This Tennessee highway climbs 4,000 feet and disappears into the clouds

The Cherohala Skyway’s 43 miles through two forests

There are roads you drive to get somewhere, and then there are roads that are the somewhere.

The Cherohala Skyway is 43 miles of two-lane pavement that climbs from a river valley in Tennessee to over 5,400 feet in the Unicoi Mountains before crossing into North Carolina.

You pass through two national forests, 15 overlooks, ancient trees, and mountain balds along the way. No gas stations.

No restaurants. No cell service for most of it.

Plan for a full day, because the stops are worth every minute.

A $100 million highway born from a joke

The whole thing started in 1958 when someone made an offhand remark about the lack of roads between Tennessee and North Carolina, and a group of locals decided to make their point by riding a wagon train to the state line.

That stunt worked. Congress funded a highway connecting Tellico Plains to Robbinsville in 1962, routing it entirely through federal forest land.

Environmental concerns pushed the route around sensitive areas, including the old-growth Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

The road finally opened on Oct. 12, 1996, at a cost of about $100 million, making it the most expensive highway ever built in North Carolina.

The road climbs 4,000 feet in 43 miles

The Skyway gets its name from the two forests it passes through: “Chero” from Cherokee and “hala” from Nantahala. Near Tellico Plains, you start at about 900 feet.

By the time you reach Haw Knob at the state line, you’re above 5,400 feet.

The Tennessee side runs 25 miles through the Cherokee National Forest down toward the Tellico River valley. The North Carolina side climbs steeply through 18 miles of the Nantahala National Forest.

Without stops, you can drive it in about two hours, but nobody who goes once makes that mistake again.

Stand at 5,390 feet at Santeetlah Overlook

Santeetlah Overlook sits at 5,390 feet, the highest point you can drive to on the Skyway, and on a clear day you can see the Appalachians rolling out toward the distant peaks of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The overlook has picnic tables, so people stop and eat lunch with the Snowbird range spread out below them.

Come up in the morning and the valleys fill with mist that sits between the ridges like something out of a painting.

One thing to know: the temperature up here runs about 20 degrees cooler than at the base of the road, even in July.

15 overlooks with views that stop you cold

The Skyway lines up 15 overlooks and picnic areas across its length, each one framing a different piece of the mountains.

Big Junction at 5,240 feet, Haw Knob, Whigg Cove, Turkey Creek, Brushy Ridge: the stops come at you steadily as the road follows the ridge.

The Spirit Ridge Observation Deck is worth a detour if anyone in your group has trouble with long hikes.

A paved, accessible trail leads through the forest to a viewing platform, so the view doesn’t belong only to the people with hiking boots.

Walk into a 400-year-old forest near the state line

Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest covers 3,800 acres near the North Carolina end of the Skyway and holds one of the largest remaining stands of old-growth trees in the eastern United States.

More than 100 species grow here, including yellow poplar, oak, beech, basswood, and sycamore.

Some of these trees are more than 400 years old, over 100 feet tall, and up to 20 feet around the trunk. The forest was dedicated in 1936 as a living memorial to poet Joyce Kilmer, who died in action during World War I.

The figure-eight trail through the giant trees

A two-mile loop trail winds through the heart of the forest in a figure-eight pattern. The lower 1.25-mile section takes you past the Joyce Kilmer memorial plaque set into a large boulder.

The upper 0.75-mile Poplar Cove loop leads to the largest and oldest trees in the forest, the ones with trunks too wide for two people to reach around.

The forest floor runs thick with wildflowers, ferns, and mosses under the canopy. Restrooms and picnic tables wait for you back at the trailhead parking area.

Hike to a 5,560-foot summit for views in every direction

Huckleberry Knob is the highest point in the Cheoah Ranger District at 5,560 feet, and the trail to the top is only about 2.5 miles round trip along an old forest road with about 300 feet of total climb.

The grassy bald at the summit opens up in every direction: Unicoi, Great Smoky, Snowbird, and Nantahala ranges all at once. The trailhead sits near mile marker 8 on the North Carolina side.

Come in late September or early October and you might catch monarch butterflies moving through on their migration south.

June’s your best time to try the Hooper Bald trail

Hooper Bald sits at 5,429 feet and takes only a half-mile walk from the Skyway to reach.

In June, flame azaleas cover the bald in red, orange, and yellow blooms that can measure 3.5 inches across, bigger than you’d find most places.

Volunteers from the American Rhododendron Society have spent more than 20 years nurturing and replanting native azaleas here, and the work shows.

Graham County marks the season with an annual Flame Azalea Festival. If your trip lines up with the blooms, Hooper Bald belongs at the top of your list for the day.

A 90-foot waterfall you can see from your car window

Bald River Falls drops 90 feet in the Cherokee National Forest, about five miles off the Skyway on Forest Service Road 210.

You can see the full drop from a road bridge without leaving your car, which makes it one of the most accessible big waterfalls in the region.

If you want more, a short trail from the parking area leads to the top of the falls. In a hard winter, the falls freeze over and draw people out specifically for the ice formations.

Kayakers and anglers work the river below the bridge year-round.

Cast a line into one of Tennessee’s best trout streams

The Tellico River runs along the lower-elevation Tennessee side of the Skyway, and it carries a reputation as one of the premier trout streams in the state.

More than 12 miles get stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout, and the Bald River, North River, and their tributaries hold wild populations of brown, rainbow, and brook trout. Fly fishing and spinner fishing both work here.

You’ll need a daily Tellico/Citico permit for the main stream.

The river starts in North Carolina and flows nearly 20 miles through the Cherokee National Forest before reaching Tellico Plains.

Fill the tank before you go: there’s nothing on the road

The Skyway has no gas stations, no restaurants, and no services across its entire 43 miles. Cell service drops out early and doesn’t come back until you reach the other end.

The road stays open year-round, but ice and snow at the higher elevations make winter driving a serious consideration.

Before you start, stop at the Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center in Tellico Plains for free maps and current road conditions. Bring food, water, and a full tank.

The road rewards preparation and punishes the assumption that something will turn up along the way.

Drive the Cherohala Skyway from Tellico Plains, Tennessee

You can pick up the Skyway in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, following TN 165, or enter from the North Carolina side in Robbinsville on NC 143.

Both towns have local dining and cabin rentals if you want to stay a night and explore without rushing. Robbinsville sits near Lake Santeetlah, which has 76 miles of forested shoreline with fishing and boating.

The nearby Tail of the Dragon on US 129 adds 318 curves in 11 miles if you’re looking for more road. Check the official website for current conditions before heading out.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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