I just bought an '04 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with axle lockers, Dana 44s, yada yada yada.


I want to take this thing out, see what it's made of, and was considering Turkey Bay on Kentucky Lake as a safe (relatively), structured, and legal environment for off-roading.

Anybody here been up there to check it out and what can you tell me about it (i.e. any costs, opening/closing times, best time to go, etc.)

Thanks for the help.
Rob

Turkey Bay is about 2000 acresof mild to wild. Easy trails to deep mud to steep hills. About anything you need to break a Jeep.

The only real down side to Turkey Bay is the crowd.  Lots of people and tons of ATVs out there.

Cost is $15 for 3 days or $60 for the year.

Check out www.lbl.org/Home.html

I used to ride their all the time. Primitive camping, you can run a genny though. Better trailer your jeep if you are gonna really test it. Walking home would suck. Just go to the lighthouse and back.

thanks for the info!

The camping is just as interesting as the trailriding (to me)


we might wait until middle March to go.


if anyone else is interested I'll post here when my buddy and I can get our shit together...


maybe some fellow arfcommers could make it out?

I've went last year, doubt I'll go back. Too dusty for my tastes, too many ATVs as well.

A better place is down in Summertown, TN. I think it's www.wheelininthecountry.com or some such???

100 times better than Turkey Bay, IMO. Whole lots more challenging trails as well. They also have a repair shop on site so you can have un-bent whatever you've bent.    

My .o2

Turkey Bay is in KY, not TN.  been there quite a few times myself.  we have a big group of jeepers headed up there march 18th-19th.  here's a link to the folks planning it.  itsajeep.org   It's quite a big place for sure, lots of trails, ranging from mild to kinda difficult.  Nothing super extreme there as far jeepin goes.    we'll be meeting up there at the check-in shack at 9am on the 18th.

It can get pretty crowded (mainly ATV's) during the nice weekends for  sure.  Not much drinking and idiocy on the trails.

It's managed by the US Forest Service.  $15 for a 3 day weekend.  $8 a night for basic camping.

website


Wheelin In The Country is in Summertown TN.  It's a privately owned park.  riding costs $15 PER DAY, PER ADULT RIDER.  no weekend rate, no discounts.  

wheeled there a couple times. not nearly as big as TB.  lots of fun stuff.  ALOT of stuff WAY too extreme for anything less than a buggy.   ran just about everything we could in one day. We wheeled in ice and snow and still covered the vast majority of the park in one day.  

ALOT of boozing it up on the trails, both times I went. NOT by our group, but seemingly everyone else there was. WAYY too much for my taste. save the booze for the campfire when the vehicles are parked.

also, the shop is closed to usage by the general public. Guess they had some idiots there during the newyears day ride that stole some tools out of the shop, so they no longer allow anyone to use the shop.


IMHO,  wheelin in the country is WAYYYY overpriced, and WAAAY too much drinking and stupidity on the trails.

Quoted: IMHO,  wheelin in the country is WAYYYY overpriced,

Private property, they don't get tax support, sir. They also have trails that make Turkey Bay look like a paved parking lot.

and WAAAY too much drinking and stupidity on the trails.

I saw no drinking at all, the time I was there. As for stupidity, that's what I call "entertainment value", sir!    

obviously  just another topic that Bob is an expert on.  


clearly WITC has stuff much tougher than TB, as I stated in my post.  They've got a couple 10's that are runnable with a built jeep and some 10+++ stuff that you need a serious rig to run. The rest is alot of stuff that is 2 to 4 rated in my opinion. everything besides the 10+++ stuff was run by a stocker TJ on street tires last week. Myself, I don't have a buggy that I have 30k+ tied up in, so a couple 10+ rated obstacles don't really mean much to me.  


lets see, I've been there 3 times and seen, and had to recover, idiots that were drinking every time.   you've been there once and didn't see any.  Drinking stupidity can get people hurt when motor vehicles are involved, not my idea of entertainment.  Plus they give wheelers in general a bad rep.




now back to the OP.

trust me, with your stock Rubi, you'll have WAY more fun at TB than at WITC.  If this is your first time wheelin a jeep, you'll be amazed at what it'll do stock.  There is lots of stuff to run, plus go-arounds for the hard stuff until you build up your driving skills.  You can spend the whole weekend at TB and not run the same trail twice.  The itsajeep gang is great to wheel with, pretty well family oriented and we welcome rigs and experience levels of all types. Come up for the mid march ride and I guarantee you'll have a weekend of fun, or I'll pay your entrance fee.

