Roundtrip from Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge Stecoah through Smokey Mountains Gatlinburg and Cherokee National Forest
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 12-02-2021
Route Summary
This ride of approximately 290 kilometers goes through the Great Smokey Mountains and Cherokee National Forest. The Tail of the Dragon is part of this route. Starting and finishing points are at Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge and Resort.
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Verdict
Duration
5h 29m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
292.45 km
Countries
The Tail of the Dragon
RouteXpert Review
This tour starts and ends in Stecoah at the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge & Resort. We take the Fontana Road (NC-28) which is already a nice drive with many curves.
The Tail of the Dragon starts from RP3. Here is a large metal statue of the Dragon, a souvenir shop, restaurant and Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort, which also houses the "Tree of Shame" monument, to which we do not want to donate parts. There is also a motorbike rental company here.
Tail of the Dragon or Deals Gap is a popular and internationally renowned destination for motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts, as the 11-mile (18 km) stretch in Tennessee would have 318 turns. Some of the sharpest curves have names such as Copperhead Corner, Hog Pen Bend, Wheelie Hell, Shade Tree Corner, Mud Corner, Sunset Corner, Gravity Cavity, Beginner's End and Brake or Bust Bend. The road earned its name because it resembles the tail of a dragon.
At RP4 you can stop for a moment to enjoy the view of the "The Dragon".
With RP5 you have reached the end of "The Dragon". Possibly turn around and enjoy again.
After "The Dragon" we take the Happy Valley Road, this is a narrow winding road through a beautiful green valley. At RP 8 we turn onto the Foothills Parkway, this is a road over the ridge with nice gentle curves. At Walland we take the E Millers Cove Road towards Walden Creek.
Via Jones Cove and Cosby we continue to Gatlinburg (RP14), this town has a lot to offer and is definitely worth planning an overnight stay and taking the time to take a good look at this town. Gatlinburg has a lot of special attraction and there is something for every age and all within walking distance. There are hundreds of hotels, motels, chalets and restaurants.
After Gatlinburg we drive back to the resort via Cherokee National Forest.
This area is very popular among motorcyclists and sports car drivers due to the many curves and the beautiful landscape. Take your time and stop en route to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
I have not driven this route yet, but still get 5 stars, because of the many positive messages on different forums and holiday sites.
Foothills Parkway
Gatlinburg
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Disclaimer
Use of this GPS route is at your own expense and risk. The route has been carefully composed and checked by a MyRoute-app accredited RouteXpert for use on TomTom, Garmin and MyRoute-app Navigation.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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