The fabled “Tail of the Dragon” is an 11-mile stretch of US 129 highway that has portions in both North Carolina and Tennesee. It is probably as famed as the Nordschleife is in Europe, except this route has more turns.

According to legend, there are 318 curves in the road, although those who have actually tried to count them come up with different numbers. The most accurate description is likely the one attributed to local residents, who call it “that damn crooked road to Tennessee”.

Portions of the two-lane road form the southwest border of Great Smokey Mountains National Park, with the result that road maintenance is very god, but local development is minimal. There are a few pull-off along the route, but shoulders are narrow and much of the route is forested. Aside from the continual curves, elevation changes from 1962 feet at Deals Gap to 877 feet at Tabcat Bridge.

The speed limit on this portion of US 129 was reduced to 30 mph in 2005. Over the years, the Dragon has claimed its share of victims and law enforcement is reported to have risen dramatically on the Tennessee side. The road has been used in a number of movies, including Thunder Road (1958), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), The Fugitive (1993) and In Dreams (1999).

Here, you can see a portion of the Dragon from the cockpit of a ROUSH Stage 2 Mustang. There is no doubt that this is a driver’s road.