has any one on the forum rode the dragon's tail and if so when is the best time of year to go

 

I've been twice, September 08, and June 2010. i dont know if theres a best time of the year to go but during the week is the best time of the week, kind of nerve racking on a saturday. just dont try to ride over your head. tail of the dragon is really the big draw but to me after five miles it gets monotonous. there are alot of roads to ride enough to keep you busy for 3 days at a relaxed pace.
US 28 is another very fun road to ride with a some tight turns.
we'll be going in july this summer.

 

http://www.twowheelinn.com/
this is the best place (to me) to stay but you need to plan ahead and make reservations. there are alot of cabins that are around $40-60 a night but if you look close you have to go to the bathhouse to shower or go to the bathroom.

 

I found it far from monotonous, more like adventurous! In fact I liked it so much I did it 3 times through! Different strokes... A friend riding with me on his Street Glide only went through once and complained of scraping everywhere. As said mid week recommended only as the weekends are known to be a zoo. BTW, when I rode it the speed limit was an insane 55 MPH! I believe it's greatly reduced today.

 

I just got back ytesterday, mid week is best for the Dragon but great riding through the weekend all over that area take a look at tail of the dragon website. This was my 4th trip in 5 years I am looking at property in Tenn now, great state with great people. You will scrape the bottom so get used to it, its fun, but dangeerous.

 

Fall or summer. Having done the Dragon in both seasons I found the Fall months to be the best.
Being from FL I found every road in that area to be an amazing ride. Follow Masterblasters recommendation and go on their web-site. It is full of great info for the whole area. Have a great ride!
Jay

 

A friend & I go every Labor Day weekend, begining of Sep. That's the best time of the year for us... work & family wise.

One year we stoped at Cherokee County Cycles in Andrews, http://www.cherokeecountycycles.com/ to get a map of the area... it's the most adequate free-est map of the area I've come across.
The following year Rob's rear brakes went out... we were on 215 between the Blue Ridge Parkway & 64, north of Roseman...



...the map, of course, has CCC's phone number all over it, so... as Rob 'checks the map' I make the phone call. The owner knows where we are, has what we need & gives us directions. Then, when we show up at closing time, he installs new pads in less than an hour for 80 bucks.

When's the 'best' time to go... I don't know. Go as often as you can... before long YOU"ll know.

 

We went 4th of July last year and had the place practically to ourselves.
NOTE: Dragon was closed to through traffic for landslide at that time.
Didn't see a mention of 441 thru the Smokies- or the Blue Ridge Prkwy. We really enjoyed both. 441 will have traffic and campers et al. but a nice ride - then you end up in Cherokee at the Casino! A great place for a "break" lol

 

Me and the Shovelhead crew just spent Easter weekend on the Dragon. I had never been there before, while most of those guys had. Its a cool experience every motorcycle guy ought to do once. Just to say they did it. To be honest, the country roads surrounding the Dragon were as much or more fun than the Dragon itself..... with less police over site. Week days and early in the morning before the hordes of vehicles infest it, is the best time. At least thats what I found.

 

The best time of year... hopefully May 19th since that's when we'll be there.