Tennessee road guide
The best motorcycle roads in Tennessee
The best motorcycle roads in Tennessee are packed into the east, where US 129, the Cherohala Skyway and the Foothills Parkway sit within an hour of each other along the Smokies. Add the Snake and Backbone Rock in the northeast corner, the Ocoee gorge in the south, and the Natchez Trace and Reelfoot Lake out west. Here are 13, with the region, why each is worth it, what to watch for and the best season.
- Roads listed
- 13
- Regions
- 4
- Densest area
- The Smokies border
- Check before you go
- TDOT SmartWay
Before you pick
How to use this list of the best motorcycle roads in Tennessee
Tennessee's great roads are not spread evenly. Most of the famous ones sit in a strip along the North Carolina line, where the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee National Forest push the pavement up and over the ridges. Middle Tennessee trades switchbacks for rolling hills and the Natchez Trace. West Tennessee is flat river country with a few quiet gems. So the first question is where you're based, and the second is how many curves you want before lunch.
Conditions change, especially in the mountains. Rockslides, storm damage, winter ice and park closures all happen, and Hurricane Helene hit the northeast corner of the state hard in 2024. Check TDOT SmartWay for state routes and Great Smoky Mountains National Park for park roads before every trip. For regions, laws and events in one place, start at the Tennessee motorcycle rides hub.
The southeast mountains
Around Deals Gap, Tellico Plains and the Ocoee
- 1. Tail of the Dragon (US 129)Why: The most famous stretch of road in the East: about 11 miles of nearly nonstop curves from Deals Gap on the state line down toward Chilhowee Lake, with almost no side roads or driveways to break the rhythm. Watch for: Heavy enforcement, cars and trucks drifting over the double yellow in tight left-handers, and gravel at the few pullouts. Photographers shoot from the roadside on busy days. Best season: April to early November, on a weekday if you can. The crash record is long, so leave margin.
- 2. Cherohala Skyway (TN 165)Why: Opened in 1996, it climbs from Tellico Plains across the Unicoi Mountains into North Carolina. Wide sweepers instead of hairpins, long ridge views, and far less traffic than the Dragon. Watch for: No fuel, food or reliable cell signal for most of its length, fog that can cut visibility to a few car lengths near the crest, and air much colder than the valley. Best season: May to October. Winter storms can close it.
- 3. Tellico River Road to Bald River FallsWhy: A short paved run from Tellico Plains up the Tellico River into the Cherokee National Forest, where Bald River Falls drops right beside the road and a bridge gives you the view without leaving the bike. Watch for: Narrow lanes, anglers parked on the shoulder, and cars stopped on the bridge. Best season: Spring for the strongest water, October for color.
- 4. TN 68 through Coker CreekWhy: Runs south from Tellico Plains through Coker Creek, an old gold rush community, toward Ducktown, with steady curves and very little traffic. It's the natural link between the Cherohala and the Ocoee for a full-day loop. Watch for: Logging trucks, gravel at driveways and deer in the hollows. Best season: April to November.
- 5. Ocoee Scenic Byway (US 64)Why: US 64 follows the Ocoee River through a deep gorge in the Cherokee National Forest between the Cleveland area and Ducktown, past rafting put-ins and the whitewater center built for the 1996 Olympics. River on one side, rock walls on the other. Watch for: Heavy truck traffic on a two-lane with few passing spots, rafting buses, and rock in the road. The gorge has closed for rockslides before. Best season: Spring to fall.
Great Smoky Mountains
Smokies roads and the Foothills Parkway
- 6. Foothills ParkwayWhy: A National Park Service road along the park's northern edge. The western section links US 129 at Chilhowee Lake to Walland, and the newer stretch, finished in 2018, carries on to Wears Valley with bridges and overlooks that look straight into the main Smokies ridge. A short eastern section near Cosby links I-40 to US 321. Watch for: Cars stopped at overlooks, fog, and closures for weather or work. Best season: April to November.
