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Hagerty Road of the Year 2025: Cherohala Skyway
After carving 43 miles of smooth asphalt that rises through meadows and dense forest on its way to a mile-high peak, a driver might conclude that the Cherohala Skyway was made purely for the fun of it. The history of the 2025 Hagerty Road of the Year suggests that conclusion isn’t too far from the truth.
Running between Tellico Plains, Tennessee, and Robbinsville, North Carolina, the Skyway streams through the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee and the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina, Cherohala being a combination of the two tribal names. This ribbon of uninterrupted bliss, which traverses the spine of the Unicoi Mountains, unwinds over thousands of uninhabited acres and few connecting roads.

[Editor’s Note: Following last year’s inaugural Road of the Year selection—State Route 33 in Ojai, California—we set our sights east of the Mississippi for 2025, landing on an Appalachian fantasy road that offers an equal measure of thrills and views. Although our selection process is entirely subjective, aka at the whims of this magazine’s editorial team, we do keep a few guidelines in mind. First, the road has to be no more than a one-day round trip from a major urban center, the thinking being that anyone should be able to access the route easily as a day excursion, perhaps while visiting said urban center for work or vacation. Also, the pavement has to be in good condition. Plus, it must have some reasonably close dining and lodging amenities, and we lean toward roads with outlets to other roads, such that they can be run in one direction rather than merely to a turnaround point.]
As scenic roads go, the Cherohala is practically brand-new. Back in 1958, when local history buff Sam Williams organized a covered-wagon reenactment across the mountains, 67 covered wagons and another 300 horseback riders showed up and an annual festival was born. Tellico Plains Mayor Charles Hall capitalized on the growing festival to pitch a new scenic road between Tellico Plains and Robbinsville. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which FDR commissioned in 1940, was drawing tourists, and Hall wanted to lure them to his hamlet. In 1962, Congress allocated the land for the road, at an estimated cost of $6 million. Construction, however, took decades and $100 million, with the Skyway finally opening in 1996. One of the bridges was named after Charles Hall to honor the tireless local mayor who made it happen.
We salute Mayor Hall and his vision to create a road that is the stuff of driver fantasies. The Cherohala floooooows. The generously radiused curves are linked, each one evolving to the next. If you’re making time in a sports car, such as the 2017 C7 Corvette seen in these photos, g-forces gradually build at corner entry, peak in the middle, then dissipate as the turn opens, which gracefully glides to the next bend. There are few sharp corners, which means few abrupt speed changes, and wide shoulders so you can see far down the road, making the Cherohala ideal for driving any classic car—or, for that matter, any decent rental from the Hertz lot. Tree breaks and highland meadows reveal the surrounding mountains. Before long, you fall into a Zen-like rhythm, just you, your machine, and the road. Escapism by tarmac. Should you need a break, you’ll find numerous well-manicured pullouts for stretching legs and snapping photos of the incredible views.
As scenic roads go, the Cherohala is practically brand-new.

Somehow this stretch of asphalt, which is near the country’s most popular national park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is largely unknown except to locals. Traffic is usually gloriously light, with some estimates as low as 50 cars and 100 motorcycles on it each day.
That’s a stark contrast to the Tail of the Dragon, the famous series of hairpins some 20 miles to the north, as the crow flies. U.S. Route 129, as the Dragon is officially known, is rightfully celebrated, but it’s a zoo most days by 9 in the morning. The crowds are so thick that several enterprising photographers position themselves in key corners to take photos of oversteering cars and motorcycles in full lean, offering them for sale online. It often feels like Disneyland.

In 2012, during a driving tour of the area with friends, I met a car-crazy local who shared the preferred itinerary: Hit the Dragon before the tourists, at about 6:30 a.m., then head to the Skyway, which they pronounce Cher-ah-hala. I’ve returned every couple of years, including last fall when we shot these photos.
Our criteria for ROTY include proximity to a major airport. Atlanta is 140 miles away and Knoxville is only 70. For an overnight stay, we suggest the RT Lodge in nearby Maryville, a charming college town south of Knoxville. Built as a private residence in 1932, the lodge was once a corporate retreat and training center for the Ruby Tuesday restaurant chain before being bought by its current owners in 2021. It’s nestled in the forest and, with a peaceful campus atmosphere and farm-to-table dining, is its own escape. From there, it’s 42 miles to the western start of the Skyway, Tellico Plains.

