Smoky mountain backroad exploring

[@larrybuckner8619]

That was one of the best videos I have seen of the back roads in the Smokies. Made me subscribe to your channel about five minutes in. Really hope you take me on more of these rides thank you very much

[@thehickspanic8646]

Glad you liked it , I will try and keep those up. Right now making some a little further south in MS . Take care and thank you !

[@TheGatlinburgHussey]

It was great, wasn't it? I used to live in Cosby TN and now Gatlinburg...Love things like that!!

[@dnoragon]

You missed Palmer Chapel, Beech Grove School, Caldwell house, Caldwell barn, Woody house, many cemeteries and all of Little Cataloochee. I would go back.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Yes, I found out afterwards. Good excuse for another trip! Merry Christmas

[@dnoragon]

Thank you, Merry Christmas to you as well!

[@TheGatlinburgHussey]

Will you show me?? Lol. Wow ..

[@katherinehayes9110]

My father loved to travel the back roads of the Smoky Mountains!! You see how the people really live in the coves-beautiful country

[@oldscout80]

Reminds me of some of the drives my wife and I use to take. She passed on 10 years ago. You are a very lucky man. Don't forget to tell her you love her tonight! Thanks

[@thehickspanic8646]

You are right, sorry about your wife. We definitely have to cherish the gifts and blessings we are given daily . Glad you enjoyed the outing with us

[@candyryan6052]

Thank you so very much for taking me on your adventure! I love the Blue Ridge Mountains and the area around it. So peaceful and calm. I love the people. I hope we get to do this again!

[@thehickspanic8646]

Thank you for watching glad you enjoyed it

[@fernwogteveril6935]

"No McDonalds out here" 🤣

[@GMCTIM]

Went to shades of the past rod run a while back, stayed mostly on the back roads & loved it ! Hope to do it again someday ! 👍✌

[@joewoodchuck3824]

Last year we spent Thanksgiving week in the Smoky's and it became apparent that it would take multiple visits to take more in. Luckily we're close enough to do that. Videos like yours make it all the more inviting to return.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Very true , been going for years and still finding new spots

[@joewoodchuck3824]

@@thehickspanic8646 We used to live a similar distance from Cape Cod and with many visits over the decades found it to be a place of ongoing discovery and endearment.

[@michellemartin1093]

So cool

[@markkaufman9758]

Enjoyed watching.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@johnF56]

Great video and excellent adventure. Where was that restaurant at the very end?

[@thehickspanic8646]

@@johnF56 the old mill pottery house cafe and grill. Very good food! It’s across from the old mill restaurant and store.

[@JustMark70]

@thehickspanic8646 Hickspanic, I subscribed to you today. I'm 53 and have lived here since I was 17. Looks like you may show me roads I've yet to have traveled. Hopefully I'll run into you sometime.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Thank you for subscribing glad you enjoyed the trip. As you may find out my channel is a mixture of many things including travel. So hope you hang in there and continue to watch. Sounds like we bout same age , I am 54. You ever see me make sure and say hi! I have some more from Tellico, Cherokee, and Chimney rock - all near that beautiful area. Next month hope to share some Colorado adventures, although this time ol truck “gas hog” staying home. Hope to see y’all out and about and I am always open for suggestions on future videos. Take care and GOD bless

[@scotthayes3032]

this is my favorite must do drive evetime i go to the smokeys. finish it of with wheels through time museum

[@thehickspanic8646]

Will have to look up the wheels through time museum , never been

[@scotthayes3032]

@@thehickspanic8646 Its amazing... plans to stay a few hours.

[@Willkiser1]

Umm, you missed the biggest part of Cattalouchee...but you were oh so close.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Really? Sounds like I am in need of second trip lol! So where did I need to go to see more? That’s why I make videos for exploration and information for all, including me!

[@Willkiser1]

@@thehickspanic8646 Start with map of Smoky Mountain National Park.

[@jimcollins8097]

Yeah, there are several buildings down there, a campground for small trailer campers, the field where the Elk come. You haven't seen it all until the road ends.