Tony

Quoted: obviously  just another topic that Bob is an expert on.

Someone piss in your cornflakes today, Tony? Did I somehow insult you by not suggesting Turkey Bay, home of the 10,000 ATVs???????

"Expert"? No, but I've been four wheeling for over 20 years now. If there's a way of getting stuck, I've done it, I assure you.

Myself, I don't have a buggy that I have 30k+ tied up in, so a couple 10+ rated obstacles don't really mean much to me.

Nor would I tear up my daily driver on a 10+. However, I never once had to get in 4wd at Turkey Bay, kinda defeats the purpose, IMO.

lets see, I've been there 3 times and seen, and had to recover, idiots that were drinking every time.   you've been there once and didn't see any.

(shrugs) So? Personally, if I were to see a drunk stuck, he/she would stay that way, IMO. YMMV.

Drinking stupidity can get people hurt when motor vehicles are involved, not my idea of entertainment.  Plus they give wheelers in general a bad rep.

Bad rep with whom? The tree huggers????? Drunks are drunks, regardless of activity, sir. You think four wheeling makes them drink? You think they don't get drunk at ball games too? Or on road trips?

For the record, I like my beer, but I loathe drunks.

Quoted: Quoted: obviously  just another topic that Bob is an expert on. Someone piss in your cornflakes today, Tony? Did I somehow insult you by not suggesting Turkey Bay, home of the 10,000 ATVs??????? "Expert"? No, but I've been four wheeling for over 20 years now. If there's a way of getting stuck, I've done it, I assure you. Myself, I don't have a buggy that I have 30k+ tied up in, so a couple 10+ rated obstacles don't really mean much to me. Nor would I tear up my daily driver on a 10+. However, I never once had to get in 4wd at Turkey Bay, kinda defeats the purpose, IMO. lets see, I've been there 3 times and seen, and had to recover, idiots that were drinking every time.   you've been there once and didn't see any. (shrugs) So? Personally, if I were to see a drunk stuck, he/she would stay that way, IMO. YMMV. Drinking stupidity can get people hurt when motor vehicles are involved, not my idea of entertainment.  Plus they give wheelers in general a bad rep. Bad rep with whom? The tree huggers????? Drunks are drunks, regardless of activity, sir. You think four wheeling makes them drink? You think they don't get drunk at ball games too? Or on road trips? For the record, I like my beer, but I loathe drunks.

hey bob, I'm just giving ya a hardtime, you oughta know by now I'm a sarcastic SOB.  



come up to TB with us and I guarantee you'll get in 4wd.  You must not be leaving the main trails when you are there.  There's plenty of tough stuff up there.  


for the record, I like beer too. just not while operating FrankenJeep.  heck, I've rolled once already, and that was sober.

Quoted: hey bob, I'm just giving ya a hardtime, you oughta know by now I'm a sarcastic SOB.

Oh, so you're like me, then??????  

come up to TB with us and I guarantee you'll get in 4wd.  You must not be leaving the main trails when you are there.  There's plenty of tough stuff up there.

Couldn't tell you where we went, only that it wasn't too tough. Seems like all we did was ride the outer perimeter???????  

heck, I've rolled once already, and that was sober.

Well, you're one up on me there. Hopefully, you'll stay there!    

Quoted: thanks for the info! The camping is just as interesting as the trailriding (to me) we might wait until middle March to go. if anyone else is interested I'll post here when my buddy and I can get our shit together... maybe some fellow arfcommers could make it out?

Let me know man I may just be game for something like that.

I just found out about this:

Jeep Jamboree

www.jeepjamboreeusa.com

Oak Ridge, TN; Apr 7-9


I do not know these folks nor have I been to this web site yet, so take that for what it's worth. Lots of good terrain in the Oak Ridge area though..........   Tellico is another great place to trail ride.



ETA: I hit the web site tonight. A mere $195 to go on this trip!!!!!!!!!     WTF??????? For that kind of coin, strippers better be spotters!!!!!!!