United States, Tennessee and North Carolina
Wide, fast and empty, the grown up alternative to the Tail of the Dragon next door.
Length
69 km
In miles
42.9 mi
Driving time
2 hr 9 min
Atlas rating
9.3 / 10
The run
Tellico Plains to Robbinsville, following the TN 165 and NC 143. Drive it in either direction, though the views usually favour the climb.
Season
Ice and closures possible in winter
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Every road in the library carries a driving and scenery score set by the same method. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 25 April 2026
Nearby
23 km away
Tail of the Dragon, US129
318 curves in 11 miles, the most famous stretch of asphalt in America.
233 km away
The Snake, US 421
489 curves in 12 miles over Iron Mountain, a proper southern Appalachian sprint.
345 km away
Blue Ridge Parkway
A ridgeline parkway with no trucks, no billboards and endless mountain overlooks.
424 km away
Natchez Trace Parkway
A 715 km parkway with no junctions, no lorries and no billboards, just trees and quiet.
612 km away
Skyline Drive
Seventy five overlooks along the Shenandoah ridge, the northern half of the Blue Ridge run.
963 km away
Talimena Scenic Drive
A ridge top drive along the Ouachitas, the best driving road in the American south west plains.
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