Touring Routes near Tail of the Dragon
Rock Slide 2010
⇐ BACK June 9, 2010: US 129 reopened !!! Construction and repair of US129 from the March rock slide completed 3 weeks ahead of schedule. THANK YOU TNDOT and Pacific Blasting & Demolition Ltd. May 10, 2010: Contractors are installing anchor bolts to stabilize the slide area. There is an incentive payment if the contractor…
North Carolina Loop
A Great North Carolina Loop – Updated January 2018 Summary From Robbinsville take US 129 north 18 miles Take NC 28 (Moonshiner 28) 10.6 miles south/east to Fontana Dam turn-off Take NC 1245 north 1.2 miles to Fontana Dam, then return to NC 28 Take NC 28 south/east 21 miles to US 19/74 Take US…
Dragon Cherohala Loop
123 Miles/4 Hours Travel Time Beginning at the US 129/NC 28 intersection in North Carolina where the large metal dragon guards the highway, take US 129 north. The Tail of the Dragon begins in .7 miles at the North Carolina/Tennessee State Line. In the next 11 miles there are 318 curves of vary difficulty. The…
Smoky Mountain Loop
⇐ BACK 141 Miles/5 Hours Travel Time Beginning at the US 129/NC 28 intersection in North Carolina where the large metal dragon guards the highway, take US 129 north. The Tail of the Dragon begins in .7 miles at the North Carolina/Tennessee State Line. In the next 11 miles there are 318 curves of fun.…
Complete US129
DATE: October/November 2005 MOTORCYCLE: 2002 Aprilia Capo Norde, weight 474 pounds, 6.6 gallons fuel 39 pounds, 100 horsepower V-twin 1000 cc ADDED WEIGHT: Two riders plus gear weight 350 pounds, plus hard bags, tank bag, and soft bag on rear platform weighing 115 pounds, electronics 16 pounds. TOTAL WEIGHT FUELED BIKE AND ADD ONS: 994…
Fall Color Tour
⇐ BACK Peak colors typically occur during the last two weeks in October, but that is dependent upon fall temperatures and in particular, the first frost date. The color change begins at higher elevations where you see the earliest changes in late September, and continue all the way into mid-November at the lower elevations. The…