- 7. Little River Road to Cades CoveWhy: Inside the park, Little River Road follows the river from the Sugarlands area toward Townsend, and Laurel Creek Road climbs on to Cades Cove. Then the 11 mile one-way Cades Cove Loop rolls past old farms, log churches and a lot of wildlife. Slow, beautiful riding. Watch for: Cars stopped in the lane for bears and deer, cyclists, and vehicle-free days on the loop in season, so check the park schedule. Best season: Early mornings, spring to fall.
- 8. Newfound Gap Road (US 441)Why: The one main road over the crest of the park. It climbs more than 3,000 feet from Gatlinburg to Newfound Gap, just over 5,000 feet, then drops to Cherokee, North Carolina, with the forest changing from hardwoods to spruce and fir on the way up. Watch for: Bumper-to-bumper summer and October traffic, black bears beside the road, and closures after snow or ice. Stopping for longer than a few minutes in the park requires a parking tag under the current rules, so check the park website. Best season: May to October.
Northeast Tennessee
The quiet northeast corner
- 9. US 421, the SnakeWhy: Between Bristol and Mountain City, US 421 drops into Shady Valley and climbs out again over the mountains on either side in a long chain of tight curves. Riders call it the Snake, and it gets a fraction of the Dragon's traffic. Watch for: Blind corners, local drivers who know the road better than you do, and cold, damp pavement under the trees. Best season: May to October.
- 10. Backbone Rock (TN 133)Why: From Shady Valley, TN 133 runs north toward Damascus, Virginia, and passes through a short tunnel cut through Backbone Rock, a thin rock ridge in the Cherokee National Forest. Pair it with the Snake for a loop, or keep going into Virginia. Watch for: A narrow tunnel, picnickers at the recreation area, and wet leaves in the shade. Best season: Spring to fall.
- 11. Roan Mountain (TN 143)Why: TN 143 leaves the town of Roan Mountain, passes the state park and climbs to Carvers Gap on the state line, around 5,500 feet. At the top, open grassy balds roll away on both sides, the Appalachian Trail crosses the road, and the rhododendron gardens nearby usually bloom in June. Watch for: Steep grades, fog, cold at the top and winter closures. This corner took heavy flooding from Hurricane Helene in 2024, so check TDOT SmartWay for repairs. Best season: June to October.
Middle and West Tennessee
Beyond the mountains
- 12. Natchez Trace ParkwayWhy: The parkway's northern end sits southwest of Nashville, and roughly 100 miles of it roll through Middle Tennessee toward Alabama. No commercial trucks, no billboards and no stoplights, just a smooth two-lane through woods and farmland. The Double Arch Bridge over TN 96 is near the start, and the village of Leiper's Fork is a short detour off it. Watch for: A low posted limit that is enforced, cyclists, and deer at dawn and dusk. Best season: Any dry day, best in spring and fall.
- 13. Great River Road and Reelfoot LakeWhy: Tennessee's stretch of the Great River Road runs through the far west near the Mississippi, and the best part circles Reelfoot Lake, a shallow, cypress-filled lake formed by the New Madrid earthquakes of 1811 and 1812. Flat, quiet and nothing like East Tennessee. Watch for: Farm equipment, crosswinds in open fields, and bugs near the water in summer. Best season: Spring and fall. In winter, bald eagles gather at the lake.
