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Turkey Bay

4K views 39 replies 16 participants last post by  Krawlersaur 
#1 ·
I had an amazing time at Turkey Bay yesterday. This is an awesome place to jeep!! And...I realized its only 15 min from my house!!
 
#8 ·
There is some mud, but not too much because they close it down if it rains too much. The trails are color coded according to difficulty and if they are meant for a jeep or 4-wheeler. There are also tons of numbered roads throughout LBL that are enjoyable and not so difficult. So... Basically the place offers plenty of whatever type of offroading experience you want.
 
#11 ·
beardedsmiley said:
sweet, on the easy one's i prob just have to be in 4wd high right? lol if i understand correct the 4wd low is more for going through the big ruts, rock crawling, etc.. or does it even matter since i doubt u will ever go over 25mph their anyways?
I usually run high most* of the time, and switch to Low if need be. It's a fairly decent ride whether it's dry or soaked.
 
#12 ·
Turkey Bay is the bomb. Been going there since 2003. In the early 2000s, it was epic. Crowds there every weekend. USFS rules have since turned the place into a boring park...but the scenery is still worth the drive.
 
#15 ·
Don't know where you have heard that but everything I have seen at TB has been good, except for the people that fly wide open around the park. Last count was 14 airlifted out of there for this year, no accidents involving jeeps to date.
I agree with you that in the early 2000s, there were a lot of people there, but it was wide open riding, anywhere and everywhere and that caused a lot of damage to the park and alot of erosion problems. What TVA did was to begin to close the bad areas of riding and try to stop the rutting. With that being done, they are now opening areas that have been repaired and are reworking others to keep control. With what the USFS is doing there with erosion control, it has helped temper the arguments about closing parks because of bad rutting problems. It really didn't change any at all when USFS took over from TVA except they had more money to improve the system and check more vehicles within the park boundries.
You also have to remember just about the time USFS took over, the economy took a turn for the worse with gas prices rising, causing less people to go places.
 
#13 ·
Always wanted to go there when I Had my Honda 250R 4 wheeler (sold it last week) Some friends and I have mentioned a fishing trip...now I have the Jeep. Looks like I need to make a trip happen. Heard nothing but good things on Turkey bay/Land between the lakes.
 
#22 ·
RecycledTeen said:
Don't know where you have heard that but everything I have seen at TB has been good, except for the people that fly wide open around the park. Last count was 14 airlifted out of there for this year, no accidents involving jeeps to date.
I agree with you that in the early 2000s, there were a lot of people there, but it was wide open riding, anywhere and everywhere and that caused a lot of damage to the park and alot of erosion problems. What TVA did was to begin to close the bad areas of riding and try to stop the rutting. With that being done, they are now opening areas that have been repaired and are reworking others to keep control. With what the USFS is doing there with erosion control, it has helped temper the arguments about closing parks because of bad rutting problems. It really didn't change any at all when USFS took over from TVA except they had more money to improve the system and check more vehicles within the park boundries.
You also have to remember just about the time USFS took over, the economy took a turn for the worse with gas prices rising, causing less people to go places.
Yeah but when you pull into an off-road park and the sign says NO MUDDING you do feel like laughing and going somewhere else. The strict rules killed the attendance. Buggies can dislodge soil climbing hills all day and make noise, but a jeep can't drive through a mud hole. It's pathetic now. But like I said...the scenery is still worth an occasional drive.
 
#23 ·
WXman said:
Yeah but when you pull into an off-road park and the sign says NO MUDDING you do feel like laughing and going somewhere else. The strict rules killed the attendance. Buggies can dislodge soil climbing hills all day and make noise, but a jeep can't drive through a mud hole. It's pathetic now. But like I said...the scenery is still worth an occasional drive.
I've come out of there covered in mud and they never said a word to me about it
 
#24 ·
We've pulled up at the ranger station to sign in and got a lecture about it before even unloading the rigs. "You boys aren't plannin' on getting muddy are ya'?" "Gee sir, what would make you think we'd come to an off road park to do that?"

We've also had forest rangers come into our campsite and force us to remove my 3 year old son's PowerWheels toy truck from behind the tent, because it was "beyond the boundary for motorized vehicles". I had it behind the tent to keep it out of sight so nobody would steal it in the middle of the night, and those a$$clowns made me put it out in plain view. A plastic toy electric truck!

The place is a total joke since USFS got all high-n-mighty around there. 10 years ago you'd have HUGE crowds, soldiers from Fort Campbell, all kinds of rigs and spectators, gatherings at the area known as the "Gator Pit", just a real fun time. Now you have to watch your every move so you don't get slapped on the wrist by Johnny Law.

It's a shame, because the scenery in the forest is different than all the other places in Kentucky you can go to and ride legally. Sigh.....
 
#27 ·
The Rangers over there can be Butts from time to time & they screwed up some good riding when they took it over. I'm just now getting back in to jeeping but the most fun thing to do in LBL. Is ride the old roads not usable by regular vehicle. Purchase a camping permit & camp where ya want to, just hide the beer in a red solo cup.
 
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