TAIL OF THE DRAGON

[NOTE: This trip was completed as part of my Shenanandoah National Park/Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway road trip in 2022. You can read all of the details about that trip by clicking the submenus above, or just click here.]

Deals Gap is a popular and internationally famous destination for motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts, as it is along a stretch of two-lane road known since 1981 as “The Dragon” and the "Tail of the Dragon". The 11-mile (18 km) stretch of the Dragon in Tennessee is said to have 318 curves. Some of the Dragon's sharpest curves have names like Copperhead Corner, Hog Pen Bend, Wheelie Hell, Shade Tree Corner, Mud Corner, Sunset Corner, Gravity Cavity, Beginner's End, and Brake or Bust Bend. The road earned its name from its curves being said to resemble a dragon. The stretch bears the street name "Tapoco Road" in North Carolina and "Calderwood Highway" in Tennessee and is signed entirely by US 129 (hidden SR 115).

Since part of the road is also the southwestern border of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, there is no development along the 11-mile (18 km) stretch, resulting in no danger of vehicles pulling out in front of those in the right of way. It mostly travels through a forested area and there are a few scenic overlooks and pull-off points along the route. The speed limit on the Dragon was 55 mph (89 km/h) before 1992; it was reduced to 30 mph (48 km/h) in 2005.

In December 2021, YouTuber CGP Grey drove a Tesla Model 3 equipped with the latest beta version of Tesla Autopilot through Deals Gap. The autopilot successfully navigated the route without human intervention. (I won’t be doing that…)

• PRINT THE BROCHURE

• For more information, visit TailOfTheDragon.com

A company called Smoky Mountain Drives offers private and group tours. From an email reply:

We can do a guided tour through the most iconic driving roads America has to offer! The tour would be a little over 120 miles and would take approximately 3.5 with fuel stops and our introductory driver meeting. We include loaner FRS radios so we can communicate, since there is little to no phone signal throughout the drive. We know these area roads better than just about anyone and can easily alter our plans based on area conditions. For example, one of these iconic roads is undergoing repaving and another is down to one-lane in a section because of a sinkhole. This cost would be $150 for the drive and would include a guide with downloadable map and a printed map, along with the loaner radio. It would be $175 if you want the Dragon Rally decals included, which pop and look great for the photos. The Tail of the Dragon has photographers along the road, so you can purchase pictures of your drive.

Smoky Mountain Drives also organizes sports car rallies once a month. The cost is $20. A list of dates for the year 2022 is as follows:

• March 19

• April 23

• May 14

• June 18

• July 16

• August 12-14

• September 17

• October 15

• November 5

There are also a list of dates to look forward to (or avoid). For April and May 2022…

• April 8-9 Wookies in the Woods event

• April 13-17 Pride at the Dragon at Fontana Village website

• April 14-18 - 14th Annual Spring Dragon for Chrysler Crossfire cars. website

• April 22-24 - BMW's MOA Getaway at Fontana. website

• April 23 - Dragon Rally - For car enthusiasts in sports cars, exotic cars and luxury cars. smokymountaindrives.com

• April 27-May 1 - 19th Annual Minis on the Dragon. website

• April 27 - May 1 - Deal’s Gap Rotary Club. website

• April 29 - May 1 - Spring Thunder in the Smokies in Maggie Valley website

• May 5-8 - Spring FIAT on the Dragon in Townsend TN. event

• May 5-8 - Sidecars in the Smokies at Ironhorse Motorcycle Resort. website

• May 8-15 Electrics at the Dragon event

• May 10-14 Sport Riders Unlimited event

• May 12-15 Rock the Dragon at Fontana Village event

• May 12 - She Rides Moto at Smoky Mountain HD event

• May 14 - Dragon Rally - For car enthusiasts in sports cars, exotic cars and luxury cars. smokymountaindrives.com

• May 14 - Elements on the Dragon. event

• May 14-16 - Jaguar F-Types of North America at Tapoco Lodge. event

• May 15 - Central Jersey Corvette Club website

• May 24-28 WRX/STI Dragon Run

• May 31-June 4 May 31st/June 4th - Slingshots in the Smokies in Maggie Valley website

FONTANA VILLAGE

300 Woods Road Fontana Dam, NC 28733

Website

$40 per day

A number of videos exist of Tesla drivers traversing the curves of Tail of the Dragon. I definitely won’t be the first. A few of my favorites:

WITH GRATITUDE…

This trip wouldn’t have been possible without the support and generosity of my family, closest friends, and some support from within the Tesla community. Thank you all so much for helping me complete ‘Stage I’ of this adventure. From my brother, Jeff, who bought me a Tesla Model 3, to my parents and Santa, who helped with the outfitting of it. To my friends and ‘family’, who have supported the idea of a ‘road trip’ from the very beginning. From those who met me on my route and took me out to eat, and to those I didn’t get to meet but who extended offers of meals, free overnight stays, and more - thank you, thank you, thank you!