Exploring Paint Rock valley

[klaviator]

Yesterday I paid attention to the weather forecast which said it would be a rainy day and limmited myself to a couple of short ride.  Same forecast today but I decided to go for a longer ride.  I headed out this morning with the plan of riding 65 through Paint Rock valley and then riding into TN. or over to Crow Mtn.  As I was enjoying the curves on 65 I noticed the sign for CR3.  I had heard there were some switchbacks on this road so I turned left and headed down CR3.  This road goes throguh a valley and runs along a river some of the time but eventually climbs up the mountain.  Yes there were some switchbacks.



After some switchback which are similat to those found on CR33 and 39 the road levels off and eventually the pavement ends.  Someday I'd like to come back on my KLR and see where the dirt road goes but the street tires on my Versys don't like mud.  I turned back and explored another side road which also ended but there was a dirt road that continued on.  On my way back to 65 I stopped on a bridge to get some pics.



I continued up 65.  I was taking it easy because many of the curves were in the shade and still wet.  When I got to the intersection of 65 and 146 I took a right on 146 and quick left on to CR9.  I had gone down this a few years ago with Duanew on my Aprilia but figured it was time to do it again.  I thought I had followed 9 to the end but in fact had turned left on 175 and followed that to the end.  So this time I followed 9 until the pavement ended.  Again there was a dirt road that continued on. 

I did find this interesting place on CR9.



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I tried to strike up a conversation with the locals but they weren't very talkative.

[klaviator]

I backtracked on 9 and headed down 175 until it ended here.



It looked like the road continued on both on the left and right sides of the river but the water crossing looked tricky and not something I would consider on the Versys.

So I headed back towards 65.  I did catch brief shower but rode through it and stayed dry the rest of the ride home. 

There are a lot of roads in Paint Rock Valley that I have not yet explored.  It seems that most of these roads turn into dirt at some point and most probably dead end but it would be fun to explore them some day. 

[jrobinson]

All roads that turn off Hwy 65 end at a dirt road, except 2 that I know of.

CR9 ends at private property. The roads goes through 3-4 private gates then to the lower side of The Walls of Jericho. This use to be open and was a place the kids went to party.

Up Putman Mt on CR3 it turns to dirt. A road turns off to the right and ends up in Huntland, so I'm told. If you follow the dirt road straight, you can end up in New Market or the power lines on Bingham Mt.

[Guidedawg]

I tried to strike up a conversation with the locals but they weren't very talkative.

Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon..err Gourdon. Yeah, they aren't much for small talk.  I think they live over by the old Martin house.

[Gam]

I backtracked on 9 and headed down 175 until it ended here.



It looked like the road continued on both on the left and right sides of the river but the water crossing looked tricky and not something I would consider on the Versys.

So I headed back towards 65.  I did catch brief shower but rode through it and stayed dry the rest of the ride home. 

There are a lot of roads in Paint Rock Valley that I have not yet explored.  It seems that most of these roads turn into dirt at some point and most probably dead end but it would be fun to explore them some day.

Pretty sure I've been to that one, you ride down the creek and take that road to the left, it gets real rocky, I turned around at dry creek with big boulders, told the guys with me they could have,  it.

[marquez7890]

Pretty sure I've been to that one, you ride down the creek and take that road to the left, it gets real rocky, I turned around at dry creek with big boulders, told the guys with me they could have,  it.

I went once and drowned my wr250r.

[jrobinson]

I backtracked on 9 and headed down 175 until it ended here.



It looked like the road continued on both on the left and right sides of the river but the water crossing looked tricky and not something I would consider on the Versys.

So I headed back towards 65.  I did catch brief shower but rode through it and stayed dry the rest of the ride home. 

There are a lot of roads in Paint Rock Valley that I have not yet explored.  It seems that most of these roads turn into dirt at some point and most probably dead end but it would be fun to explore them some day.

We call this area Bull Run. You turn left and ride through the water for several hundred feet, then it's a decent jeep trail. I've only been a mile or two back in there.

[Fencejumper09]

We rode back there at the last Rally in the Valley I think! We continued on for a while and ended up on a trail we dubbed the Stairs to Mordor! That is where @bblass cut his death at dual sport camp and rides!

@kylepeterson got a little stuck

[Chitza]

@jrobinson, is this where Buzz put a hole in his case on the DR?

[jrobinson]

No, that was going up Bingham Mt.(Trenton) about 7 miles south of camp. Bull Run is about 15 miles north from the house and on the Ala/Tn line. The waterway is Estill Fork Creek and at the end of CR 175

[bblass]

We rode back there at the last Rally in the Valley I think! We continued on for a while and ended up on a trail we dubbed the Stairs to Mordor! That is where @bblass cut his death at dual sport camp and rides!

That was a fun ride!

[Frank Smith]

All roads that turn off Hwy 65 end at a dirt road, except 2 that I know of.

CR9 ends at private property. The roads goes through 3-4 private gates then to the lower side of The Walls of Jericho. This use to be open and was a place the kids went to party.

Up Putman Mt on CR3 it turns to dirt. A road turns off to the right and ends up in Huntland, so I'm told. If you follow the dirt road straight, you can end up in New Market or the power lines on Bingham Mt.

Yep, I started on a dirt turn off from mountain fork road in New Market and it went in to Princeton on CR3. I'm going to try it again to get to the power lines to find all the nice trails again.  I'm lucky to live so close to this trail. Im on the other side of the mountains on Hurricane Road.

[jrobinson]

since I have a holiday Monday. I may get out and do a little exploring myself. Y'all made me remember I haven't been on a dirt ride in way too long.

[Johnny Tobyone]

Yep, I started on a dirt turn off from mountain fork road in New Market and it went in to Princeton on CR3. I'm going to try it again to get to the power lines to find all the nice trails again.  I'm lucky to live so close to this trail. Im on the other side of the mountains on Hurricane Road.

No problems coming in from Mtn. fork ?   I think I tried to find that way back in the fall.  Got turned around by people shooting AR's on one road.

[griff]

Yep that's the same area that we did the dual sport ride last Rally in the Valley. The 'Stairs to Mordor' is locally called Bronco Rd. There's a couple of rock ledges on that one. Several people had complained that our previous dual sport ride route was to easy as we were trying to accommodate adv bikes.

The folks on Mtn. Fork generally are very hostile from what I've seen. I know one person that's been to court with them and several that have been escorted out of the area at gun point.