[@shaynegilbert147]

That would be a good drive assuming you didn't here any banjos playing

[@thehickspanic8646]

😂

[@ricrinehart975]

We do a lot of exploring like that too but we always have our guns with us no matter where we go except of course for the liberal cities where we don't go anyway

[@johnmcdonald1306]

I love the smokies but deep in back woods I would want a shotgun to stop a bear.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Usually black bears in area are scared of people if there is an encounter. Unless it’s a mama bear with cubs.we do go prepared just in case

[@williamchildress1459]

There is more on the other end. A school house, church,barns and houses and a couple cemeteries.

[@thehickspanic8646]

I found out after I visited , will definitely need to go back. Thx for the info!

[@helenboula3538]

The smoke is Jenna North Carolina all that's beautiful but don't go off by yourself almost back trails because there are monsters out there they really are.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Thanks for your concern. We try to be safe. I assume you have had a bad experience out there

[@maggiesfarm7970]

Most people wouldn't believe that, but I believe it's true.

[@thehickspanic8646]

So I gotta ask. You don’t mean bears and mountain cats, you talking big foot or something like it? Man if you got a story I really wanna hear it! I have never experienced any weird events and really don’t wanna! I do love to hear stories (I love to listen to Sasquatch Chronicles- good podcast )

[@harolddenton6031]

What was name of that gravel riad you were driving in begining around 3:30 point in this videi? Was it the catalooche hwy that you get on off of interstate 40?

[@thehickspanic8646]

Not sure if it goes by different names but I was on hwy 32 from Cosby as it turned into gravel it is Mt sterling road on map. There are several roads that would take you to Hwy 40 including the Forrest road that has the river crossing . If you look up chestnut branch trailhead on map , that location is at the crossroads where you see old store after we cross river and road turns to gravel( I think around 2:30 in video) and that is the gravel road we stayed on that will take you to cataloochee. Hope that helps and thx for watching

[@joeroyward6457]

The guy with the pewter GMC truck with the security

[@rickdozier3609]

Did you see the elk at the end of the road?

[@thehickspanic8646]

So one other time I passed through there I saw tons of elk, didn’t see any this time. I was also told I didn’t go far enough to see all of that area. Good excuse to visit again,haha. I also looked for elk near Cherokee and again saw none😞

[@amrak5028]

@@thehickspanic8646 Off the Blue Ridge Parkway take the spur road to mile high campground on Balsam Mountain Road, Then continue to the Smokies down the one way where the pavement ends. to see a herd of Elk.

[@thehickspanic8646]

@@amrak5028 much appreciated ! I will definitely look around more next time and follow those directions . Thx 😊

[@johnmcdonald1306]

I seen a bear in the hot tub by the pool at a condo High In the Smokies. Told my son no swimming today. This is naturally the bears habitat so leave them be and stay away from cubs because Mommas near by.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Very true, sounds like those bears were enjoying their own vacation lol

[@wallywanker7435]

What do you do if someone is coming down that road the other way ?

[@thehickspanic8646]

Gotta keep looking ahead and be ready on corners . Road is wide enough for cars to pass each other but slow and easy cuz it is tight .If not then one will back up til it is wide enough. I wasn’t doing videos yet year and a half ago when I was in Colorado visiting and let me tell ya there the roads are real tight in places! I plan on hopefully adding some Colorado trips in future.

[@wallywanker7435]

@@thehickspanic8646 I was in Colorado this past summer , I wouldn’t go on those roads lol. I was in Aspen. Maroon bells area. Heading to NC mountains in the spring not sure if I am taking the f150 or flying in and renting a car yet. My son outside of Charlotte.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Nice! I love CO. We explored from west to east. Mesa verde , San Juan mtns , marble CO area and over to Denver and Rocky Mtn NP. We camped some and stayed in hotels some. Got my truck stolen and got it back few days later! It was an over the top adventure, would have made great video haha but I wasn’t YouTubing yet. Next trip we flying and renting a jeep or something like it to get around.

[@TheGatlinburgHussey]

Well hellooo ..look what popped up on my KZbin feed? 10K views?? I used to live in Cosby in the back roads and need to go film ..I lived off Middle Creek near Ball Park Rd ..the dump was nearby lol.

[@thehickspanic8646]

People apparently love TN backwoods more than I thought lol

[@TheGatlinburgHussey]

@@thehickspanic8646 will you show me around one day as I film? Lol. May I share this on my community page?

