The Cherohala Skyway

The Cherohala Skyway, a ridge route between Tellico Plains, Tennessee and Robbinsville, North Carolina, opened on October 12, 1996, and was immediately acclaimed as one of the most scenic routes in the United States. Veteran travelers say it is more beautiful than Vermont in the fall. In April 1997, the state of North Carolina declared it a NC Scenic Byway and subsequently the National Highway Administration also named it a National Scenic Byway.  For additional information on byways visit the following websites.

  Americas Byways
           North Carolina Scenic Byways           

The Story of a Dream

The skyway began with a joke told at a Kiwanas Club in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, in 1958. The joke -- that the only roads between Tennessee and North Carolina were left from the wagon trains taking settlers west -- led to a yearly wagon train, and the wagon train led to the interest of some political leaders in North Carolina, Tennessee and Washington, D.C.

Forty years later, the joke has become a 50 mile, $100 million, two-lane blacktop road joining Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina through some of the most scenic parts of the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests. The name, "Cherohala," is taken from the names of the forests through which the skyway runs.

Much of the route through North Carolina looks down on the Snowbird Mountains and the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness Area. Several overlooks offer spectacular views of North Carolina and Tennessee. Santeetlah Overlook, 5,390 feet, is the highest elevation of the roadway. Other sites are: Big Junction, 5,240 feet; Haw Knob Slopes, 4,890 feet; Stratton Meadows, 4,320 feet; and Hooper Bald, 5,290 feet. On clear days, you can see into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Spirit Ridge, a lookout just east of Hooper Bald, is accessible for the physically challenged and offers one of the most expansive views along the entire route. For the traveler's convenience, restrooms and picnic areas are scheduled for completion by the fall of 1997.

The U.S. Forest Service has made an effort to keep things as natural as possible along the scenic roadway. Guardrails are a natural, rusted brown to blend in with the earth and trees. Scenic overlooks are off the road and enhance the solitude you can experience in this pristine area.

When planning your drive of the Cherohala Skyway allow 1½ to 2 hours in order to stop and enjoy the various scenic overlooks.

Skyway Links:

Cherohala Skyway - History and Photos

Cherohala Skyway - Accommodations, Maps, and Photos

Western North Carolina Attractions - Cherohala Skyway

Revised: October 07, 2008.