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My wife and I are heading to Gatlinburg for a few days next week and we are going to try and hit the Dragon for our first time on our way back home. Bucket List for me.
Is there anything that is a "Must Do" while we are there?
Or any "Don't Waste your time stopping or cruise on by this" type things?
Any help/info greatly appreciated.
My wife and I are heading to Gatlinburg for a few days next week and we are going to try and hit the Dragon for our first time on our way back home. Bucket List for me.
Is there anything that is a "Must Do" while we are there?
Or any "Don't Waste your time stopping or cruise on by this" type things?
Any help/info greatly appreciated.
Wheels Thru Time museum in Maggie Valley. It's a great place to spend an hour or so . Lot's of early Harley and Indian motorcycles and memorabilia .
From the store at Deals Gap take 28 to Fontana dam. Interesting place, monster spillways an if I remember, the tallest dam in Eastern US.
If you have time,right at 100 mile to the South is the town of Helen Ga. Great little town, kind of a mini Gatlinburg.
Last but not least, Cherohala Skyway.Great drive across the mountains between Tennessee and North Carolina.
IMO the Dragon is a motorcycle road. Hwy 28 from Deal's Gap to Highland is great drive in any vehicle but the Cherohala Skyway is perfect for a 'vette.
If you follow the Cherohala skyway and end up in Tellico Plains, stop by Tellico Plains bakery and have a sandwich and a sweet from the bakery. Don’t forget to take home a loaf of the sour dough bread.
From the store at Deals Gap take 28 to Fontana dam. Interesting place, monster spillways an if I remember, the tallest dam in Eastern US.
If you have time,right at 100 mile to the South is the town of Helen Ga. Great little town, kind of a mini Gatlinburg.
Last but not least, Cherohala Skyway.Great drive across the mountains between Tennessee and North Carolina.
Do not miss the Cherohala Skyway. That's another great road that should be on your "bucket list," maybe even above the "Tail of the Dragon."
Unless you like huge crowds, avoid Helen Georgia during October weekends. It's "Oktoberfest" and you won't get near the place without reservations well in advance for lodging and without waiting in lines for very long times. And there's something just fundamentally wrong with Helen. When I go there, I always wonder if there's a "Redneck village" as a tourist attraction south of Munich in Germany.
If you go back to Tennessee on the Cherohala Skyway, you can catch 411 back to Knoxville, or if you're looking for touristy things to do, there's the "Lost Sea" along TN 68 right before You get to Sweetwater, and there's "Tennessee's largest indoor flea market" at TN 68 and I75. My wife and I call that one "the redneck mall" and we often meet some friends from Tennessee there as a "half way" point. There 's also some wineries in the area if wine is your thing, and they have tasting rooms. Not sure that any are big enough to offer any kind of "tours" yet. If this is an "adventure" trip, there are also the Chilhowee glider port in southeastern TN that offer sail plane rides. Turn south on 411 for that. Reservations are usually required during "autumn leaves" season, though.
Nantahala Brewing Co in Bryson City. Great craft brews in an old railroad warehouse building. Bring your own sandwich as they don’t have a kitchen. Or at least they didn’t have a kitchen when I was there last time.
If I were coming out of Gatlinburg, I would head to Cades Cove (nice circular park drive with a good chance of seeing bears), head into Townsend, then through the Foothills Parkway, through Tail of the Dragon, stop at Deals Gap store for a beer and sandwich, over to Fontana Dam area, then over the Cherohala Skyway.
I was in North Carolina in July on a bike trip and asked about Gatlinburg, I was told it is very congested and hard to get around. I decided on Maggie Valley, got a nice hotel there. Unfortunately due to a family emergency I had to come right home so I never got to ride the area. Not sure if you have reservations yet but you might want to check Gatlinburg out before you go there...have a great time and pictures please!
I did the Tail last year on my 67th birthday, it was midweek and I found it intense, meaning do not cross yellow lines as jerryc5 said. The cherohala was more sedate and enjoyable ,still a lot of turns and scenery but less traveled. Do the Tail during the week if you can.
Clingsman Dome is a good stop, the highest point in Tenn, bring extra coats as it can get cold up there. Enjoy
There are two stores at deals gap to visit but that's about it.
The tail is definitely a bikers road.
When I went is was all baggers going 30 mph. I suppose its depends on what you want to do at the dragon. If its fly around curves, you may be disapointed because fur face and his hunk of burnin love is going to be in your way.
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If driving from Gatlinburg to the ToD, take The Foothills Parkway (off of Hwy 321), it's a fun road as well (better for cars). As others have mentioned, you definitely want to do the Cherohala Skyway if you can as well. Another little hidden gem is Hwy 32 just southeast of Cosby, TN. The locals call this the hidden/little dragon. It dead ends into the Appalachian Trail, so doesn't have much traffic. Lots of tight twisties that make for a really fun drive, possibly even better than ToD since you can often run it without any other cars. Buddy and I got up early one morning and drove over to it to run without our wives, was a blast.
Wow everybody, thanks so much for all the replies and suggestions. Much appreciated.
So far I've learned that there are a lot of cool roads, some nice places, stay on MY side of the road, and don't put any of my own sh-t on the Tree of Shame.
When driving the Tail of The Dragon, DON"T CROSS THE YELLOW LINE !!!!
Enjoy the twisty drive by staying in your own lane.... if you can't you are driving above your cars' and your own skill level.
Gotta agree with JerryC5 on this one. I've only driven it 1 way on a loaded sport touring bike from Alaska and I lost count of how many times on coming traffic wrote driving checks their skills couldn't cash and came across the center line into my lane before they gathered their **** up and got back on their own side of the roadway. Both MC's and cars.
Trees along the Gap are covered with bark scars due to vehicle collisions into them. Trees seem to be winning the battle.
10-18-2017, 08:22 PM
Tail of the Dragon...Recommendations?
, some nice places
, and don't put any of my own sh-t on the Tree of Shame. 
