FILM
THE TAIL OF THE DRAGON & CHEROHALA SKYWAY: Two of the BEST roads in the USA
EDITORIAL SUMMARY
This episode follows a motorcycle ride from Tennessee into North Carolina, linking the Tail of the Dragon with the Cherohala Skyway. The route moves through a celebrated stretch of curving roads near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
About this film
Part of Got2Go’s USA CROSS-COUNTRY series, the film is one stage of a longer motorcycle journey across the United States. The wider trip is described as a 9,000-kilometre crossing from Los Angeles to Miami, through 13 states over 28 days. This ride was part of the journey made in May and June 2021, with Lea Rieck travelling by motorcycle.
The journey
The itinerary begins near Townsend, Tennessee, following the southern section of Foothills Parkway towards Chilhowee Lake and US 129. From there, the route takes on the Tail of the Dragon, an 11-mile road with 318 curves that crosses into North Carolina. The ride continues along Highway 129 beside Cheoah Lake to Cheoah Dam, then turns onto Joyce Kilmer Road by Lake Santeetlah. Highway 143 leads onward to the Cherohala Skyway, a 42-mile National Scenic Byway crossing the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. Together, the roads make a continuous riding journey through the mountain landscape between Tennessee and North Carolina.
What to expect
- A motorcycle route connecting two well-known roads in the southern Appalachians.
- The Tail of the Dragon’s tight, forested curves and its crossing into North Carolina.
- A continuation past Chilhowee Lake, Cheoah Lake and Lake Santeetlah to the Cherohala Skyway.
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