Off-Roading Adventures with North Georgia Jeepin

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Area: Blue Ridge → Cherry Log → Aska Road → Stanley Creek → Doublehead Gap → Rich Mountain OR Lake Blue Ridge
Time: 6–8 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (paved → gravel → scenic forest roads)

📍 Start: Expedition: Bigfoot! Museum — Cherry Log
Task 1 — Sasquatch Kickoff
Take a Jeep photo next to the museum sign.
Bonus photo: Jeep + 10-foot Sasquatch statue out front.

Task 2 — Footprint Find
Inside the museum, locate the Bluff Creek footprint exhibit.
Document the year associated with the iconic Bigfoot footage.

Nearby Snack + Coffee Before Rollout
• Bumblebee Bakery (Blue Ridge) — pastries, drive-friendly snacks
• Das Kaffee Haus (Blue Ridge) — latte + cinnamon rolls
• Dunkin’ (Blue Ridge strip) — simple & quick

Jeep-Friendly Gear Shops Nearby
• Trailful Outdoor Co. — stickers, patches, AT maps
• Blue Ridge Adventure Gear — river shoes, hats, shirts

📍 Aska Road → Stanley Creek → Doublehead Gap Loop
Task 3 — FS Discovery Run
Drive the gravel loop between Aska Road and Stanley Creek Road.
Look for creek turnouts, mossy rock edges, and hidden small campsites.

Task 4 — Evidence Collection (Choose 3)
Document Sasquatch activity:
• Photo of a snapped branch or unusual tree break
• Photograph a “footprint” at riverbank or mud section
• Audio clip of unexplained forest sound
• Hair sample stuck on bark (or something resembling it)
• Large rock stack or “altered” pile

Optional Side Trek — AT Access Points
Look for signage along the Doublehead Gap corridor.
Bonus points if you capture an AT blaze in the background.

📍 Toccoa River Area / Swinging Bridge Vicinity
Task 5 — River Shot
Take a Jeep photo near a safe creek-side pull-off.
Bonus angle: Jeep reflection in the water.

Mini Learning Prompt
Research and answer:
Which army regiment used this corridor during early settlement & surveying?

(proof can be historical marker photo)

Snack Break Options Nearby
• Iron Bridge Café — picnic tables by the river
• Mercier Orchards Market — cider donuts + snacks
• Toccoa Riverside Restaurant — eat overlooking the river

📍 Finish Path Options

Best for dramatic end-of-day skies

Task 6 — Final Encounter Report
Write a mini “field note” including:
• Time of last “sighting”
• Coordinates or road reference
• Description of evidence found

Take selfie with:
Jeep + forest ridge backdrop

Optional shot: flashlights placed in grille for “night search effect”

Best for sunset reflections

Task 6 — Final Encounter Report
Record a lakeside encounter log and selfie
Bonus: Jeep silhouette against lake water

Celebrate in Downtown Blue Ridge:

Coffee & Treats
• Das Kaffee Haus — espresso + viewing deck
• The Sweet Shoppe — cupcake champion; Jeep groups welcome

Dinner Options
• Harvest on Main — locally sourced + great seating
• Mystic Mountain Pizza — casual, lots of parking
• Chester Brunnenmeyer’s Bar & Grill — popular for groups

Souvenir Ideas
• Bigfoot sticker for rear window
• Patch with location/date
• “Official Sasquatch Investigator” photo card 

Route: Cherry Log → Aska Adventure Area → Toccoa River → Rich Mountain/Lake Blue Ridge

• START: Exit Expedition: Bigfoot! Museum parking lot.
• TURN LEFT onto GA-515 North toward Blue Ridge.
• Travel 4.8 miles.
• TURN RIGHT at the traffic light onto Windy Ridge Parkway (Landmark: Dunkin’ on your right).
• CONTINUE STRAIGHT through the roundabout.
• At the dead-end, TURN LEFT onto Old Hwy 76, then an immediate RIGHT onto Aska Road.

• DRIVE 8.5 miles down Aska Road.
• TURN RIGHT onto Stanley Creek Road (Look for Toccoa Riverside Restaurant on your left; Stanley Creek is directly across from it).
  • Note: Pavement ends shortly; road becomes gravel.
• DRIVE 4.5 miles on Stanley Creek Road through the rhododendron tunnels.
• BEAR LEFT at the junction onto Doublehead Gap Road (FS 42).

• DRIVE 2.0 miles on Doublehead Gap Road.
• STOP: Use the riverside pull-offs for your "river photo-proof."
• Optional: Continue 0.9 miles further for the Swinging Bridge parking spur.

1. Continue 4.0 miles East on Doublehead Gap Road.
2. TURN RIGHT onto Rich Mountain Road (FS 35).
3. CLIMB 2.5 miles to the wide overlook. Complete Encounter Report.
4. RETURN: Backtrack to Doublehead Gap Road → Turn LEFT → Follow back to Aska Road.

1. BACKTRACK from the river area (West) approx. 3 miles back to Aska Road.
2. TURN LEFT onto Aska Road (North).
3. DRIVE 6.5 miles.
4. STOP at the Blue Ridge Dam Overlook on your right. Complete Encounter Report.

• Continue NORTH on Aska Road until it ends at Old Hwy 76.
• TURN LEFT onto Old Hwy 76.
• TURN RIGHT onto Windy Ridge Parkway (follow signs for Downtown).
• TURN RIGHT onto E. Main Street to enter the Downtown Blue Ridge Square.