Motorcycle routes in North Carolina

10 routes. Each one starts at the foot of the good part; the "from" versions (NYC, Stamford, Edison, Allentown, Danbury, Hartford, Long Island) add the ride there and back.

Cherohala Skyway · NC side
49 mi · 1h 27m
The North Carolina half of the Cherohala Skyway, out and back: from Robbinsville the route follows NC-143 past Lake Santeetlah, climbs the Skyway past Hooper Bald, Huckleberry Knob and the Santeetlah Overlook, and turns around just before Beech Gap, where Tennessee begins. It's 49 miles round trip, over 5,000 feet at the top. There's no gas, food or cell signal on the Skyway, so fill up in Robbinsville, and expect fog, wind and cold up high.
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Hellbender 28 · Fontana & Deals Gap
48 mi · 1h 19m
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.
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Blue Ridge Parkway · Asheville to Mount Pisgah
48 mi · 1h 17m
The Blue Ridge Parkway south of Asheville, out and back: from the Parkway visitor center the route crosses the French Broad River, climbs past the Mills River overlooks to Mount Pisgah and comes back the same way. It's 48 miles. There's no fuel on the Parkway, the tunnels are unlit, and in late October 2026 the Park Service had daytime single-lane traffic control near the French Broad. High sections close with ice and snow in winter, and the stretch closed by Helene, north of Asheville, isn't used.
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Linn Cove Viaduct & Little Parkway
57 mi · 1h 49m
Grandfather Mountain from above and below: from Blowing Rock the route rides the Blue Ridge Parkway south past Price Lake and over the Linn Cove Viaduct to the Linville Falls area, then comes back north on US-221 through Linville Falls, Pineola and Linville and along the Little Parkway past the Grandfather Mountain gate. It's 57 miles. The Linn Cove Visitor Center is temporarily closed, the Parkway has short single-lane closures for roadwork, and US-221 has potholes and gravel in the curves.
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The Rattler · NC-209
36 mi · 1h 05m
The Rattler, one way: from Lake Junaluska the route follows NC-209 north through Fines Creek, past the general store at Trust and through Spring Creek, two mountain climbs on a narrow, curvy road, and ends in Hot Springs on the French Broad River. It's 36 miles. Rain washes gravel into the curves and some of them tighten halfway through, and you'll share the road with hay and cattle trucks. Hot Springs was hit hard by Helene in 2024. Come back the same way or by Marshall.
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Wayah Road · Franklin to the Nantahala
41 mi · 1h 16m
Franklin to the Nantahala Gorge, one way: the route leaves Franklin on US-64, takes Wayah Road up to Wayah Gap, where the Appalachian Trail crosses, drops past Nantahala Lake and finishes at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, on the river. It's 41 miles. The road to Wayah Bald is a Forest Service road and isn't part of the route. Expect long drops with little guardrail, gravel in the curves on the west side and no services between Franklin and the gorge.
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Forest Heritage · US-276, Parkway & NC-215
56 mi · 1h 41m
The Pisgah National Forest in one loop: from Brevard the route follows US-276 past Looking Glass Falls, Sliding Rock and the Cradle of Forestry up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, rides the Parkway west past Graveyard Fields and Devil's Courthouse, and drops down NC-215 to Balsam Grove and Rosman before returning on US-64. It's 56 miles. There's no fuel on the Parkway, the waterfall lots fill up in summer and fall, and the gravel Forest Service roads off US-276 aren't part of the route.
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Sauratown Mountains · Hanging Rock & Pilot Mountain
32 mi · 53 min
The Piedmont's own mountains, one way: from Walnut Cove the route takes NC-89 to Danbury, passes Hanging Rock State Park by the Moore's Spring area, heads south on NC-66 and west to Pilot Mountain State Park. It's 32 miles, about an hour from Winston-Salem and Greensboro. Fuel is scarce, so fill up in Walnut Cove, and NC-66 has narrow shoulders and deep ditches. At Pilot Mountain the summit road closes its gate when the lot is full.
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Wilmington, River Road & Fort Fisher
25 mi · 58 min
Wilmington to the mouth of the Cape Fear, one way: the route follows River Road along the river, crosses Snow's Cut into Carolina Beach, rides through Kure Beach past the pier and ends at the Fort Fisher ferry ramp, by the fort. It's 25 miles. The ferry to Southport isn't part of the route: it takes about 35 minutes and NCDOT lists $3 per motorcycle, and you can come back through Southport on NC-133. It stands in for the Outer Banks, because NC-12 has been closed past Pea Island since October 19, 2026.
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Cullasaja Gorge · US-64
39 mi · 1h 18m
The waterfall gorge between Franklin and Highlands, out and back: the route follows US-64 up the Cullasaja River gorge, a ledge cut into the rock above the water, past Cullasaja Falls, Dry Falls and Bridal Veil Falls, turns around in Highlands and comes back the same way. It's 39 miles. There are few places to pull over, and the Dry Falls and Bridal Veil lots fill up in fall. Don't continue south of Highlands on NC-28: it crosses into Georgia.
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