graham county nc •chamber of information

Recommended Driving Tour of Graham County: A driving tour of the entire county would leave Robbinsville and take highway NC 143 West out to the Cherohala Skyway. Tour up to the North Carolina lookouts and perhaps take a hike on Hooper Bald or up to Huckleberry Knob. Come back down the Cherohala and take a left on FR 1127 to Joyce Kilmer for a walk among the giant poplars. Leaving there you can take a left for a short ride up to Maple Springs overlook.

Coming back down from Maple Springs take a left at the 4-way stop and circle Lake Santeetlah. A left at the next stop sign will take you out to US 129. Take US 129 West and drive along the Cheoah River to Tapoco. The Tapoco Dam is where Harrison Ford jumped in the movie The Fugitive. Keep heading West on US129 and you will enter the world famous touring road known as The Tail of the Dragon with 318 curves in 11 miles. The more cautious tourists might want to turn right on Moonshiner 28 and visit Fontana Dam. Continuing East on Moonshiner 28 will bring you to Stecoah, a beautiful hidden valley. Here you can return to Robbinsville by taking NC 143 over Stecoah Gap or keep heading east on Moonshiner 28 to US 19.

A right on US 19 will bring you the Nantahala Gorge. whitewater rafting, always a good place to sit and watch the rafters on a hot summer afternoon. Continue south on US 19 and take a right onto US129 to bring you back to Robbinsville. Taking the big loop would definitely be a long day, so be prepared.