tail of the dragon

My title refers to the road, NOT how to prepare for this ride. 318 curves in 11 miles, and many of them are hairpin curves. Unless you are a race driver, you will likely get passed by a sport bike at a high rate of speed at some point on your journey. I love this road, but it is not for the faint of heart. There have been many deaths on this road, due to getting over your head on a tight curve, crossing the yellow line, or due to the occasional 18-wheeler that an idiot tries to drive through here. My understanding is that the road is now off-limits to large trucks, but you never know. You really need to look far ahead, and be very vigilant on blind curves.

If u r a rider a motorcycle rider that is...this 318 curve ride will put u in ecstasy pure beauty...but b very careful as the curves can throw u a loop like a curved woman can....please visit....if u do email me at coy.allen.campbell@gmail.com and let me know how u like it

Drove this scenic drive in a 2012 Nissan Titan. What a beautiful road and fun experience!Will come back one day in a sports car or on a motorcycle.

Being able to take a motorcycle vacation is a lucky break for me. So picking the best place to go is crucial. This is one of the greatest rides. It is technical enough to interest sport bike riders but if you don't mind waving some by it can be full of enjoyment for slower riders as well. What a beautiful place.

Gladly, TN has finally done what NC did years ago.... Banned trucks over 30 in length on this road!To the moron who was complaining about Killboy taking pictures of semi trucks and posting pictures... How about instead of speed cameras every mile, they had set up video of the entire route and issued tickets to truckers for every instance where a tire went over the yellow line? There is no way that a semi with trailer can run this road without illegally crossing the center lane.Now, for the ride... I've ridden some roads in the western part of the US that rival The Dragon for sheer fun (Bear Tooth Pass for one) but you won't find any road as fun as this that also has the level of comradery as this road has. I've ridden 9 of the top 10 motorcycle roads in the US (as ranked by a very popular motorcycle roads web site) and have found nothing to compare to the experience of visiting The Trail Of The Dragon.Stay within your riding skills, let the faster bikes past you, and if you are simply out for a cruise on your 2 wheeled couch or car, pull over and let the faster riders get around you.If you are one of those faster, more nimble bikers, give the land yacht in front of you time to come to a straight or a pull off before doing something stupid like passing in a corner.If they don't pull over, YOU do it and wait a few minutes along the road to let them get far enough ahead that you can run like you want to.Keep it safe and ride your own ride.

We were right over the line in Tenneessee having my motorcycle "triked out" by Trigg Trikes (also highly recommended). In order to get back to the place we were staying we had to come over the Tail of the Dragon. WOW!!! What an experience for a new rider! I probably took the record for the slowest trip over the dragon, but none the less, it was an exciting trip and my husband and I hope to do it again in the Summer. We stayed at Blue Waters Lodge, right off the Tail and had an excellent room with a view of Lake Santeetlah, gracious hosts and fabulous meals.

"Surviving the Dragon" is certainly bragging rights. Just be sure you know what you're in for. We live in Knoxville; and it's the shortest route over to our favorite place to stay, the Historic Tapoco Lodge. Just be ready for the curves and take them easy.Then, stop off at the end of the dragon at Tapoco for a fun drink, pizza or burger. Or, have dinner later in the evening at Tapoco's Jasper's restaurant.

this stretch of road isn't just for bikes. It's a flat out kick to drive in a sports car. The bikers seem to appreciate and share the road well with sports cars. The only real bike issue is the occasional over-zealous knee-dragger. The tree of shame on the NC side attests to that. This is no place to take your RV, though. You'll just get sea sick and make everyone mad at you.

There are many great places to ride in North Carolina and Tennessee area, this one is the most famous and probably most heavily traveled. This trip can be very dangerous, but not for the reasons you might think. The most dangerous parts of traveling this road are the other motorcycles passing people at high rates of speed around blind corners and some of the traffic that comes the other direction. The traffic coming the other direction at some times crosses the center line. For Cruiser bikes the best advice is enjoy the road and let the crazy people pass. The Deal's Gap I a place that has a store to purchase your trophies (Shirts, Patches, Pins Etc...) showing you have completed the 318 curves in 11 miles. Not my first time here, wont be my last time, so be safe and enjoy this beautiful road and the friends you will meet on it.

I wanted to run the Dragon for quite some time and finally got a car that it would be fun in. I heard all of the rumors so I got there very early and ran it hard a couple of times. I did have one close call with a motorcycle moving in the opposite direction but otherwise it was everything that I hoped it would be. As I was leaving I did see some heavy traffic (both cycle and car) moving in that direction so my advice would be to do in during the week and very early and you will have a blast!

Did this ride 2 different times with a Gold Wing. All sorts of bikers do this ride, great to meet the riders at the N.C. side. Also a nice ride to Cherokee and Maggie Valley. You can ride to or from that area by way of the B. R. Parkway. And to or from Cherokee thru the Great Smoky Mts. A trip tp Clingmans Dome is also very nice and info about the area.

First of all, killboy takes pics of people's tags and on semi trucks he post tags and numbers. These people think this highway is a play ground. Semi trucks have ran this road way before killboy or anyone knew of it. Many people have been hurt showing off in front of killboy taking pics and doing illegal driving maneuvers. Many people have died on the dragon NOT from semi's but due to speed. This is not a race track people. They should enforce a cruising law of no more than two pass a day.They also so need to put up speed Cameras every mile to ticket these racer wannabes.

...or I'd kept my foot through the firewall. Second & third gear the entire 11 miles, balls to the wall as best I could, considering the amount of traffic. Couldn't have bought a better day with a bag of quarters and a case of gin, so there were lots of other folks out on it. This is a must-drive, whether on two wheels or four. Don't let the photographers (three that I ran across) distract you; they like to park on some of the curves, but they're backed in enough so they aren't in the way.

Even dreary weather couldn't take away from the beauty of this ride. We rode mid-week in 40 degree weather so we lucked out and had the road pretty much to ourselves. Loved the views and the ride. Wish there were better signs leading to it.

I have a Ural side car rig so couldn't take the turns like the crotch rockets but it was still loads of fun. I have a photo flying the car on one of the curves and it's priceless. It would be fun to go back and just sit somewhere and watch the traffic all day. It was cold in late October likely more fun in July.