While a yoga studio and Trout Mountain, a coffee shop and inn, speak to a recent rise in tourism, Tellico Plains still wears some evidence of tougher times. A faded “Discount Gas” sign stands atop a pole in an empty lot. Across the street from city hall, there’s a functioning service station with a rusty engine sitting outside. A well-worn self-storage facility is a block from the town square and concise main street. You could deem the town shabby chic or run-down, depending on your perspective. About 1000 people call it home.
As the name suggests, the land is flat around Tellico Plains, but the Unicoi range, part of the Blue Ridge province of the southern Appalachians, stands like a wall just to the east. The area supported farming, fur trading, ironworks, logging, a gold rush, and, for a time, bootleg hooch. The town lies in the crook of north/south State Route 68 and the Skyway that heads east. People with places to go take 68, whereas the Skyway is for fun, a point driven home by the Cherohala Skyway Visitors Center and gift shop.



From the gift shop, the first 5 miles parallel the Tellico River before the Skyway veers uphill through a second-growth forest of sugar maples, yellow poplar, and red oak. Logging denuded the steep slopes and a fungus largely wiped out American chestnuts in the first half of the 20th century, but the woods are once again thick. Small-scale logging still exists, but the Cherohala bisects mostly protected wilderness areas and other recreational lands.
You fall into a zen-like rhythm, just you, your machine, and the road.

Ten miles later lies the Turkey Creek Overlook, which has cobblestone curbs, a bathroom, and of course a stunning view. About 8 miles later, you cross into North Carolina, and with it comes a pavement change. The asphalt is light-colored and coarse in Tennessee but smoother and darker in North Carolina. We never saw a pothole. Soon you’re at the highest point on the road, near the summit of a mountain called Haw Knob, with an elevation of 5472 feet. There’s a pullout nearby, the Santeetlah Overlook, which is more than a mile above sea level. The foliage looks more high alpine than thick forest, with a mixture of hardwood and pine trees, and the road follows the top of the ridge. One October, I unexpectedly came across snow on this section.
A steady descent of switchbacks leads to Robbinsville. Plan for about two hours, with stops, to arrive at this small town of roughly 600 residents. Grab a bite at Lynn’s Place, a downtown diner that deep-fries corn and cheesecake (which tastes better than it sounds). Have a look at the mural of country singer and local son Ronnie Milsap.

Robbinsville is a fine jumping-off point for a deluge of extra two-lane bliss, which is yet another reason we chose the Skyway as the second annual Hagerty Road of the Year. Asheville, North Carolina, lies to the northeast; Clemson, South Carolina, is to the southeast; and the Dragon is northwest. They’re all accessed by more mountain routes. Have fun out there. Maybe we’ll see you on the road.




















