US bike route 21 Atlanta to Chatanooga

[IknowUrider]

I got a tip from a local in Atlanta who mentioned possible flooding late Oct into Nov. There are creeks and rivers all around ,  and chasing dogs,  as you get further north into the sticks.

Anybody done this whole route , 158 miles to Chatanooga ?  Is the campground on the Silver Comet Trail any good? (no food/water, I got that)

Map link:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/26986522


Any other noteworthy stops and services?   Thanks, God Bless.

[BikePacker]

Is the campground on the Silver Comet Trail any good? (no food/water, I got that)
Thanks, God Bless*.

IKnow - IF : ) you are referring to The Rock Campground, which is a few miles east of Rockmart and about 3/4 mile just south of / adjacent and easily accessible from the Silver Comet Trail ( https://therockrvpark.com/tents )....
i highly recommend it ....
have camped there at least 2 times over the last 5 years. 
The owner / manager John Hitchcock is a fine gentleman (you will see his profile on the above website).
It may be that you are referring to different campground, cause you mention 'no water,' and The Rock had potable water.
Regarding the Bike Route 21 in general, in my humble view, you will likely find the beauty and wonder of *God's great outdoors in this route thru northwest Georgia fairly inspiring. Full disclosure: i have not cycled this specific route; however, have camped and traveled throughout it over the years.
Regarding your question "Any noteworthy stops and services?" - Rockmart has all services and that which i have found to be a most friendly town the 8 or so times i have had the pleasure of stopping there. 
Hope you will send along updates of your ride.

[IknowUrider]

Thanks, amazing input. I found BRAG on facebook  after posting that and was blown away by the pics. I feel a lot less paranoid now . As you can see I'm waaay out of my element.

I just have to figure out a safe route from Chatanooga to Asheville.

[BikePacker]

\
I just have to figure out a safe route from Chattanooga to Asheville.

You are developing a great adventure that i hope you will document, by which many might well benefit.

My 2 cents, IknowU ..... re. 'safe route' to Asheville...
IF you can find a 'safe route' from Chattanooga to Cherokee, NC,
then, the rest is very safe from Cherokee to Asheville via The Blue Ridge Parkway

(i.e., commercial traffic not even permitted, unless 'local' ... posted speed limit is 45mph which is not even possible alotta the time due to the curves... no paved shoulders but typically well maintained grassy shoulders .... you would need 1.5", or better, wide tires.... 1/2 dozen unlit tunnels, hence, you need great front AND rear lighting .... please Private Message me IF you'd care to know stuff about the Blue Ridge Parkway / Skyline Drive .... have done it all  ... love it / my most favorite 600 miles stretch of pavement ... won't take up your time further mumbling allllllll about it here, when your Original Post is not focused on it. : ).

Chattanooga (to Cherokee, NC, & then on) to Asheville, NC ~
As i am certain that you already know, Google by Bicycle wants to take you via US 74.  Could be treacherous for cycling? .....
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Chattanooga,+Tennessee/Cherokee,+NC/@35.0872724,-84.8768185,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x886060408a83e785:0x2471261f898728aa!2m2!1d-85.3096801!2d35.0456297!1m5!1m1!1s0x8859431093d68437:0xa39957b8c6be1696!2m2!1d-83.3205859!2d35.4770574!3e1

Will say this with certainty about a nearby section of road that IS a suicide ride ....
know that US 441 between Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN is, so sadly, not built for bikes ...
if there are any shoulders, it is by accident ...
RVs passing by each other in opposite directions on the curves leave little to no room even for themselves,
e.g./i.e.  I say sadly, cause it does have lotsa beautiful scenery when one has a chance to take a gander.

