The 2 Most Terrifying Drives You Can Possibly Take In Tennessee
By Chris Dodge|Published May 15, 2023
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Chris Dodge
Author
My name is Chris Dodge and I live right here in the great state of Tennessee. My family and I are full adventurers filled with passion to see the amazing things our state has to offer. We are avid hikers and have explored many different places in Tennessee and beyond but we are always thankful to be living in such a glorious state.
Along Eastern Tennessee, we have quite a bit of windy, curvy, mountain roads. It can take some getting used to but they can become a part of life when you want to enjoy the beautiful scenery all around you. I have actually grown to love our windy roads or those yellow signs indicating sharp turns ahead. There are two roads, however, that are not for the faint of heart — in fact, they are considered two of the most dangerous roads in Tennessee.
The first road is a section of Route 421 known as The Snake.
Although the route will go north and south for quite some time there is a section in the mountains that has earned the nickname. This section is from Mountain City through the windy roads for about 22 miles then you end up on the east side of the South Holston Lake. This map here will help you navigate and customize right where you want to go for your trip.
What makes it so intense is the number of sharp turns and low visibility.
The twists and turns make it popular for motorcyclists as they test their skills as a driver. The scenery is stunningly beautiful with majestic mountain ranges, but chances are you will be focused on the road more than the views.
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These roads have been known to have riders white-knuckling it the whole way and aren't for the faint of heart. Many people have lost their lives on this road so if you plan to visit make sure you are careful and pay attention, especially with low visibility.
This road has not only made it to the number one spot on many lists for being the most dangerous road in Tennessee, but many consider this one of the most dangerous roads in America. From the western endpoint to the Foothills Parkway in Tallassee all the way to Robbinsville, North Carolina is the section known as the Tail of the Dragon. Here is an interactive map for you to plan your own route through this treacherous road.
This route has over 300 curves within an 11-mile stretch, including some hairpin turns.
Many of those curves reduce visibility and you never know what can be just around the corner. Taking the turn wrong you can easily end up in a head-on collision, which is just one of the reasons this is one of the most dangerous roads in Tennessee. Being high in the mountains these steep curves will lead to massive drop-offs without any guardrails to help from falling down the cliffside.
This pulse-racing strip of road is again popular with motorcyclists and a good place to test your adrenaline-laced reflexes. This road certainly is not for the faint of heart and should only be attempted when conditions are good.
These dangerous roads in Tennessee are intense and scary, but also incredibly beautiful. Some people will want to challenge themselves and put their driving skills to the test while others will want to stay far away from these terrifying roads. They are notorious for a reason, and with that being said we encourage you to stay safe and be careful while driving anywhere, but especially when it comes to these two windy roads.
If you don’t want to do the Tail of the Dragon, but love a nice pleasant drive then the Foothills Parkway is right next to it and isn’t scary at all.
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