Points of Interest

Graham County, North Carolina

Graham County is fast becoming one of the most famous motorcycle and sports car riding arenas in the country! We have greater riding roads in our county than most of our nation has combined! We are the home of such famous roadways as "The Dragon," the "Cherohala Skyway," and the newly named "Moonshiner 28." We are close to other great riding roads such as the Blue Ridge Parkway and many others that are too numerous to mention here. Several motorcycle magazines have stated that Graham County has the best roads for motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts than anywhere else in the United States.

Graham County's spectacular scenery which border's the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains has been host to Hollywood movies such as "The Fugitive," starring Harrison Ford, the movie "Nell," starring Jodi Foster and Liam Neison, as well as "Dirty Dancing," starring Patrick Swayze, to name only a few.

Graham County is a fantastic place for your vacation, offering you a wide variety of recreational activities beyond just our great roads, including white water rafting, canoeing, world renowned trout and bass fishing, hunting, boating and marinas, a public beach, horseback riding, hiking on the famous Appalachian Trail and literally hundreds of miles of other trailheads, mountain biking, plus many other things to do. As one visitor put it, "Graham County has more fun and things to do than everywhere else!" Or, if you just want to lounge around, relax and soak up the country charm, we're just the place to do that too. We serve up heaping helpings of southern hospitality and are within easy reach of other popular vacation areas. So come spend a weekend or a season with us! You'll be glad you did.

"The Dragon"

The roadway known as "The Dragon" (a.k.a., U.S. Hwy. 129, NC/TN) has become internationally known as one of the best motorcycle and sports car rides in the USA! Its 318 curves in 11 miles challenges all riders and enthusiasts. While the road is an adventure in itself, it also offers scenic views of the Great Smoky Mountains that are pretty spectacular.

"The Dragon" was once nothing more than an old dirt animal and Buffalo trail that later became a trading path for the Cherokee Indians. This road is full of history, including the well known "Trail of Tears" march for the relocation of the Cherokee Indians to Oklahoma, as well as many events and battles connected to the Civil War during the 1800's. These days the same path is now covered in pavement and is traveled by millions of tourists and thrill seekers.

Today, Mountain Motors gives you the opportunity to share your experiences with other riders and meet new friends on a common ground. Whether you ride a sport, cruiser, or custom bike, or a sports car, this road is sure to get your adrenaline going and offers you a ride you'll never forget!

"The Cherohala Skyway"

The Cherohala Skyway (pronounced Cher-a-hay-la) is one of the newest scenic roads in the USA! Taking more than 30 years to build at costs of more than $100 million, these 40+ miles of spectacular roadway are quickly becoming a favorite touring road for motorcyclists and tourists, earning it the nickname of "The Mile High Ride." The road travels from Robbinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN and is worth the ride from either side!

This road was once a Cherokee Indian trading route more than a century ago, but now offers unrivaled and breathtaking views of beautiful mountains and deep, lush valleys. The Cherohala Skyway offers you one of a kind scenery of the virgin landscape of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and the Santeetlah Valley, as well as many beautiful points beyond. The Cherohala Skyway was designed for travelers to behold all the wonders of nature at its best, while enjoying long sweeping curves through some of the most beautiful country on earth.

The Cherohala Skyway gets its name from and travels through the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. It will take you over a mile up in elevations, providing you with breathtaking views and overlooks that offer fantastic photo opportunities, as well as hiking, fishing, picnic, and canoeing activities. There are wildflowers everywhere you look during most seasons, and the fall color leaf season is the best there is in the south. This is one ride you won't want to miss!

"The Dragon" & Cherohala Skyway Loop"

While each individual road is a treat in itself, combine the two roads for a 120 mile run that will last anywhere from a few hours to a full day! You'll see countryside that you've only seen on picture postcards, quaint farmlands tucked within rolling hillsides, old barns that still are painted with assorted advertising from the mid 1900's, and when you think you've seen the most beautiful scenery there is, just around the next bend you'll see something even better!

This is a great way to tour the Great Smoky Mountain area. After riding these two roads together, you'll understand why the early pioneers decided to call this area God's Country!

