Tail of the Dragon
Tail of the Dragon is a scenic drive in North Carolina. Within North Carolina it covers roughly 11 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Tail of the Dragon with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
The North Carolina end of US-129's Tail of the Dragon runs from the Deals Gap line toward Robbinsville, alongside Cheoah Lake and the dam featured in the film "The Fugitive." The 11-mile stretch of 318 curves is a pilgrimage for sports-car drivers and motorcyclists, with professional photographers stationed along it to catch the action. It connects directly to the Cherohala Skyway for a longer mountain loop.
- 318 curves in 11 miles
- Cheoah Lake & dam
- Robbinsville
- Cherohala Skyway link
- US-129
Plan a drive on Tail of the Dragon →
About this drive
This is a scenic drive — a road worth taking for the views and the journey itself rather than the quickest line between two points.