Driving Roads in Chapel Hill/Raleigh? Do they exist? | FerrariChat

Driving Roads in Chapel Hill/Raleigh? Do they exist?

Discussion in 'North & South Carolina' started by Impervious, Oct 9, 2011.

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  1. Impervious

    Impervious Karting

    Sep 20, 2010
    92
    Where are the good driving roads in the Chapel Hill and Raleigh area? I want to go out for a fun drive and escape the bumper to bumper traffic! Do these roads exist or am I out of luck?


    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. carnutdr

    carnutdr Rookie

    Jul 8, 2007
    48
    Cameron, NC 28326
    Full Name:
    Morton Meltzer
    It all depends on where one lives. Take US # 1 south or north and you will be in rural NC and many great roads.
    May have to go 30 to 40 miles to leave suberbia. I live in eastern Moore County near Ft Bragg and many great roads including those on the reservation.
    Mort
     
  3. Irishman

    Irishman F1 Rookie

    Oct 13, 2005
    3,518
    Raleigh
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    "Non sequitur, your facts are uncoordinated."
    :):)

    Yes, there are good driving roads in the Chapel Hill and Raleigh area. If you could be more specific about where are you are located and how you are making your way about (map, GPS, dead reckoning) it would help.
     
  4. Impervious

    Impervious Karting

    Sep 20, 2010
    92
    The closer to Chapel Hill the better but if the road is really worth the drive I could go further.
     
  5. Irishman

    Irishman F1 Rookie

    Oct 13, 2005
    3,518
    Raleigh
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    #5 Irishman, Oct 10, 2011
    Last edited: Oct 10, 2011
    Okay, always relative as there are best in the world and then best around here. Just my opinion but here are some ideas close to Chapel Hill.

    #1
    Get on the bypass, or probably what is only badged NC54W these days, and then exit for US15-501S. After the bridge crossing back over NC54 take very next left on to Mt. Carmel Church Rd. It becomes Fearrington Rd. Follow it to Jordan Lake. Turn right onto US64W. Cross the lake and at the next light turn right onto Mt. Gilead. Go about 3-5 miles and after a drab concrete building on the right turn left onto Bynum Ridge Rd.* At the T turn right onto Bynum Rd. At next T turn right onto US15-501N. Stop just ahead on right for NC barbecue at Allen & Son. Then continue up US15-501N back to Chapel Hill. Look for Fearrington Village on the right which can be an interesting diversion and has a five-star restaurant and inn.

    *Bynum Ridge is really easy to miss. Worst case is you take Mt. Gilead to T at US15-501. At that point you can go south for Allen & Son or just go north back to Chapel Hill.

    #2
    Take Jones Ferry Rd out of Carrboro (or off bypass or NC54). After you cross University Lake bear right at the next light onto Old Greensboro highway. Follow as long as you like. When you get tired of it come back the way you came or just take whatever seems like a major road north or south. Eventually either way should hit US64 or I-40 and you can make your way back. There is country food at Ye Old Country Kitchen in Snow Camp and there are signs for it off the road. Or, should you wish to risk blindness or death google Haw River wineries. Benjamin Vineyards near Eli Whitney is not foo far off Old Greensboro road.

    #3
    Go to Carrboro. Once on 54W near Carrboro Plaza turn right at last light in town onto Old Fayetteville. The next crossroads is Calvander. Turn left at the light here onto Dairyland. A couple miles down the road is an intersection with Rocky Ridge Rd where Maple View Farms ice cream shop is located if you want that. Then continue on Dairyland to T. Turn right on Orange Grove Rd and follow into Hillsborough. Possibly stop in Hillsborough and walk around or have lunch. Then when you return to Chapel Hill stay on that same road that Orange Grove T'd into (Churton / Old NC 86) and take it back to Carrboro.

    Have fun!
     
  6. Steelton Keith

    Steelton Keith F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 19, 2009
    6,557
    Raleigh NC
    Full Name:
    Keith Hall
    FWIW I have been on all of the roads Irishman has cited above and worth your time and easy in and out of Chapel Hill. It beats heading down to Rosemary and Henderson and drive around Bub's parking lot.
     
  7. ECTurboGSX

    ECTurboGSX Formula 3

    Dec 26, 2004
    1,074
    Bay Area, CA
    Full Name:
    Eric
    It's not a very long road, but Woods Creek Rd coming from the Friendship Rd. end was one of my favorites when I lived up there. It ends up right in downtown Apex. A decent amount of elevation change with some good blind turns. Shearon Harris off of old US 1 is in that area too and gives a good view of the cooling tower. Take it easy the first time through. Marc, Matt, and I have had a good drive or two through that area.

