bingo, 57 miles to your destination so off we go. With 17 miles to go the road turned into a US Forestry Road that was fairly well maintained, but dirt/gravel. Yep, the old knot in my gut said 'turn around' but the man in me said 'you got this'. 11 miles later met a 911 with a young couple that appeared to be having a blast, road had narrowed and took careful driving to pass, could have shaken hands without reaching too hard. 4 miles later met a Jeep with a guy bout my age and we stopped beside each other. I asked was there any place ahead to turn around as we were giving up on the falls and he let us know that good, paved road was 2 miles ahead and the Falls were 4 miles down that road. A trip that wound up great but NO THANKS TO GOOGLE MAPS. Bald River Falls, NC
Bald River Falls is in Tellico, Tennessee, not North Carolina. I'd watch taking the LC in places 4x4's are sure fired to get through, but not required. Good lesson about google maps though.
Bald River Falls is in Tellico, Tennessee, not North Carolina. I'd watch taking the LC in places 4x4's are sure fired to get through, but not required. Good lesson about google maps though.
Parts of that "Trail" were really rough, hard to call it a road. When I met the 911 we were already past the really bad part. In hindsight I think they were coming in from the Skyway/Tellico side and hadn't saw chit yet!! We came in from the Murphy, NC side and parts of that pig trail would have been much better suited for a Jeep, not a GT'er with 5" of clearance. Went for 4 miles not getting over 5mph. Needless to say we had a late dinner in Cherokee.
Bald River Falls is in Tellico, Tennessee, not North Carolina. I'd watch taking the LC in places 4x4's are sure fired to get through, but not required. Good lesson about google maps though.
I was watching, butt I was watching Google Maps. They should know the road makeup, if they did they should post a warning. I have noticed they usually take the shortest route---------which is not always the best.
Sounds like you are familiar with that area, ratchettt. If so you know what I hit coming from the NC, US 19W side the shortest way. I had a knot in my gut for over half the trip.
Last edited by 2ksoftail; Jun 13, 2025 at 02:00 AM.
Toyota and Lexus Join Mille Miglia For The First Time
Slideshow: A five-car lineup spanning more than five decades of Toyota performance and engineering will tackle one of Italy's most celebrated automotive routes.
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