Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center
Smoky Mountain Drives
E-MOTORCYCLE RENTALS, Robbinsville NC
Lynn’s Place ~ Robbinsville NC
129 Hub, Dragon Welcome Center
Claw of the Dragon ~ Southwest Virginia
Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson ~ Maryville TN
Wheelers Performance ~ Robbinsville NC
Wolf Creek Rentals
129 Dragon Shine & Helmets
Cherokee Realty ~ Robbinsville NC
Tail of the Dragon at Deals Gap with 318 curves in 11 miles: America’s number one motorcycle and sports car road.
Designated US 129, the road is bordered by the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest with no intersecting roads or driveways to hamper your travel. It is considered “the destination” for thousands of motorcycle and sports car fans throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Can you brave it? It’s best to be cautious as the turns are tight, but the Tail of the Dragon is guaranteed to be the ride of your life.
The nearby Cherohala Skyway is quickly becoming a destination too, with its remote 60 miles of breathtaking scenic mountain highway. The area also has other incredible roads like the Moonshiner 28, Foothills Parkway, Smoky Mountain Loop, Devils Triangle, Blue Ridge Parkway, The Gambler NC209, Diamondback 226, Devil's Staircase, Six Gap North Georgia, The Snake US421 and many Great Forest Service Dual Sport and Jeep Roads.
The Complete History of US 129 from Chiefland, FL to Knoxville, TN
by Ron Johnson 2020
2025 Season Opener
The 2025 Tail of the Dragon Season is HERE!
With snow on the ground around much of the country, it's hard to believe that road trip season is just around the corner. Here at Tail of the Dragon, we are hard at work preparing for a season you won’t forget. We're making sure the store is in tip-top shape for you to rest up and get all your dragon souvenirs. Keep an eye out for our new merchandise this season!
We share with heavy hearts that our co-founder, Ron Johnson, passed suddenly in late January. We're grateful for the road he forged, the memories shared and the tremendous impact he made on the riding and driving community. We hope you'll join us in honoring his legacy as we make memories on the hill together in 2025. For those who have reached out, Nancy is tremendously grateful for the kind words and unmatched support. Hearing your memories and stories about Ron has been an enormous comfort.
As you start your engines in 2025, we can't express enough gratitude for continuing to choose the Tail of the Dragon as the place you come to be with friends, family, and make bucket list memories.
KILLBOY Update on the Current Road Conditions
This winter we saw an increase in 18-wheeler traffic due to the I-40 closure from Hurricane Helene. Thanks to better signage expressing length restrictions, the truck traffic has tapered off. There are some visible scrape marks around "Swift Corner" at about mile marker 4.7 on the TN side, but the rest of the road is in good shape. NCDOT announced a March 1st reopening date for the closed section of I-40 with traffic limited to one lane in each direction at a reduced speed - this should further reduce any chance of 18-wheeler traffic on the Tail of the Dragon.
NCDOT crews have been clearing trees on the North Carolina side of Highway 129 (NOT the Dragon) - specifically, Hwy 129 south of our T-shirt Shack to Tapoco Lodge, and on Moonshiner 28 between the T-shirt Shack and Fontana Village. Once completed, the road should quickly clean up after a few rain showers.
Finally, we want to reassure those concerned about the impact Hurricane Helene had on our area. Everything is open and operating as usual. Most importantly, the local tourism economy is eager for your support. Please note, areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway were heavily damaged by the storm. Sections of the parkway will be closed for repairs for some time. Here is a link to the NPS map showing current closures: https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/helene-impacts-and-recovery.htm
Tail of the Dragon Store
Tail of the Dragon offers custom signs in both street sign and shield format. You can add a photo too. What a great way to remember your trip to the Dragon.
Tail of the Dragon Store
Find your swag for all the great roads including Cherohala Skwyay, Tail of the Dragon, Moonshiner 28, Devils Triangle, Six Gap, Diamondback and more.
Dragon Web Cams
Current Highlights
Find your photos online at Killboy.com
Tail of the Dragon
TAIL OF THE DRAGON AT DEALS GAP, 318 curves in 11 miles, America's #1 motorcycle and sports car road. Plus other area twisties. www.TailoftheDragon.com www.Cherohala.com www.devilstriangletn.com www.moonshiner28.com
If you're looking for a great sit-down, Appalachian inspired meal during your Tail of the Dragon getaway, you're going to want to make reservations at Willow Tree Catering, Baking and Restaurant! The menus change weekly and reservations are highly encouraged! Explore more here: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057369655783
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Terry Kitchen LeeAnn Allison
🚨Smoky Mountain Cannonball Fun Run – May 31, 2025🚨
Tickets on sale NOW ➡️ bit.ly/41QlMNs
Ride, explore, and make a difference! Navigate checkpoints, win prizes, and enjoy a FREE concert.
8 AM: Registration opens
11 AM: Kickstands up
6 PM: Return deadline
$25 single | $35 two-up – Proceeds benefit the Summerfield Memorial Scholarship.
Grab your crew and join the fun!
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.3 CommentsComment on Facebook
Jake Forsyth Creasy says let’s do this
Cool. Someone should do one for cars
LeeAnn Allison
Trying to keep up on the latest news around the Tail of the Dragon? Be sure to check out Killboy.com's podcast, Kickin' It with Killboy. Episode 2 is out now!
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Enjoy Maryville’s finest BBQ and other delicious meals at THE SHED SMOKEHOUSE on your way to the Tail of the Dragon! They smoke all their meat on-premises and prepare all of the food fresh for order.
Located adjacent to Smoky Mountain Harley-Davidson®, The Shed is Maryville’s best spot for beer, food, cocktails, and of course some moonshine!
The Smokehouse is also home to the famous Smokin’ Monkey Lounge! Enjoy TV’s, great music, and the friendliest people in the south! Bike nights, concerts, special events, we do it all!
Details here: www.theshedmaryville.com/
6 CommentsComment on Facebook
Stopped in there when we was there getting a friend's bike worked on. That place is awesome. Definitely recommend it. We are from the Gulf Coast Mississippi.
I'll never forget it. We came from ND last summer to ride the tail. Didn't realize there were so many dry counties in that area. It was HOT and we were THIRSTY! We stopped at rhe dealership and I asked the first worker I saw where the nearest bar was. She looked at me and plain as day said "we have one out back" I said "excuse me, what?" Sure as shit. Best. Surprise. Ever.
Good food
Since March 2003, this family-owned restaurant has been making an impressions in Robbinsville, NC, making it a favorite hang-out spot for both locals and visitors.
Located at the heart of Downtown Robbinsville, Lynn’s Place is a soulful neighborhood restaurant, dishing up homemade American cuisine rooted in the Carolina Mountains honoring family recipes.
Enjoy the salad bar with freshly cut veggies, seasonal fruits, proteins and grains. Mouth-watering homemade desserts, hand-cut steaks, fresh hamburgers and much more! Everything is cooked to order to ensure the highest quality!
Experience a warm atmosphere with great food and southern hospitality where family and friends can sit back, relax and feel at home.
72 CommentsComment on Facebook
Thank you for posting this. Local businesses can really use the shout outs. Even if their food and service is awesome from the beginning 🙂
We stayed at Two Wheel Inn last year, they recommended Lynn’s Place. Both are now must-stops for us every time we go. The food and service was top notch. There was about ten in our group and everyone enjoyed their meal there.
Fried cheesecake, with all 3 toppings!!! Great food, great people. Love it.
FEATURED LODGING
Want to see more?
There are a wide variety of accommodations in our area. These range from basic tent camping to exclusive mountain top resorts.