[@thehickspanic8646]

I don’t mind if you share. I live in south MS and will have to see next time I am in area. I rarely go into gatlinburg area since it has gotten so congested. I usually stay on the Cherokee side and camp lol . I do want to visit more as I have been doing for years and love the smoky mountains.

[@TheGatlinburgHussey]

@@thehickspanic8646 I don't blame you one bit

[@kennyreynolds2227]

If you don't mind can you give names of the roads to Cataloochee

[@texasgrillchef8581]

What trail is this we are going next week?

[@thehickspanic8646]

Well on that trip we did tremont and more well known cades cove next. But I have many more backroads throughout Appalachia mtns., including Georgia , NC and TN. I will put a link to our most recent (few weeks ago) just click the link. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKaopp-im9Sed68si=huPnc3IpvUv0hDVQ But feel free to browse through the channel lots of different locations and even video type content. Thx for watching, subscribe to channel, it’s free! Take care and maybe we will see ya out there!

[@thehickspanic8646]

Sorry misunderstood question and my wife pointed this out to me ,lol. Here is a rough idea:Not sure if it goes by different names but I was on hwy 32 from Cosby as it turned into gravel it is Mt sterling road on map. There are several roads that would take you to Hwy 40 including the Forrest road that has the river crossing. If you look up chestnut branch trailhead on map, that location is at the crossroads where you see old store after we cross river and road turns to gravel(1 think around 2:30 in video) and that is the gravel road we stayed on that will take you to cataloochee. So go to Cosby TN, turn rt and just stay straight in those roads not turning off. Will eventually get ya there. Fill your tank up and some food and explore my friend!

[@thehickspanic8646]

One more thing, there is more to that valley once there. I was not aware of this on that visit. Keep going on those back roads past that barn and you will find more.

[@KAYSP8]

Where is this?

[@thehickspanic8646]

321 to Cosby which dead ends at Cosby. Turn rt , that is 32, stay on this and eventually turns to dirt and that will take you to cataloochee. You will cross from TN I to NC . As you see in video no gas stations or food past Cosby TN. There are many roads off of that main road including Forrest road , I think 288. The forest service road ends at that river crossing that connects to HWY 40 . Also has many , many other trails and roads of it. No GPS in some of those areas, so pay attention. I had planned on more videos in area including deeper into cataloochee but posting videos in National Parks is iffy right now with possible fines, even though I make no money KZbin does have commercials etc … sad new overturning of a law meant for big production movies. Stay tuned for future TN videos of remote camping areas outside of National park in few months

[@KAYSP8]

@@thehickspanic8646 thank you so much. We loved the video. Keep them coming

[@KAYSP8]

@@thehickspanic8646 Yes I heard. Research and dig deeper. Go the “The Smoky Mountain Family” you tube channel and see his video on it.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Thank you for watching , will have more soon. May have a few project videos but hope to get away in near future for more adventures

[@invagina1110]

your truck needs front wheel bearings.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Gotta ask what makes u think that ? Squeaky suspension ? (Cuz it can be squeaky lol at times ) I will have to check to make sure lol and I do appreciate the input. Last I checked wheels had no play but it has been bout 50000 miles since I last worked on em. Will recheck em

[@invagina1110]

@@thehickspanic8646 It could be your tires but I have been a mechanic for 40 years sure sounds like a wheel bearing noise, not trying to cause a stirr just saying, love your videos.

[@thehickspanic8646]

Thx no i appreciate it! Last thing I need is to be stranded 30 miles from anywhere lol . I am gonna look into it, I just had to ask lol .

[@susampson278]

This vid would be much more enjoyable w/o the Impending Doom Music in the background...why is it there? I stopped watching at 1:48

[@thehickspanic8646]

Sorry wasn’t meant as doom and gloom , was intended more in the astonishing and Aw inspiring. Some of my favorites like story til now , lord of the rings, etc type that’s why all my videos vary from music to content to try and please all tastes. I have 2 other TN - different music have some south MS etc . Thx for giving it a try 😊

[@mattstangel2315]

Be cautious. You might run across a still , or a lab. Be safe out there. No law in them hills

[@thehickspanic8646]

Your right about that