Perched in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina sits the Cherohala Skyway. This road straddles the ridgeline and offers some of the most spectacular views these states have to offer. We have recently started to take our adventures off the trail and on to the amazing roads our area has to offer. One of the first roads we decided to drive was the Cherohala Skyway and it was the best possible road to give us our start.
The Drive Itself
The skyway is the most expensive roads ever built in North Carolina coming in at over 100 million dollars. The road stretches 43 miles between Tellico Plains, Tennessee, and Robbinsville, North Carolina. On our first time, we started on the Tennessee side and continued through to the North Carolina side. Interestingly enough you could tell when you entered into NC based solely on the change in the road type. Not that the TN side was bad, but the NC side is better maintained.
The drive can be completed in about two or three hours, but we recommend taking your time and really enjoying all the drive has to offer. Not only is this road known for the amazing views but it is also known for the long sweeping turns that car enthusiasts are always searching for.
The Views
Finding amazing views in our area is not the hardest thing to do, but finding great views that do not require an extensive hike is. We have done many great hikes that offer beautiful views, but few can compare to the easily accessible views you can get on the Skyway.
Scenic overlooks are scattered all across the Skyway from start to finish. Many offer ample amounts of parking and some even have a restroom. The restrooms are more like a permanent port-a-potty so they are not the nicest but are better than nothing. With the number of pull-offs, the road offers there are bound to be some that are better than others. I can think of a few that are must stop for anyone taking the Skyway, even though if you have the time you should attempt to see them all since they all offer something unique.
Turkey Creek Overlook
Heading up the Skyway toward NC the first overlook you will come to is the Turkey Creek Overlook. This overlook offers an amazing view. Not of the Mountains, but the beautiful lowlands that surround them. From this 2,630 foot clearing, you can see for miles and even see some of the small towns. I have also been told that it is a great place to watch small storms work their way across the sky.
Lake View Overlook
Just around the bend from Turkey Creek Overlook is another great view that is always worth the stop. From this tall vantage, you are again seeing the lowlands but this time from the other side of the mountain. As you can guess this overlook gets its name due to the fact that you can see the lake from it. The view is spectacular, but you do have to look a little bit to find the lake.
Shute Cove Overlook
Shute Cove overlook is probably the best overlook, at least in my opinion, on the whole drive. This pull-off has a great view of the mountains and offers two different vantage points. From the parking lot, you can see the mountains. Over to the left side of the parking area a platform that you can get an even better view. From the platform, you can see all the way down into the valley below. What makes the view even better is that there is no spillover from the modern world in view.
Where to Head Next
As said previously the road stretches between Tellico Plains and Robinsonville which are both great places to stop. Tellico Plains has many great things to offer including a museum housing information and exhibits related to the Cherohala Skyway. The historic downtown area is also worth driving through. Robinsonville offers a few places to stay if you are wanting to turn the drive into a weekend trip and even a few restaurants and stores to refuel after a long day.
Looking for some more great views to add to the trip? Be sure to tack on a quick drive over to Fontana Dam. The Dam is amazing in its own right and offers picturesque views of the mountains and the lake. Fontana is also a large part of the Appalachian Trail. The trail actually runs on top of the dam to the other side of the lake.
Looking for more great turns and a way to get back to the Knoxville area without backtracking? Well, in that case, the Dragon is for you. The Dragon also know as US-129 is a road known for being one of the best driving roads in the country. The road offers an amazing 318 turns in just 11 miles. By combining the Cherohala Skyway and the Dragon you get a great loop that covers a total of 120 miles and offers great views around every bend. We completed this loop on our first trip to the Cherohala Skyway. The Dragon was fun, but also scary. We are glad to of had the experience, but we do not plan on doing it again anytime soon.
Things to Remeber
Be sure to remember that the Cherohala Skyway like many other mountain roads has many sharp curves. You always want to mind the speed limit and pay attention to the road, you never know what is hiding around the next bend.
Due to the higher altitudes, this road runs on the temperatures are normally lower than those in the lower elevation areas. At times temperatures can change as much as 20 degrees along the drive. It is a good idea to bring a jacket so you can still enjoy all the scenic overlooks. During the winter months snow can be on the mountains when it was just sunny down in town, so keep that in mind.
The Cherohala Skyway is very remote and gas stations are far and few between. It is always a good idea to make sure you have a full tank before starting the drive. Phone signal is not the best on the mountain so you really do not want to have to walk back down the road to find a signal. The Skyway does draw a crowd so if you do have an issue someone is likely to stop and give you a hand.
Thanks For Reading!
We really appreciate you taking the time to read this post. I hope it has inspired you to hit the highway and head towards the Cherohala. If you liked this post please let us know in the comments and leave suggestions of where we should go next. Also, take a moment to share this post with some friends. We plan on documenting many more amazing drive in the South East so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to never miss a post. Interested one of our other posts about amazing drives? Click here to check one out. Have a great rest of your day, God bless!