    Also try Green Level Rd. coming off of 55.

    What I found up there is that you may have to drive a few miles between spots, but there are some spots with a short stint of good turns.
     
  8. Impervious

    Impervious Karting

    Sep 20, 2010
    92
    Drove this one last weekend and it was very enjoyable. Minimal traffic and nice weather only adds to the fun.
     
  9. White Knight

    White Knight Formula 3

    Aug 22, 2011
    1,531
    Ogden, UT
    Full Name:
    Todd S.
    These sound great...any recommendations from the collective on good roads east of Raleigh, say Cary or Garner area? I live in Goldsboro and about the best I have found is the stretch up to Greenville. Having just moved here in May, I dont have the lay of the land down yet!!
     
  10. Irishman

    Irishman F1 Rookie

    Oct 13, 2005
    3,518
    Raleigh
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    #10 Irishman, Oct 25, 2011
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2011
    I finally was on the road Eric mentioned earlier this year and can attest it is great.

    A loop I do occasionally is follow US1 or NC39 up to Henderson and then pick up Bicycle Highway #1. The little bicycle signs are easy to miss but if you pay attention and make all the turns you will eventually go over Kerr dam. There is a T at the end of the dam. If you go right you can visit the spillway. Turn left and you are treated to one of the great one-lane Virginia roads. Eventually it will T also. Turn left. When you get to Boydton go left and then take US58 west. In Clarksville stop at the lake again. Pick up US15S and return to Raleigh.

    East of Raleigh bicycle highway #2 has some nice roads. Slow going but I believe it goes all the way to the coast.

    Poole road east of Raleigh is a good ride through the country to Wendell.

    NC 42 from Raleigh to Wilson is mostly straight but nice countryside. In Wilson county look for a road name Hunt -- could be James Hunt or J.B. Hunt. Follow to T and turn left. Go a hundred yards or so and take the next right. You will end up at another T at a place the locals call Acid Park, which is actually an interesting collection of windmills. If you turn left at the T at Acid park in a couple miles you will hit US301. Turn left on US301N. Go about a mile and stop on the left at Parker's BBQ for really good eastern NC BBQ.

    Another favorite out of Raleigh is Lake Wheeler road. Follow all the way to where it ends at US401 just north of Fuquay-Varina.

    Sometimes when I head south I take Davis drive or old US1 through Cary to Apex. In Apex get on NC55S. Where the new bypass is turn left at the light to go on what was old NC55. At the next light turn left onto Sunset Lake road. This is a nice stretch of road that is also a quick way to cross through Fuquay. A mile or so south of Fuquay turn left on Holland? road which will T back at NC55. Not far south of there is a country restaurant called Ron's Barn north of Coats, NC.

    Going west of Cary take High House road. As you cross NC55 it comes Green Level. Follow this to a T where you turn left on Lewter Shop. It will T with NC751. Turn right. Take immediate left onto Hollands Chapel road or go up a little farther to Martha's Chapel road. Both are nice and will T at Farrington at Jordan Lake. Turn left on Farrington. Go straight across US64. Where this road ends near old US1 is the town of Bonsal where a little club runs a railroad on about 6 miles of the old American Tobacco line. Take old US1 back up to Apex or Cary.

    In north Raleigh Purnell is a super road. From NC98 if you take New Light north you can find Purnell. It runs between there and US1 north of Wake Forest.
     
  11. DCNSX

    DCNSX Formula Junior

    Feb 5, 2007
    639
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Alex,

    Hope you are well. If you're heading to (or past) G'boro, take Old Greensboro Rd. out of Carrboro. Nice countryside and as you get about halfway there, there are some nice curves. I usually hit I-40 sometime before I get into the city to avoid the city traffice (if you are continuing westward beyoned G'boro to High Pt. for example).

    There are several good roads in north central Chatham- Take River Rd. and cross Chicken Bridge - lots of wide open roads there and not too many cops (if you are not on the major roads like 87)

    I'd like to plan a day-drive from here- departing G'boro to the VA Blue Ridge Pkwy sometime in late Feb/March 2012 (assuming no snow, of course!) Stay in touch!

    You should also try to make Cars n Coffee next Saturday at Brier Creek. give me a call or PM me if you can make that.
     
  12. Impervious

    Impervious Karting

    Sep 20, 2010
    92
    Hey, Blue Ridge Parkway drive sounds good, I'm always down for a drive.

    This month I can finally make the Raleigh C&C. Hard to believe it's November already! I plan on getting the car out Friday afternoon and washing it for Saturday. Judging by pictures from the past few months it looks like there has been a pretty good turnout. See you there.
     

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