I’ll just say it up front - the Cherohala Skyway is my favorite ride. It winds 36 miles over the mountains between Tellico Plains, Tennessee and Robbinsville, North Carolina. The Skyway is about 160 miles from Atlanta. You can make the trip in a long day, or make it an overnight tour.
First, a little history. The Cherohala Skyway was completed in 1996 at a cost of over $100 million after 30 years of construction. The Skyway follows what was once a Cherokee trading route. The Skyway crosses through the Cherokee and the Nantahala National Forests, thus the name “Cherohala.” Here are the reasons to go:
1. Made for Motorcycles
The Skyway is made for motorcycles. It is curvy enough to be challenging and well-maintained. But be careful. The sweeping curves and beautiful scenery must put riders to sleep because the last two times I was there, a motorcyclist was being lifeflighted away. If you go, pay attention and ride your own ride.
2. Spectacular Scenery
From fast-moving mountain rivers to panoramic mountain views, the Skyway has them all. There are many places along to road to stop and take in the scenery.
3. Change in Temperature
When you are riding in the summer, it is just great to feel the temperature change as you ascend the Skyway. You will ascend to almost 5400 feet. Maybe I am unusual, but I love to feel the air become cool when I am riding. It’s like having a little bit of Autumn on a hot day.
4. Hooper Bald
This is something you should check out. You can stop near a roadside restroom and hike about a quarter mile to Hooper Bald, an open area on the top of a mountain. The area was near an old hiking preserve that once had exotic animals. The Russian boar escaped and still run wild in the area. I once camped on the bald during the Winter and almost froze to death (I was unprepared). But I will never forget the view from the bald that morning - truly a sight that I will always remember.
5. Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest
This 3800 acre forest is noteworthy because it is one of the few remaining tracts of virgin hardwood remaining in the Appalachians. It is named after a poet who wrote “Trees.” and was later killed in action during World War I.
If you only take one or two good trips from Atlanta this year, you should definitely ride to the Skyway. You won’t regret it.
2 Comments
Sounds like a great ride. What recommendations do you have regarding whether to return on the same route or to loop back on a different route?
I’ve done both. There is a lot of great motorcycling in that area (Tail of the Dragon, etc.), so I usually incorporate the Skyway into a longer ride or loop. But I have ridden it both ways, and it is not boring because the views are different depending on which way you are going.