Directions to Turtle Island - East Entrance

Click here for a hand-drawn map (302Kb).

No busses allowed past end of Wes Randal Rd.

From Winston Salem, NC:
Proceed north on Hwy. 421 toward Boone, NC. When you get to the top of the mountain, look for a large Blue Ridge Parkway stone overpass. From the overpass proceed one mile and turn left onto OLD Hwy. 421. (there is a small sign for the Parkway school) Proceed four and three tenths of a mile on OLD Hwy. 421 at which point you will see Elk Creek Rd. on your left, at the bottom of the hill. Take this left onto Elk Creek Rd. and immediately go under a parkway stone overpass. Proceed 4.2 miles to a right onto Wes Randal Rd. Proceed four tenths of a mile and turn left onto Lonnie Carlton Rd. (at a row of mailboxes) Proceed up this steep, rugged, gravel, mountain road - 1.5 miles until you arrive at the covered bridge at the Turtle Island "parking lot". Congratulations for surviving our "driveway"! Park and walk through the bridge and up the road to our Base Camp, which is 200 yards up the road. Welcome! Respectfully enjoy our home and be safe.

From Boone, NC:
Travel South on Hwy. 421. From the New Market Center on Hwy. 421, where there sits a Hardee's, a Hess gas station (on both sides of the rd), and Clyde Jones Auto Parts, proceed away from town towards Wilkesboro, NC, traveling a distance of three and a half miles to a stop light. At this light, turn right onto OLD Hwy. 421. Proceed 1.8 miles along this rd OLD 421 and turn right at the bottom of the hill onto Elk Creek Rd. Proceed down Elk Creek Rd. 4.2 miles. Make a right turn onto Wes Randal Rd. Proceed four tenths of a mile and turn left onto Lonnie Carlton Rd. (at a row of mailboxes) Proceed up this steep, rugged, mountain road 1.5 miles until you arrive at the covered bridge at the Turtle Island "parking lot". Congratulations for surviving our "driveway"! Park and walk through the bridge and up the road to our Base Camp, which is two hundred yards up the road. Welcome! Respectfully enjoy our home and be safe.

Turtle Island Preserve
1443 Lonnie Carlton Rd.
Triplett, NC 28618
(828) 265-2267

Directions to Turtle Island from Hickory/Lenoir off of 321 - East Entrance

*** This is a remote, scenic, "back-way" or "short-cut." ***

  • After leaving Lenoir and heading toward Boone on HW 321, Look for HW 268. (its approx.4.5 miles from Lenoir) It crosses 321 at BP a gas station near a flashing light intersection and a sign for the Patterson School. This right turn off of 321 puts you onto 268 Eastbound.
  • Go .8 miles (eight tenths of a mile) on 268 and take a right to stay on 268 East. This right puts you immediately onto a short bridge.
  • After going 2.8 miles from this turn and bridge you will see the historic Patterson School on your left.
  • Go a half-mile past the school to a left turn off of 268. The turn is in a curve of 268 and there is a sign there directing you toward Green Rock Baptist Church. It is State Rd. 1504
  • Go just over 6 miles until you see the Todd-Historic-Country-Store on the left side of the road. There is a small church on your right and a cemetery straight ahead. At this store/church/cemetery you take a right onto Buffalo Cove Rd.
  • Go 3.4 miles to a Left turn onto Triplett Rd. This left is 100 feet after crossing a bridge and you will see the Ferguson Volunteer Fire Department at the left hand turn onto Triplett Rd.
  • Follow the curvy Triplett Rd for 7.3 miles, saddling a creek almost the entire way until you see Wes Randall Rd. going off to the left in a sharp curve off of Triplett Rd (which has now turned into "Elk Creek Rd")

    • ***If you miss the turn for Wes Randall
    you will begin the climb back up Elk Creek Rd***

  • Once on Wes Randall go .4 of a mile to a Left onto Lonnie Carlton at a row of mailboxes. Go 2 miles on Lonnie Carlton until you arrive at the East Entrance of the preserve. Park in the lot and walk under the covered bridge. Base camp is 200 yards ahead.