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This story first appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of Hagerty Drivers Club magazine. Join the club to receive our award-winning magazine and enjoy insider access to automotive events, discounts, roadside assistance, and more.
Absolutely beautiful road and area. I’ll have to give it a shot sometime.
While your at it take the roard from Cherokee N.C. to Gatlinburg TN. Its Amazing. Just dont go when it might snow. They close the road .
That is indeed an absolutely beautiful drive.
It’s just too bad I was in a minivan at the time. *curses in sports car
I’ve been looking for a spot to drive a vintage car at full song. I’d better hurry up and finish it before everyone finds out about it, and this article isn’t helping in that regard!
I’m sure the locals reading this article are thinking “SHHHHH!” 🙂
Shame on ya’s! It has always been one of my favorite roads. Negligible traffic, exquisite scenery, great fun! Several years ago I loosely trailed a group of bikes that were running about 7/10 rather briskly with my Speed Three Mazda. Mellow day. Other times in early evening it is just beautiful, savor the ambience! Now after your rave, traffic will undoubtedly be increased. Great writeup!
The Cherohala Skyway :
The speed limit on the Cherohala Skyway is generally 40 and 45 mph, and as low as 35 MPH in some places….
what’s the point of a beautiful road if the cyclists overtake you???
Hopefully it’s thinly patrolled.
Was on there today for the first time, didn’t see any rangers or cops of any sort, which was kinda disappointing in light of some of the various car club antics we saw
I’ve never paid attention to the speed limit signs.
Unless your an outdoor enthusiast with a Subaru Outback that has an OBX sticker and a bike rack that feels 5mph is a good speed, drive spiritedly. Be respectful and responsible, even the police here have a sprinkle of fun.
As long as you are not treating it like you are trying set a a hill climb record, tach it up. 55~60mph will not get you in trouble 75-80 will.
P.S. There is no need to test the slip angle limits of A052’s on the street. You are not Colin McRae.
If you going through a lot of these curves faster than 65, your putting your self and others at risk anyway.
Also, as a local…TO EVERYONE: STAY IN YOUR LANE. DO NOT SPREAD THE MUSTARD.
I was on a job near Birmingham, Alabama a couple of years ago and when I got to drive around, I felt like I was trapped in a green tunnel for days. I could never look anywhere except down the green tunnel. Very claustrophobic for someone from California, Arizona and now Colorado. Even West Texas has something to look at and that was like a breath of fresh air on the way home. This road looks as monotonous (to me) as the part of Alabama I was stuck in for three weeks. I prefer something besides a sea of green. I guess it’s a western thing.
Do you not like fresh air?
You’re missing the point Bernard. What Kinik is saying is that we don’t like feeling like a rat in a maze. The trees are lovely but, at road speed, they’re just a blurry green wall that blocks the view of further vistas that you can safely see while you’re moving.
Wow… Shows how diverse people are. I could care less if I ever drive through a big city, or visit any of their attractions, but I would really enjoy driving this road (if there are RV amenities) as well as the south western US where miles of flat nothingness is broken by a mountain range. Nothing wrong with opposing mindsets. Some people really like places with hopping downtown with lots of activity. I avoid them. Fascinating.
Ooh. I bet that drive in the autumn is beyond words gorgeous!
Yes it is but usually not a time for spirited drivers as lots of leaf lookers are on the road.
As a citizen of Blount County, TN, I will vouch for the beauty and enjoyable driving of the Cherohala Skyway.
As far as The Dragon, on weekends the worst of the worst seem to believe it’s their private racetrack and let lesser mortals know it.
On a more positive note, we take the Dragon for lunch at the Tapoco Lodge (tailgaters be damned) in Robbinsville, NC and drive home via the Cherohala. Makes for a great day. Highly recommend.
I have family in the Nantahala forest area, within a few miles of the largest # of natural waterfalls in the us. If i drive there to visit, i stop at the base of the mountains & roll dn the windows or the convertible top(if equiped) to smell the freshest cool air anywhere. I also drive to one of the skyways as I leave NC to Tennesee. When there i hit a lesser known carving downhill road with multiple 360 degree loops & 180 degree turns and stop to sample fresh spring water beside the rd. But the road’s location is a local secret to prevent the car drifters & crotchrockets from endangering local drivers by taking it at ridiculous speeds.
O have driven the Cherohala Parkway and it was a wonderful drive.HOWEVER, at the east of the this road is another beautiful exciting and beautiful road to drive spiritedly-The Tail of the Dragon with 318 curves in 11 miles. Wow! Amazing.
How about an article or a series of articles picking the best road in every state? I enjoy the road of the year, articles, but most are going to be too far away. I’d like to hear about great roads in the tri-state area of PA.
Sajeev posted just such a list last year – maybe he can put a link to it here.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/according-to-you-hagerty-readers-favorite-driving-roads-for-2025/
https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-community/according-to-you-the-hagerty-communitys-favorite-driving-roads/
These entire National Forests will soon be mountain top coal mining locations. It may be a good idea to get there sooner rather than later although mining sites have their visual appeal to, I suppose. I’m trying to make the trip before July of this year. Can’t wait!
We have a niece whose address is Tellico Plains, but she and her family live on top of a mountain east of town. We visited there and drove this highway some years back – it was indeed a great drive.
My first and most memorable roadtrip was in March, 1970 from Hamilton, Canada to Myrtle Beach and back with two friends. The 3 of us, high school students playing hookie from school 2 weeks after the official March break, crammed into my 1965 Austin Healey 3000 MkIII with about $200 between us and my dad dad’s credit card in case of an emergency. That trip still lives large in my memories. We used that credit card only once – for the last tank of gas we needed to get home.
My first road trip where I was driving, was towards the end of August 1970–Cape Cod to Stanford, California, in an eight year old ’62 Falcon, my first car. I had two riders, but I did almost all the driving. One of them, a British guy, could not drive legally in the US. Anyway, it was a great experience, and lots of fun.
We drove the Skyway as part of an RROC tour in a 1937 Bentley 4 1/4, and it was just as much fun, if a bit slower, than driving it in a modern ‘Vette.