Summary
Tennessee motorcycle roads at a glance
| Road | Region | Character | Best season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tail of the Dragon (US 129) | Southeast mountains | Tight, technical, busy | Apr to early Nov |
| Cherohala Skyway (TN 165) | Southeast mountains | Big sweepers, high views | May to Oct |
| Tellico River Road | Southeast mountains | Short, river and falls | Spring and Oct |
| TN 68, Coker Creek | Southeast mountains | Quiet connector curves | Apr to Nov |
| Ocoee Scenic Byway (US 64) | Southeast mountains | River gorge, trucks | Spring to fall |
| Foothills Parkway | Smokies | Overlooks, park road | Apr to Nov |
| Little River Road to Cades Cove | Smokies | Slow, scenic, wildlife | Spring to fall |
| Newfound Gap Road (US 441) | Smokies | Big climb, heavy traffic | May to Oct |
| US 421, the Snake | Northeast | Tight curves, light traffic | May to Oct |
| Backbone Rock (TN 133) | Northeast | Creekside, rock tunnel | Spring to fall |
| Roan Mountain (TN 143) | Northeast | High balds, steep grades | Jun to Oct |
| Natchez Trace Parkway | Middle Tennessee | Smooth, easy, no trucks | Most of the year |
| Great River Road and Reelfoot Lake | West Tennessee | Flat, quiet, lakeside | Spring and fall |
Seasons are general patterns. For month-by-month timing, see the best time to ride a motorcycle in Tennessee.
In the app
Tennessee roads riders added in Rippin'
Right below this section is the live list of Tennessee roads that riders have added to Rippin' and a person on our team has checked. Rippin' started in Southern California, so the list here is short, and most of the 13 roads above aren't in the app yet. That's the opening.
Ride one with Rippin' recording, then open Segments and tap Create a Segment: set a start gate and a finish gate and trace the line. Once it's approved it goes live with your name on it, and every rider who rides through it lands on its board, with a crown for the rider who owns the road. Rippin' never rewards speed on public roads, and on the Dragon that matters more than anywhere. Read more on segments and leaderboards.
Loops claim turf too. Ride the Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville, come back over the Dragon and around to Tellico Plains, and the loop closes. The land inside becomes your turf on the live map. See how Turf Wars works.
Live from the app
Tennessee on Rippin' right now.
6 upcoming events and 16 rider-added roads in Tennessee on the map today. This list updates whenever the site is rebuilt; the app always has the latest.
- Sun Nov 1 · monthlyBiker Rags Motorcycle Swap MeetClinton
- Wed Nov 4 · weeklyHooters Bike Night (Knoxville Harley-Davidson)Knoxville
- Thu Nov 5 · weeklyBootlegger Harley-Davidson Bike NightKnoxville
- Sat Dec 126th Annual BWC Christmas Toy DriveClarksville
- Sat Jan 916th Annual Tennessee MotoramaLebanon
- Fri Jun 11Spring Redneck Rumble 2027Lebanon
Roads riders added in Tennessee
FAQ
Questions riders ask.
What is the best motorcycle road in Tennessee?
The Tail of the Dragon on US 129 is the most famous, but plenty of riders prefer the Cherohala Skyway for its sweepers and views, or the Snake on US 421 for the curves without the crowds.
Where should I stay for a Tennessee mountain ride?
Tellico Plains, Townsend and Maryville put the Dragon, the Cherohala Skyway and the Foothills Parkway within easy reach. For the northeast roads, Mountain City or Bristol works well.
Is the Tail of the Dragon good for newer riders?
Not as a first mountain road. It's tight, busy and heavily patrolled, and oncoming traffic crosses the line. Build up on the Foothills Parkway and the Cherohala Skyway, then ride the Dragon at your own pace.
Can you ride motorcycles on the Natchez Trace and the Foothills Parkway?
Yes. Both are National Park Service roads open to motorcycles, with posted limits lower than most highways. Commercial trucks aren't allowed on the Natchez Trace.
Is Roan Mountain open after Hurricane Helene?
Check before you go. Helene caused heavy flooding in northeast Tennessee in 2024, and TDOT SmartWay lists current closures and restrictions on state routes.
Can I add a Tennessee road to Rippin'?
Yes. Any rider can add a road with Create a Segment. A person on the Rippin' team checks it before it goes live, and your name stays on it.
Put a Tennessee classic on the map.
Download Rippin' free, ride one of these roads with it recording and add it. Your name stays on it.
Free on iPhone and Android. How Rippin' works
