Motorcycle ride in Tennessee

Tail of the Dragon (US-129, Deals Gap)

36 miles (58 km), 50 min, advanced

The most famous road among American bikers: 318 bends in 11 miles between North Carolina and Tennessee, on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains. From Robbinsville, the route runs along Cheoah Dam, reaches Deals Gap, then takes on the "Dragon" all the way to Chilhowee Lake. Frequent police checks and many crashes: stay in your lane.

Deals Gap. Photo: Washuotaku, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized

Open in OpenStreetMap © OpenStreetMap

Stops along the way

SStart: Robbinsville
1Barrage de Cheoah, after 16 miles (26 km)
2Deals Gap, after 19 miles (30 km)
3Lac de Chilhowee, after 30 miles (48 km)
FFinish: Tallassee, after 36 miles (58 km)

Download the GPXTrack and stops as a GPX file, for a sat nav or another app.

Photos along the route

Barrage de Cheoah. Photo: Dantripphoto, CC BY-SA 3.0, resized

This ride in the MotoLert app

In MotoLert, this ride is one of the roadbooks: its route, stops and photos are in the app. Premium guides you along it; camera zones and reported hazards stay free. The app is coming soon to iPhone.

Other rides nearby

Cherohala Skyway

52 miles (83 km), 1 hr 20 min, intermediate

Photo: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0, resized

Blue Ridge Parkway and Linn Cove Viaduct

49 miles (79 km), 1 hr 20 min, beginner

Photo: Michael Sprague, CC BY-SA 2.0, resized

Skyline Drive (Shenandoah National Park)

68 miles (109 km), 1 hr 50 min, beginner

Photo: Aneta Kaluzna, CC BY-SA 3.0, resized

Roads change: passes close in winter, roadworks, rockfalls, local restrictions. Check the road before you set off. MotoLert does not replace road signs or the Highway Code.

Route planned by MotoLert with Valhalla on © OpenStreetMap contributors data (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons, with the author and licence under each image.

Credits and licences