Day 3 Roundtrip Great Smoky Mountains The Tail of the Dragon south to north

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RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)

Last edit: 10-08-2025

Route Summary

Day 3 of our 6-day vacation in Tennessee and North Carolina.

America is the perfect country to explore by motorcycle. Many tour companies offer organized trips, but there's also the charm of mapping out your own routes and riding independently. There are good motorcycle rental companies throughout the country, and the motorcycles are often the latest models and well-maintained.

We'll be driving along the beautiful roads in Nashville and North Carolina, and this area is characterized by its beautiful, idyllic landscape, with two-lane roads winding through the countryside. You can visit charming towns, villages, and attractions. Be careful, though, as the roads are sometimes of very poor quality and are barely lit, if at all, after dark.

This route is truly worth 5***** stars, because of the beautiful roads, stunning panoramas and multitude of sights along the way.

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Verdict

Duration

9h 33m

Mode of travel

Car or motorcycle

Distance

291.17 km

Countries

RouteXpert Review

Day 3 is a 180-mile round trip through the beautiful Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

This is a day with many beautiful winding roads, including the world-famous Tail of the Dragon (U129), an 11-mile (17.7-kilometer) road with 318 bends! We'll ride it from south to north. On day 4, we'll ride it from north to south. We'll also ride along many rivers and mountain lakes, and see several dams.

We leave early and our first stop is the Fontana Dam, a hydroelectric dam on the Little Tennessee River and the largest dam in the eastern United States, and at the time of its construction, it was the fourth largest dam in the world.

We drive along Cheoh Lake to the southern starting point of the "Tail of the Dragon." Here you can take pictures of the large metal dragon, the "Tree of Shame." There's also a souvenir shop and a gas station, so buy a souvenir and fill up your tank.

The "Tail of the Dragon" is a famous section of US 129, an 11-mile two-lane highway that runs along the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. The "Tail" is known for its 318 curves. It's a popular destination for motorcyclists and sports car enthusiasts, who can enjoy a challenging and scenic driving experience. The road, also known as Deals Gap, runs through the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest.

It's a real treat for motorcyclists. Be aware, however, that it can get busy with cars and other motorcyclists, so watch out for oncoming traffic. Overtaking is prohibited, and you're not allowed to drive on the opposite side of the road. Checks are frequent, and fines are hefty. More information about this fantastic road can be found in the link at the bottom of this review.

On your way up the Tail, be sure to stop at Calderwood Lake Lookout, which offers stunning views of Calderwood Lake and the dam of the same name in the distance.

We continue along Chilhowee Lake and the Foothills Parkway, a national parkway that traverses the foothills of the northern Great Smoky Mountains. This section offers spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains on one side and the Tennessee Valley on the other. On clear days, you can see all the way to the Cumberland Mountains, 50 miles to the west.

Lunch is planned at Pigeon Force, Iron Boar Saloon next to the Hog Shed across from the Rocky Top Harley-Davidson dealership. You can also pick up a T-shirt there. After lunch, we'll drive to Gatlinburg via Cosby. Optionally, you can take a shorter (faster) route from Pigeon Force by following I-321 to Gatlinburg, saving about 43 miles and 40 to 50 minutes.

There's plenty to see and do in Gatlinburg. This city, which played a key role during the Civil War, is a tourist attraction both summer and winter. There are many hotels, bars, restaurants, and other attractions. More information about Gatlinburg can be found in the link at the bottom of this review. Gatlinburg is a lovely city to plan an extra night, which we did on day 5 of this 6-day trip.

From Gatlinburg, it's another 100 kilometers through the Great Smoky Mountains to the Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge and Resort, so keep an eye on your time. On the way to Stecoah, you'll pass several beautiful spots, such as "The Loop Over" on Highway 441, a circle in the road with a small stone tunnel. Another beautiful spot is the "New Found Gap lookout," where you have a magnificent view of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Links

Day 2 Chattanooga to Stecoah
Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge and Resort
Tail of the Dragon
Gatlinburg
Day 4 Roundtrip Great Smoky Mountains The Tail of the Dragon north to south and Cherohala Skyway

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Tennessee

About this region

Tennessee, officially the State of Tennessee, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th largest by area and the 16th most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, Arkansas to the southwest, and Missouri to the northwest. Tennessee is geographically, culturally, and legally divided into three Grand Divisions of East, Middle, and West Tennessee. Nashville is the state's capital and largest city, and anchors its largest metropolitan area. Tennessee's population as of the 2020 United States census is approximately 6.9 million.Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association, a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachian Mountains. Its name is derived from "Tanasi", a Cherokee town in the eastern part of the state that existed before the first European American settlement. Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina, and later the Southwest Territory, before its admission to the Union as the 16th state on June 1, 1796. It earned the nickname "The Volunteer State" early in its history due to a strong tradition of military service. A slave state until the American Civil War, Tennessee was politically divided, with its western and middle parts supporting the Confederacy and the eastern region harboring pro-Union sentiment. As a result, Tennessee was the last state to secede and the first readmitted to the Union after the war.During the 20th century, Tennessee transitioned from a predominantly agrarian society to a more diversified economy. This was aided in part by massive federal investment in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the city of Oak Ridge, which was established during World War II to house the Manhattan Project's uranium enrichment facilities for the construction of the world's first atomic bombs. These were dropped on Imperial Japan at the end of the war. After the war, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory became a key center of scientific research. In 2016, the element tennessine was named for the state, largely in recognition of the roles played by Oak Ridge, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Tennessee in its discovery. Tennessee has also played a major role in the development of many forms of popular music, including country, blues, rock and roll, soul, and gospel.
Tennessee has diverse terrain and landforms, and from east to west, contains a mix of cultural features characteristic of Appalachia, the Upland South, and the Deep South. The Blue Ridge Mountains along the eastern border reach some of the highest elevations in eastern North America, and the Cumberland Plateau contains many scenic valleys and waterfalls. The central part of the state is marked by cavernous bedrock and irregular rolling hills, and level, fertile plains define West Tennessee. The state is twice bisected by the Tennessee River, and the Mississippi River forms its western border. Its economy is dominated by the health care, music, finance, automotive, chemical, electronics, and tourism sectors, and cattle, soybeans, corn, poultry, and cotton are its primary agricultural products. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation's most visited national park, is in eastern Tennessee.