Details

Please note that you will not be able to participate in the Group Photo and this drive.

Pay for your own lunch. Welcome to the mountains! We will be exploring the rural areas around Fontana Lake and the infamous Road to Nowhere in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most of our route will be in Swain County near Bryson City. The nickname for this area is the: Uncrowded, Unhurried, Unspoiled, Uncommon side of the Smokies. Keep in mind the Unhurried portion. This will be a very scenic ride, not a race. We will be driving on public rural roads so be courteous to local traffic. Unlike the Dragon, there are many many driveways and side roads where other traffic may be merging with our group. Also, some roads may not have a yellow line, but drive them as if they do! Remember, it is their road, they were here first. Wave and smile, be good visitors and leave a good impression of the MINI community!

We will have a photo op where the road ends along the "Tuck" River and then proceed to our second stop where we will explore the tunnel at the end of "The Road To Nowhere".

After visiting the tunnel, we will head back to Bryson City for lunch on your own. We will park at the Swain County Courthouse on Mitchell St and from there it is just a short walk to your chosen lunch spot. See the links below for a list of downtown restaurants and pubs.

You can stay as long as you want in Bryson City as the return drive to Fontana is on your own. Just be back in time for the Farewell Dinner at 6:00.

Please be sure to bring your FRS/GMRS radio !

Note: Beginning March 1, 2023, all vehicles parking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more than 15 minutes will require a valid parking tag. 100% of all proceeds from the new parking tag program are used to protect and preserve the park for generations to come, You can purchase your annual tag online and have it shipped right to your house or get one at a visitor center. Daily($5) and weekly($15) parking tags can be purchased online and printed out and will be available for purchase by credit card from automated fee machines available year round, 24 hours a day at these locations: Deep Creek parking area, Newfound Gap overlook, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Sugarlands Visitor Center, Cades Cove entrance parking area, and Metcalf Bottoms picnic area.

Your Schedule (give or take a little)