[Pat Lamb]

Chattanooga (to Cherokee, NC, & then on) to Asheville, NC ~
As i am certain that you already know, Google by Bicycle wants to take you via US 74.  Could be treacherous for cycling? .....
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Chattanooga,+Tennessee/Cherokee,+NC/@35.0872724,-84.8768185,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x886060408a83e785:0x2471261f898728aa!2m2!1d-85.3096801!2d35.0456297!1m5!1m1!1s0x8859431093d68437:0xa39957b8c6be1696!2m2!1d-83.3205859!2d35.4770574!3e1

Will say this with certainty about a nearby section of road that IS a suicide ride ....
know that US 441 between Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN is, so sadly, not built for bikes ...
if there are any shoulders, it is by accident ...
RVs passing by each other in opposite directions on the curves leave little to no room even for themselves,
e.g./i.e.  I say sadly, cause it does have lotsa beautiful scenery when one has a chance to take a gander.

O. M. G.

64/74 from Ocoee to Murphy is kind of fun in a car, if you've got that stock car racing gene.  441 between Gatlinburg and Cherokee would be preferable to 64 over that stretch on a bike.  64 has the same shoulders as 441 (none), trucks and high speed traffic vice RVs and 25 mph traffic (speed limit's 45 on 441 but, you know, traffic!).

Concur on Blue Ridge Parkway from Cherokee into Asheville.  Take lots of water!

I'm not sure how I'd get out of Chattanooga going northeast.  I might go north via Suck Creek towards the Sequatchie Valley, and look for a way to hook up with a Tennessee River crossing further north.  Perhaps U.S. 70 east to Kingston (most of the traffic is on the interstate), south on TN 58 to TN 72 over to Vonore?  I think there're a few viable ways to get across the Appalachian crest on the state line; Cherohala Skyway out of Tellico Plains, U.S. 129 to Robbinsville/Stecoah, and U.S. 25/70 from Newport to Hot Springs. 

I know one guy who's actually ridden 441; by leaving Gatlinburg at 7:00 in the morning, he had time to get to Newfound Gap before the tourist traffic ate breakfast and loaded up their cars and RVs, and he noted a bicycle can go as fast downhill as a car heading into Cherokee.  He's a stronger rider than I am, though, and I haven't ridden it myself.

[BikePacker]

... Blue Ridge Parkway from Cherokee into Asheville.  Take lots of water!...

Pat does knoweth that of which he speaketh.

[IknowUrider]

Oops , I screwed up. my destination host posted Asheville by mistake . (Iphone voice to text issue, sigh.)   It's  *Dickson*  Tenn. from Chatanooga.  . I've seen the Blue Ridge by car, that was pretty awesome. You never know, I may end up doing it later!

I'm assuming I'd want to skirt the traffic around Nashville to get there. 

[IknowUrider]

RV's passing each other on winding curves . Total cringe.  Here in CT especially in the NW corner we typically have huge gardening trucks and deranged Iphoned-out  soccer moms doing that.

I totally have lights front and rear. roadie since 1972, never been hit (but yeah I have those near death stories like you guys)

I feel like an idiot for posting Asheville, sorry to waste people's time . 

[Pat Lamb]

Ridewithgps has some routes that go all or part of the way between Nashville (usually Brentwood or Franklin) and in the direction of Chattanooga.  I believe this is one I've ridden part of the way, and the route builder(s) did a good job picking roads:

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/4388930

This one does a loop down by Tims Ford, good place to camp if that's your plan.  Beware, though, U.S. 41 between Nickajack and Wauhatchie has been under destruction, I mean construction, for a year or more.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33013477

[HobbesOnTour]

I made up my own route from Charleston SC to Nashville TN a couple of years ago.
I mainly used https://cycle.travel/ to plot routes since I was very far from home.

A very useful tool with easy access to Streetview to see actual road conditions (if available).

It may help you in your planning.

Good luck

[BikePacker]

Oops , I screwed up. my destination host posted Asheville by mistake .

No prob at all ... lots of us (i include myself : ) enjoy dreaming about routes as much as we doing riding 'em !!!
You helped me recall about the previous fun times i have had on the Cherokee to Asheville slab
and, as said, you got me dreaming about the next time i'll be able to give the Blue Ridge Parkway my next spin !!!

[IknowUrider]

Thanks , Pat and Bikepacker . Very useful.  Now to check the train schedules...