Cheoah to Cherohala Auto Touring Directions

Cheoah to Cherohala Auto Touring Directions

Cherohala Skyway Photo Album 

   I am typing up directions to follow the route we did Sat. 10/28/23 in case anyone wants to go on a trip of their own.   I will make the directions start at Foothills Parkway intersection with Hwy 129.  

 I am going to include directions to the spots we visited, but remember this is by no means a complete list.   I always look at the map before we go.  

 

  Driving Directions: 

Intersection of Foothills Parkway and Hwy 129 Tail of the Dragon drive 16.5 miles to the bridge over the Cheoah River along Hwy 129 .  The dam is to your left.  Calderwood Lake is to your right. You will have passed Deal's Gap 2 miles back.

Drive 3 miles further on Hwy 129 and Tapoco Lodge will be on your right.

Along the Cheoah River there are many cascades. 

Continue for another 3. 8 miles on Hwy 129 heading toward Robbinsville. 

You will arrive at the trailhead for Yellow Creek Falls on  the LEFT.  It is easy to spot with plenty of parking and an information kiosk.

Drive another 1.8 miles on Hwy 129 and you will arrive at a very small pullout on the RIGHT of the road just before the Santeetlah Hydroelectric Pipe crosses above the highway.  To your right is the suspension bridge over the Cheoah River.  Belding Trail is at the far end. 

Drive 1 mile further on Hwy 129 and turn Right onto Joyce Kilmer Road.

To reach the Santeetlah Dam Overlook and picnic spot stay straight and follow the road another 1.5 miles uphill to the overlook on your RIGHT.   There is ample parking here and a picnic table.

This road continues onward and eventually comes back out onto Hwy 129 in another 1/2 mile.

To see Cheoah Blue Hole double back down to the Joyce Kilmer Road you started on SR #1134 

Drive out it for 1/2 mile to a pull out and info kiosk on the LEFT.  The cascades of Blue Hole across the Cheoah River and the wooden platform are immediately visible. 

Stay on SR #1134 Joyce Kilmer Road for 4.5 miles to an intersection with SR #1127 Santeetlah Road. It is signed Horse Cove Campground. Turn right here to go up to Maple Springs Observation Deck for the view.  

The entire drive in Fall out Joyce Kilmer Road runs along the shores of Santeetlah Lake and the colors are sublime!

If you miss your turn  continue another 0.20 miles on SR 1134 and you have another chance to turn RIGHT onto SR 1127.  Either way SR 1127 is a dead end road with a glorious Autumn foliage drive that concludes at Maple Springs Observation Deck on your RIGHT. at 4.50 Miles

There are places for sitting. No facilities for restroom or water.  No trashcans.

   The observation deck is reached via a walkway that is easy. It is disabled accessible.

The walk splits around a small knoll, but either way leads to the platform at the end with a grandstand view of the Snowbird Mountains.  It is about 500 feet to the deck either way. 

From here double back down SR 1127 the way you came. Once at the intersection with Joyce Kilmer Road stay STRAIGHT to continue on SR 1127 Santeetlah Rd  and you will arrive at the Cherohala Skyway in 2.25 miles.  Turn LEFT to return to Robbinsville. Turn RIGHT to head toward Tellico Plains as we did.

From that point it is 3 miles to Shute Cove Overlook. You will have passed Hooper Cove prior to this which has picnic tables and a view also.

Shute Cove has a picnic table and trash cans and observation platform.

There is a knoll behind the parking area that goes up into the woods with a walking path.

From Shute Cove it is another 32 miles heading west along the Cherohala Skyway to reach Tellico Plains.  Cell service is spotty at best in most areas along the drive.  I heard a lady say that she had cell service at Turkey Creek Overlook. 

Below is a photo of the view over the Snowbird Mountains from Shute Cove Overlook

There are overlooks, hiking trails, picnic pull offs all along the route.  Fall colors will be 

peak in the 4500 to 5000s plus elevations up at Huckleberry Knob and Hooper Bald in the first two weeks of October.  

Either end of the Skyway will  have peak Fall colors about the last weekend of October. 

You will drive through a brown zone where Fall is past for a brief spell. Don't be discouraged.

Some of the better pull offs here are Stratton Ridge which has vault toilets, picnic tables, parking, trash bins.  on the RIGHT of the Skyway heading west.

Spirit Ridge on the LEFT heading west is harder to spot, but is another short disabled access visiting spot.  Picnic tables and a viewing platform at the end of a short sidewalk.

Brushy Ridge Overlook has a couple picnic tables and a magnificent view.  No facilities.

Turkey Creek Overlook has vault toilets, trash cans, and picnic tables, but it is usually crowded and the view is expansive, but not as pretty.

Below is an image of the Skyway map starting on the NC end where the road number is Hwy 143. It changes to Hwy 165 at Beech Gap and the TN/NC state line. 

Below is an image of the Tennessee side of the Skyway from the state's website. I am placing it here as the official website has sometimes failed to function.  Here is the link though in case.  It is not as detailed and helpful as the map for the NC side. It doesn't indicate what is at each pull off. I have covered that above hitting the salient points. 

Here is a link to where we had lunch at Tapoco Tavern 

It is quite good.  You can find better info about it on Google Maps than on their website as it doesn't seem to be functioning properly.

 To hike to Yellow Creek Falls: 

From the trailhead and kiosk on the LEFT of Tapoco Rd/Hwy 129 park and begin the hike at the obvious path by the info kiosk.  It heads gradually upstream along Yellow Creek which is on your right.  Numerous pretty cascades along the way and stunning Autumn colors.

Stay with the path upstream for about 0.30 miles and you will see the falls on your right. There is a short path to the base to view the falls. 

Below is an image of Yellow Creek Falls in Autumn