29 October 2009

Thurmond Chatham Game Land - Directions

Thurmond Chatham Game Land



The Thurmond Chatham Game Land is located in Wilkes County, in northwest North Carolina. There are four entrance roads to access the Thurmond Chatham Game Land. One game land entrance road is located just off Highway 18 North known as Joshua Creek Road and three game land entrances are located off of Longbottom Road. To access the Thurmond Chatham Game Land:

From Wilkesboro, NC - From the junction of Highway 18 and Highway 268, travel Highway 18 North approximately 13.5 miles to Longbottom Road on the right.
  • Osborne Ridge Road - From the intersection of Highway 18 and Longbottom Road, travel east approximately 2.5 miles to the Osborne Ridge Road entrance on the left.
36°21'9.58"N 81°12'11.09"W
  • Pike Creek Road - From the intersection of Highway 18 and Longbottom Road, travel east approximately 3.5 miles to the Pike Creek Road entrance on the left.
36°21'21.60"N 81°11'15.51"W
  • Bell Branch Road - From the intersection of Highway 18 and Longbottom Road, travel east approximately 5.7 miles to the Bell Branch Road entrance on the left.
36°22'8.96"N 81° 9'16.97"W
  • Joshua Creek Road - From the intersection of Highway 18 and Longbottom Road, travel north on Highway 18 approximately 1.8 miles to Old Highway 18 on the right.
After turning right onto Old 18, travel approximately 0.3 miles to the Joshua Creek Road entrance on the right. GPS coordinates for the entrance: 36°21'27.22"N 81°14'11.64"W


From Elkin, NC - From the stoplight at the intersection of Highway 21 and Poplar Springs Road, travel approximately 8.5 miles north on Highway 21 to Traphill Road on the left. After taking the left onto Traphill Road, travel approximately 5.2 miles west to Longbottom Road on the right.

  • Bell Branch Road - From the intersection of Traphill Road and Longbottom Road, travel west approximately 8.8 miles to the Bell Branch Road entrance on the right.
36°22'8.96"N 81° 9'16.97"W

  • Pike Creek Road - From the intersection of Traphill Road and Longbottom Road, travel west approximately 11 miles to the Pike Creek Road entrance on the right.
36°21'21.60"N 81°11'15.51"W

  • Osborne Ridge Road - From the intersection of Traphill Road and Longbottom Road, travel west approximately 12.1 miles to the Osborne Ridge Road entrance on the right.
36°21'9.58"N 81°12'11.09"W
  • Joshua Creek Road - From the intersection of Traphill Road and Longbottom Road, travel west approximately 14.5 miles to the end of Longbottom Road to it's intersection with Highway 18. From the intersection of Highway 18 and Longbottom Road, travel north on Highway 18 approximately 1.8 miles to Old Highway 18 on the right.
After turning right onto Old 18, travel approximately 0.3 miles to the Joshua Creek Road entrance on the right. GPS coordinates for the entrance: 36°21'27.22"N 81°14'11.64"W

There is one other game lands access point that is found off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This access road leads to a hunter parking area and the game lands are accessed by following a hunter access trail across park property to the "D Section" of the Thurmond Chatham game lands. To find this parking area travel the Blue Ridge Parkway to milepost 239. Turn onto "Air Bellows Gap" Road.
Follow Air Bellows Road south approximately 0.75 miles until reaching the terminus of the road at the hunter parking area. GPS coordinates for the parking area: 36°25'16.46"N 81°7'22.00"W

For an online interactive map of Thurmond Chatham, please visit the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission website @ www.ncwildlife.org or click HERE to link to the interactive maps.

A detailed map of Thurmond Chatham in PDF form can be found HERE.

8 comments:

wink windsor said...

This is helpful information on how to access the Gamelands from the Parkway. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

where is the best place to camp near the thurmond chatham game lands

The Wilkes Crew said...

If you look on the first map, there are two marked camping sites. Both are just off of Longbottom Road and both are on Commission land. The eastern most is the Basin Creek Campground and the western most is actually on game lands on the Osborne Ridge Road. Both campgrounds are "primitive" with no facilities.

Mr. King said...

Hey folks!

We're interested in exploring local wildlife areas - we live a stone's throw from Stone Mountain Park on Oklahoma road. I'm looking for info on access areas, camping, restrictions, guidelines, good times to hike without getting shot, you know - all that good stuff :)

Not sure if this blog is even monitored anymore, but I guess we'll see - I'm still exploring links, etc., but several are not working for me. Thanks for your time!

sk

(Egads - is this thing working? sorry if it's repeat posting..)

Jim said...

Stewart,

Please leave your email address and I will contact you with more information.

Unknown said...

are there places to hunt for handicapped people

Jim said...

Claude,

Please reply with your email address and we will contact you with more info on Thurmond Chatham Game Land.

Jim said...

Claude,

You may also send an email to thed7crew@gmail.com with your email address if you wish it to remain private and we'll respond directly to you.