By J.D. Dooley
Where: Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge
Location: Stecoah, NC
Price: Camping $15, Bunk $25, Semi Private Room $75.95, Private Room $89.95
The Iron Horse Lodge
The Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah, NC is perfectly situated amongst some of the best riding there is. The lodge is only a short distance from the Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway, not to mention Fontana Lake, the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well as hundreds and hundreds of miles of paved and unpaved motorcycle nirvana.
Tucked away on 39 secluded acres the Iron horse offers camping, rooms and cabins with weekend dining.
The dining hall offers dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings. Last weekend Friday evening’s choices were the pulled pork plate, beef brisket plate or BBQ chicken plate each of which included your choice of collard greens; baked beans; baked potato casserole or broccoli cheese casserole all for $8.95.
On Saturday they took it up a notch with the choice of either prime rib ($15.99) or Salmon ($12.95) both of which included salad bar, baked regular or sweet potato and a dinner roll. Make sure that you reserve dinner ahead of your stay. They take walk ups but on a first come first serve basis.
Creekside, behind the lodge.
The dining hall doubles as a social pavilion with a wall size surround sound TV with satellite/VCR/DVD, pool table, karaoke, and camp store with the requisite T-shirts and souvenirs. You can also check your Email or weather on the public computer or take advantage of the free wi-fi if you have your own device.
Hi-tech aside, some of the best society can be found spinning yarns around the outdoor patio campfire. It doesn’t get much better than enjoying a cold beverage around a crackling fire while swapping tales about that day’s ride. You’ll find Harley guys, Beemer guys, V-stromers, wingers and sport bikers alike holding court on the latest moto heroics and idiocy. But in a nice quiet way.
Owners John and Charlene Powell have created an atmosphere that is surprisingly serene and tranquil for a place designed to handle more than a hundred motorcyclists. The overall vibe is laid back and quiet … peaceful. It’s not what I expected but certainly one of the things I respect. The facility is well run and the staff is friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
Accommodations
Creekside cabin
The cabins offer private and semi private rooms. The semi private cabin rooms face either the creek or the mountain and have either one queen size bed, one king size bed, or two twin beds. All room prices are for double occupancy. All linens and towels are supplied, and the rooms include air conditioning, ceiling fans, and heaters. Creekside Rooms are $75.95 per room per night plus tax. These rooms have a view of creek with a sliding glass door that opens onto a covered deck. Mountainside Rooms are $65.95 per room per night plus tax. Those rooms face the mountain and do not have a deck. On either the Creekside or Mountainside rooms a bathroom is shared between two rooms.
Two story cabins.
The luxury private cabin rooms overlook the Iron Horse grounds and are located on the second floor with private bath, heat and air conditioning for $89.95 per night plus tax. All private cabin rooms include a private bath. one king size bed, or two twin beds. All room prices are for double occupancy. All linens and towels are supplied, rooms include air conditioning, ceiling fans, and heaters.
The bunkhouse
An increasingly popular feature among motorcyclists is the bunkhouse option. As its name suggests, it is simply a room with several cots and shelves for gear storage. While perhaps not exactly the lap of luxury, at only $25 a night a comfortable cot in a climate controlled room beats a night on the ground. Pillows, sheets and a blanket are provided along with the bunk so you don’t even need to carry a sleeping bag.
Campsites by the Creek.
There are also many tent sites to choose from at $15 if you bring all the equipment. For $40 Iron Horse will rent you a tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, pillow, sheets, towel and washcloth.
There are both men’s and women’s bathhouses. Both have a private dressing room with each shower. Hair dryers are provided in the bathhouse as is a washer and dryer. I have spent four nights in an Iron Horse bunk house over the past two years. Each occasion was during a time that the facility was nearly at capacity and each time the bathhouse was kept amazingly clean throughout the visit.
Overall, the Iron Horse Lodge is a first rate motorcycle resort and a great place to base a multi day ride.
