Tail of the Dragon: what to know before you drive it
The Tail of the Dragon is an 11-mile stretch of US 129 at Deals Gap, on the North Carolina–Tennessee line, with 318 curves. The speed limit is 30 mph and it is patrolled, so the way to enjoy it is early on a weekday, in your own lane, at a pace you could hold all day.
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Where it starts and ends
The Dragon runs from Deals Gap, right at the state line, down into Tennessee along the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Tabcat Bridge near Chilhowee Lake. Most people start at the Deals Gap end, where there is a store, a motel and a parking lot that fills with cars and bikes on good weekends.
Robbinsville and Fontana Dam on the North Carolina side, and Maryville on the Tennessee side, are the usual places to stay.
When to go
Weekday mornings are quiet; weekend afternoons in spring and October leaf season are not. Winter brings ice in the shaded corners, and the road can close for rockslides — check road conditions before you make the trip.
How to drive it
Keep right of the double yellow in every corner, because the oncoming car or motorcycle is doing the same thing you are. Pull over into one of the turnouts to let faster traffic by rather than holding a queue. Photographers set up along the road and sell the shots afterwards, so you will usually find yourself online.
The corners come one after another with almost no straight between them, which is why pace notes help here: knowing the next one is a hairpin before you see it keeps the drive smooth.
What to drive next
The Cherohala Skyway starts at Tellico Plains and climbs over the Unicoi Mountains to Robbinsville — long, open sweepers above 5,000 feet, the opposite of the Dragon. NC 28 runs from Deals Gap past Fontana Lake toward the Nantahala Gorge. Together they make a full day from Robbinsville.
Routes around the Dragon
Curated drives first, then by how much they bend.
- Tail of the DragonNear Tallassee11 mi182 corners17 / miCurated
- Cherohala SkywayNear Tellico Plains30 mi411 corners13.5 / miCurated
- Tail of the Dragon (Dam start)Near Tallassee15 mi223 corners14.9 / mi
- Tail of the Dragon (Deals Gap Start)Near Robbinsville15 mi218 corners14.6 / mi
- Fontana Dam to Wears ValleyNear Robbinsville56 mi567 corners10.2 / mi
- Fontana to TellicoNear Fontana Dam68 mi565 corners8.3 / mi
- Tellico Ballplay LoopNear Fontana Dam137 mi1,100 corners8 / mi
- Great Smoky RunNear Robbinsville190 mi1,692 corners8.9 / mi
- Hellbender (Fontana Start)Near Robbinsville22 mi229 corners10.3 / mi
Questions
- How long does it take to drive the Tail of the Dragon?
- About 20 to 30 minutes one way at the speed limit, longer with traffic. Most people drive it both ways.
- Is the Tail of the Dragon dangerous?
- It is unforgiving rather than dangerous: tight blind corners, rock walls and drop-offs, and traffic coming the other way in every one of them. Most crashes come from crossing the center line or running wide. Drive it well under your limit.
- Can you drive the Tail of the Dragon in a normal car?
- Yes. It is a paved US highway and any car can drive it. Long trucks are restricted on the Tennessee side.
- Where is the Tail of the Dragon?
- On US 129 at Deals Gap, on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, at the southwest edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park — about 2 hours from Asheville and 1 hour from Knoxville.
Keep reading
- What are the best driving roads near Asheville, NC?The Blue Ridge Parkway, NC 215, US 276 through Pisgah Forest, NC 209 and the Diamondback at Little Switzerland — the best driving roads within a couple of hours of Asheville, mapped and graded.
- How do I find twisty roads near me?How to find the best curvy driving roads near you: what makes a road good to drive, how to measure it, and how Road Finder scores every road in an area on curvature and flow.