Tail of the Dragon

Tail of the Dragon covers 11 miles of US-129 at Deals Gap, on the North Carolina-Tennessee line near Robbinsville, NC. It's documented at 318 curves in that distance, with no intersecting roads or driveways and about 1,000 feet of elevation change, running along the edge of Cherokee National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains National Park terrain. Graham County points to it, alongside the Cherohala Skyway and Moonshiner 28, as its three signature motorcycle roads. There's no fuel anywhere on the run itself; the gap is the full 11 miles start to finish, so top off before turning onto 129. Corners come in tight, sequential batches with almost no straight to reset on, and posted advisory speeds through the tightest sections sit well under the highway limit. Weekends bring heavy sport-bike, sports-car, and photographer traffic in both directions, which crowds the blind-corner passing lines. Ride it early on a weekday morning for the road to yourself, and pair it with the Cherohala Skyway, a 43-mile national scenic byway connecting Robbinsville to Tellico Plains, TN, for long sweeping climbs after the tight switchbacks. Robbinsville and the Fontana Dam area, described as the largest dam east of the Mississippi, anchor the eastern end for fuel and lodging. Riding it, start to finish: 1. Start in Robbinsville, NC and fuel up before heading south on US-129. 2. Turn onto US-129 at Deals Gap and begin the famous 11-mile section with 318 curves. 3. Navigate tight, sequential corners with posted advisory speeds well under the highway limit, watching for heavy weekend traffic. 4. Exit the Dragon at the western end near the Tennessee state line. 5. Consider pairing your ride with the Cherohala Skyway, a 43-mile scenic byway connecting back to Robbinsville via Tellico Plains, TN, for sweeping climbs to contrast the tight switchbacks.