Cherohala Skyway
Forty-three miles cresting above five thousand feet. High-country sweepers; rhododendron blooms in early May.
The Road
The Cherohala Skyway runs forty-three miles from Tellico Plains, Tennessee to Robbinsville, North Carolina, cresting above five thousand feet. The corners are fast and open — third- and fourth-gear sweepers rather than the Dragon's hairpins — with overlooks every few miles.
It is high-elevation driving with high-elevation weather. Fog moves quickly, and the top runs noticeably cooler than the valley. Traffic is light and services are none: fuel up in Tellico Plains or Robbinsville before you climb.
When to Drive
Late spring through fall. Ice closes sections at elevation in winter. From the Tellico Plains side, the short detour to Bald River Falls is worth the minutes.
Drive It with Raines Routes
The Skyway anchors our full-day routes — often run as a loop with the Tail of the Dragon through Deals Gap, with lunch on the North Carolina side.