Drives The Southern Appalachians
Tail of the Dragon
US-129 at Deals Gap · North Carolina and Tennessee
Eleven miles of US-129 from Deals Gap, on the North Carolina–Tennessee line, down to Chilhowee Lake, with 318 curves and barely a straight between them. It's the most famous stretch of road in America for motorcycles and sports cars.
- Distance
- 11.3 mi
- Drive time
- 25 min
- Climbing
- 1,300 ft
- Highest point
- ≈ 2,000 ft
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The drive
The Dragon is short, tight and relentless: curve after curve through dense forest, with glimpses of Calderwood Reservoir near the Tennessee end. Most people start at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort, just south of the gap at the US-129 and NC-28 junction.
It's a road with a record, too. About 37 people died on it between 2000 and 2017, and an emergency response can take more than an hour to arrive. The limit has been 30 mph since 2005, Tennessee enforcement has risen sharply since 2007, and police ticket drivers who cross the double yellow line.
Stops along the way
- Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort Just south of the start: fuel, food, and the Tree of Shame, hung with parts from crashed bikes.
- Calderwood Overlook A pullout above Calderwood Reservoir, near the Tennessee end.
- Tabcat Creek Bridge Where the curves end, at Chilhowee Lake.
When to go
The Dragon is open all year, around the clock, with no fee. Peak season runs from April to October, when weekends are busy with motorcycles and cars; winter brings lighter traffic.
Good to know
- The speed limit is 30 mph, and it's enforced. Police ticket anyone who crosses the double yellow.
- Vehicles over 30 feet long are banned on the Tennessee side, and trucks with trailers over 30 feet on the North Carolina side.
- Cell reception is limited and help can be more than an hour away: drive within your limits.
- The Cherohala Skyway starts from US-129 farther south, at Robbinsville. Together they make a full day.
More drives
- Cherohala Skyway TN-165 and NC-143, Tellico Plains to Robbinsville · 51 mi · Twisty
- Blue Ridge Parkway Mileposts 384 to 451, Asheville to Waterrock Knob · 68 mi · Twisty
- Angeles Crest Highway CA-2, La Cañada Flintridge to Newcomb's Ranch · 26 mi · Twisty
Free to plan and drive with a signal. Carve Apex downloads the whole route for driving with none.
Sources: Wikipedia: Deals Gap, Wikipedia: US-129 in North Carolina, Tail of the Dragon: plan your trip, TDOT traffic alert, Roadtrippers. Distance, time, elevation and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-06.