"Moonshiner 28"

One of our newest named roads in Graham County, “Moonshiner 28” (once known as Hellbender 28) will rival the curves of “The Dragon” with some curves so tight and twisty it’s very possible that you’ll see your own tail lights when driving it! “Moonshiner 28” will offer you more of a thrill ride than “The Dragon” as it offers you twice the distance and beyond! The basic 22 mile stretch of road, which intersects with “The Dragon” at the world famous “Deal’s Gap” and travels along to Highway 19/74 (and beyond), will get your adrenaline pumping while providing you with wondrous scenery of the Great Smoky Mountains, Fontana and Cheoah Lakes, long range mountain views and waterfalls.

“Mooshiner 28” is a historic road that dates back to the early 1940’s when Fontana Dam was built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) during World War II. Nearby Fontana Village was originally built and used as a housing community for the workers that built Fontana Dam and “Moonshiner 28” was just an old dirt logging and work road back in those days. Fontana Village has since been converted into a family style resort offering various types of rental lodging and a campground that sits at the base of Fontana Dam. “Moonshiner 28” gets its name from back in the days when bootleggers would travel this old dirt road to transport their illegal spirits from one region to another, usually with the revenuers in hot pursuit. But, with their revved up custom cars and the tight and twisty curves on this road, the bootleggers managed to get away most of the time.

This area is also steeped in Cherokee Indian history and lore. Along “Moonshiner 28” you’ll pass Tsali recreation area and campground, where the great Cherokee Indian Chief Junaluska and many of his braves, fought against U.S. Troops and escaped their capture during the gathering of the “Trail of Tears” march and relocation of the Cherokee nation to Oklahoma. It is because of these brave Indians that the seven tribes or clans of the Cherokee still flourish in North Carolina today.

Things You Need To Know!

When visiting our area there are a few tips that will help to make your vacation a more enjoyable one.

We are located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains which means the elevations change rapidly. Always remember to bring your jackets with you, even in the summer months. It's always cooler at an elevation of 5,000 feet than it is at 1,000 feet.

Graham County is a semi-dry county with limited alcohol sales. While alcohol can be purchased at only two locations (Deals’s Gap and Fontana Village) within Graham County, you may want to purchase alcohol and beer prior to your arrival. Our neighboring towns Andrews, NC (to our south) and Bryson City, NC (to our east) are the closest locations to Graham County to purchase beer and alcohol. However, there are several locations that are licensed to serve beer, wine and alcohol by the drink in their bars and/or cocktail lounges.

Don't forget your motorcycle helmets when visiting our area, as it is the law! Many of our visitors reside in states that do not have mandatory helmet laws, and as a result sometimes arrive here without them. If this problem becomes one for you, Mountain Motors carries a variety of helmet styles at affordable prices. D.O.T. helmets are the requirement by law, but many use novelty helmets when here, though DOT and police patrols tends to frown upon this practice.

Keep in mind that while our roadways are traveled intensely, most areas are very remote. We hope all our visitors practice responsible and safe riding when here, but occasionally accidents do happen. Please be aware that emergency services are sometimes as much as 30 or more minutes away, depending upon where you are located. It is best to travel with friends, have a back-up emergency plan just in case, and above all, ride safely.

If you decide to bring your cellular phone with you, it is quite possible that you will not get a signal in our mountainous area. Due to the large amounts of National and Virgin Forests lands, cell phone towers are very limited. The best company for cellular signals in this area is Verizon. Please plan accordingly.

For other information on Graham County and the surrounding areas, please feel free to contact us at Mountain Motors for additional information, maps and directions, places to stay, event information, weather forecasts, or just to let us know your coming. We are here to serve you and will do our best to make your vacation stay the most enjoyable you've ever had.

At Mountain Motors we always look forward to seeing and meeting you, and we can even make your visit into a monumental occasion by taking your photo and mounting it on our store walls or on our website! So come mark your spot, sign our "Dragon's Guest Book" and share your stories, adventures and photos with us. While there are many other places that try to copy who we are, Mountain Motors is the only original motorcycle shop of "The Dragon" and we've watched it grow in popularity since 1991. We know the history and the future of this place we proudly call home, and will be happy to share it all with you. Come see us and have some fun!