Wayah Road · Franklin to the Nantahala

Franklin to the Nantahala Gorge, one way: the route leaves Franklin on US-64, takes Wayah Road up to Wayah Gap, where the Appalachian Trail crosses, drops past Nantahala Lake and finishes at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, on the river. It's 41 miles. The road to Wayah Bald is a Forest Service road and isn't part of the route. Expect long drops with little guardrail, gravel in the curves on the west side and no services between Franklin and the gorge.

Wayah Road leaves US-64 west of Franklin and climbs into the Nantahala National Forest to Wayah Gap, where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road. A Forest Service road branches off toward Wayah Bald and its stone lookout tower, completed in 1937, but it isn't part of this route. From the gap the road drops along the creek on the west side, with long drops and little guardrail, and runs past Nantahala Lake.

The last stretch follows the river down to the Nantahala Gorge and ends at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, the rafting base on US-19/74, where the Appalachian Trail crosses the river. There are no services between Franklin and the gorge, the pavement is uneven in places, and gravel collects in the curves on the west side. On summer weekends the gorge fills with rafting traffic and buses.