There, in a break in the tree line, flashed a vision as I sped along U.S. 129. Simmering blue-green water, distant soaring ridges, a heavenly sight flashed before becoming blocked again by roadside underbrush. My Yamaha Tracer 9 willingly carved a quick U-turn. I nestled her up against the guardrail in the narrow strip of grass between the open road and the precipice below.
Through this gap created by a powerline easement, I marveled at Lake Santeetlah and its outstretched finger coves filling the valley below. The 247-acre reservoir was created in 1928 by the damming of the Cheoah River to generate hydroelectric power for Graham County, North Carolina. Today its 76-miles of shoreline draws outdoor enthusiasts to fish, hike, boat or just ride the twisty roads running next to it.
My roadside moment-of-zen pausing on U.S. 129 above the lake came after visiting Robbinsville, Graham County’s largest town. Motorcyclists will recognize the highway number since the famed Tail of the Dragon begins at the border of Graham and Swain counties at Cheoah Dam. Roads here in this corner of Western North Carolina d on’t need nicknames to be great rides. Still both the Cherohala Skyway and the Dragon earn their reputations as great motorcycling destinations in this area.
“It’s the roads, right,” said Amber Benton, assistant director of the Graham County Travel and Tourism Authority. “We like to say we’re the secret side of the Smokies. We’re the park’s biggest neighbor. It’s a pretty small county as far as counties go, but the amount of greenspace and public lands here is arguably one of the greatest of any other county around.”
I met Benton in the Graham County Welcome Center in Robbinsville earlier to feed my lifelong habit of perusing travel brochures and acquiring free printed maps. Plus, I needed a break after riding for a few hours, and the nicely appointed welcome center was truly a welcome respite. The center sits in a small strip mall on U.S. 129. T-shirts and other souvenirs line the walls along with the coveted travel brochures I knew I’d find. Benton and the other staff members were happy to chat and share their passion for this remote riding paradise.
“The topography of the land defines how you move through it. You’ve got the mountainous region and the roads go up the creeks,” Benton said, describing the area’s many backroads. “I imagine that feeling, that remoteness, and the bigness of what surrounds you when you’re small on the bike and exposed is probably what the draw and attraction is here, because there is that amount of space, that remoteness, that feeling that you’re away from everything when you come out to Graham County.”
One of the joys I find while motorcycling touring is seeking out large murals adorning the sides of local businesses. After I left the welcome center, I ventured to the southern end of Main Street where a mural honors Robbinsville native and country music star Ronnie Milsap. With the lyrics to “Smoky Mountain Rain” humming in my head, I paused under gray skies to appreciate the monument to the Grammy-winning, Hall-of-Fame singer, who was one of the biggest crossover artists of my childhood.
Back at the overlook above Santeetlah, I shoved the bike upright, completed another U-turn and headed to fill my stomach at the historic Tapoco Lodge, taking a last glance back at one of the region’s most beautiful lakes.
“The lake is just phenomenal,” said Erik Barnett, Tapoco Lodge’s marketing coordinator. “Very nice finger lakes, too. You can enjoy some time wakeboard, skiing, tubing, and I love the roads. I think there’s nowhere better to drive than here. The Dragon is great, we love it. It’s fun, but the beauty of it is that’s not the only road around here to have fun on. This is really like a one-stop destination for the driving enthusiast.”
Constructed in 1930 for employees of the Tallassee Power Company, or Tapoco, which built many of the hydroelectric power projects in the area, the Tapoco Lodge now attracts riding (and driving) enthusiasts from around the world.
“Especially if you come in the summer, that’s a big thing you’ll see. The parking lot is full. So many bikes, so many cars, so many enthusiasts in that realm. At the core, we all have a very similar passion, whether it’s two wheels or four wheels. There’s a little bit of a bond,” Barnett said.
The peaceful sound of the creek flowing in front of the tavern’s large patio occasionally gets interrupted by the roar of motorcycles and sports cars heading for the Dragon just a few hundred yards away as Barnett describes the venue’s many attributes.
The 120-acre property features the historic lodge, complete with rooms, gift shop, dining areas and a fully stocked bar. The lodge holds 13 rooms with another 18 cabins on the property. There’s hiking, pickleball, Starlink internet and pet-friendly accommodations. Summer plans include bike nights.
“This year is going to be really exciting,” Barnett said. “Riding season is a big part of the lodge, what we do here for both motorcycles and cars.”
I’ve come here for the food.
“Our pizzas are definitely a go-to,” said Jaymee Dawson, Tapoco Lodge’s guest services manager. “We’re well known all through the area for our pizzas. Our burgers and chicken sandwich are big sellers for us.”
“One of the big changes to the menu is we have a lot more sandwich options. That’s really nice for riding, if you want to get a to-go order and put it in a bag to enjoy later,” Barnett added.
I savor my sandwich and a cold beer, admire the high-pitched Lamborghini rolling down U.S. 129. After lunch, I take in the scene at Deal’s Gap Motorcycle Resort, always one of the best bike shows around. It’s not yet tourist season as I visit, so I take advantage of the lack of a crowd to make a quick down-and-back run on the Tail of the Dragon. I feel any motorcyclist worth his license endorsement must make a pass when they’re this close. Another not-to-miss destination close to Deal’s Gap is Fontana Dam just off N.C. 28, or Moonshiner 28 as it’s known.
Fontana Dam, the tallest dam east of the Mississippi River at 480 feet, was constructed in the early 1940s to power aluminum manufacturing plants in East Tennessee. It holds a special significance for me because my grandfather was one of the hundreds of workers to help build this engineering marvel.
“When people come here, that’s always on the bucket list because it so large and grand,” said Benton, the county tourism official. “You can drive across it and you’re right there in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.”
I head back toward Robbinsville and spot the turn-off to the Cherohala Skyway. I actually prefer this road to the crowded, sometimes frenetic Dragon. The curves may not be as tight, but they entice you rather than stress you out.
“There was an old wagon trail road into the Tellico Plains,” Benton said. “They’ve incorporated that route into the Skyway. The gravel road is still there. Kind of a secret, off-road route. Some people call it the “gravel-hala.”
My adventurous nature longed to ride the Skyway again, but I could smell the heavy rain coming and grimaced at the sight of the dark skies in the distance.
“One of the unique things about the Cherohala Skyway is the way it rides the ridgeline. The views and that feeling of being right in the skies is really, really different when you ride that road,” Benton said.
Reluctantly, I dug out the rain liner for my jacket, suited up again and resigned myself to heading back east toward home, knowing I’ll be back this summer to enjoy the Skyway and this “secret side of the Smokies” once again.
Other Graham County attractions
• Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest: An old-growth forest with trees more than 400 years old. Some of the poplars take six or seven people to wrap their arms around them. A variety of trails of varying difficulty cross the Slickrock Wilderness area. Wilderness camping is allowed throughout the park.
• SCCA Appalachian Hillclimb Series: The Dragon Hillclimb in Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest takes place July 27-28. Sports car racers will roar along Maple Springs Road to post the best elapsed time in one of the most challenging hillclimb events east of Pikes Peak.
• Fading Voices Demonstration Day: The community of Snowbird hosts the local Cherokee Indian celebration of Native American culture, arts, history and sports every May.
• Flame Azelea Festival: This family friendly event in June features music, tractor shows, arts-and-crafts demonstrations and of course, the blooming of the vibrant yellow, orange and deep red azalea plants, some of which are found nowhere else on earth.
