Hellbender 28 · Fontana & Deals Gap

The North Carolina side of Deals Gap in one loop: from Robbinsville the route takes NC-143 over Stecoah Gap, follows NC-28 along Fontana Lake past Fontana Village to the Deals Gap junction, and comes back south on US-129 by Cheoah Lake and Tapoco. It's 48 miles. The Tail of the Dragon runs north from Deals Gap into Tennessee and isn't part of this route. Weekends bring heavy bike, sports car and photographer traffic at the gap, so fuel in Robbinsville.

This loop rides the North Carolina half of the Deals Gap country without crossing into Tennessee. From Robbinsville it takes NC-143 east over Stecoah Gap and joins NC-28, which runs mile after mile of curves along the shore of Fontana Lake, past Fontana Village. Fontana Dam, 480 feet tall and the tallest concrete dam east of the Rockies, sits a short detour off the route; its visitor center is run by TVA and opens from early May to late October.

NC-28 ends at Deals Gap, where it meets US-129 at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort, with its Tree of Shame hung with parts from riders' crashes. North of the junction, US-129 becomes the Tail of the Dragon, 11 miles in Tennessee: this route turns south instead, along Cheoah Lake past Tapoco and back to Robbinsville. On weekends the gap fills with bikes, sports cars and photographers along the shoulder, and deer and bears cross these roads, so fuel in Robbinsville and keep your eyes up.