Gatlinburg & the Smokies
Mountain Roads & Southern Stops
Mountain curves, long loops, and a Gatlinburg base camp. The route collection from our September 17–27, 2026 trip itinerary.
THE TRIP AT A GLANCE
Massachusetts to the mountains.
- When
- September 17–27, 2026
11 days on the road - Starting point
- Massachusetts
3,000 miles overall - Overnight stops & base
- Harrisonburg → Knoxville → Gatlinburg
Gatlinburg was our mountain riding base - Along the way
- The Greenbrier & Neyland Stadium
A bunker tour, Volunteers football, and time with the crew
Road highlights: Tail of the Dragon, Foothills Parkway, Moonshiner 28, and Cherohala Skyway—with eight route options to explore below.
THE JOURNEY
From Massachusetts to the Smokies
Good roads are worth traveling for, and this trip covered 3,000 miles overall.
We left Massachusetts and headed south, following I-95 to I-287, I-78, and eventually I-81. Our first overnight stop was Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was a long opening day, but it put us within reach of the mountains and the roads we’d come to ride.
WEST VIRGINIA / THE GREENBRIER
A stop with a secret beneath it
The next morning, we left Harrisonburg for the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. With its grand white facade and colorful gardens, the hotel made quite a change of scenery from the interstate.
But the most memorable part of our visit was underground.
We toured the Cold War bunker built to shelter members of Congress in the event of a nuclear attack. Walking through it brought a piece of history into focus in a way that reading about it never could. The hotel was amazing; the scale and purpose of the bunker were just as impressive.
Then it was back on the bikes and on to Knoxville, Tennessee, for the night.
KNOXVILLE / NEYLAND STADIUM
Trading engine noise for Rocky Top
On Saturday, September 19, we joined the Tennessee faithful at Neyland Stadium for the Volunteers’ game against Kennesaw State.
Before heading into the stadium, we visited the Vol Navy and Vol Village, taking in the atmosphere around the Salute to Service game. By the time we reached our seats, the evening was becoming another highlight of the trip.
Being surrounded by a sea of orange in a stadium that holds more than 100,000 fans is something you have to experience. The crowd’s enthusiasm, the support for the team, and the sunset over Neyland made it a night to remember.
GATLINBURG / MOUNTAIN MILES
The roads we came for
After Knoxville, Gatlinburg became our base for a week of mountain riding.
We traded interstate miles for winding roads, sweeping bends, and the tight curves of the legendary Tail of the Dragon. These were the roads we’d been looking forward to: the kind that keep you engaged, make you appreciate the bike beneath you, and give everyone something to talk about at the next stop.
For our crew, that’s what makes a trip like this worthwhile. Good roads, good company, and a few unexpected highlights along the way.
Below, you’ll find the routes from our Gatlinburg itinerary, with ride notes, mileage estimates, and Google Maps links to help you plan a Smokies trip of your own.
PLAN YOUR RIDE
Eight routes. One mountain base.
Our itinerary brought together classic Smokies rides and a few new routes for 2026. Choose a shorter outing or make a full day of it with the longer loops into North Carolina and Georgia.
Distances and times are estimates from our planning notes. The collection lists ride options rather than a day-by-day record of completed rides. Allow extra time for fuel, food, photo stops, and changing road conditions.
01 / RIDE
Copperhead Road
The itinerary lists a 110-mile Copperhead route with 965 curves, plus the ride from Gatlinburg. Allow about 90 minutes to reach the start. This route does not include the roadside marker seen on Instagram.
02 / RIDE
Smoky Mountains & Bush’s loop
A loop from Gatlinburg with Bush’s Visitor Center and Cherokee among the mapped stops. Use the saved route to see the full sequence.
03 / RIDE
Shiners Run
Includes part of the Rattler and roads that were new to our itinerary for 2026. Allow about an hour from Gatlinburg to the start; that approach is separate from the listed route time.
04 / RIDE
Tail of the Dragon & Moonshiner combo
Combines the Foothills Parkway, Tail of the Dragon, sections of Moonshiner 28, and a stop at Happ’s Place for wings.
05 / RIDE
Tail of the Dragon & Cherohala Skyway
A full-day route pairing the Dragon with the Cherohala Skyway. Our itinerary notes staying on Route 165 after Spirit Ridge to continue along the skyway.
06 / RIDE
Moonshiner 28: four-state ride
The Tennessee–Georgia–South Carolina–North Carolina loop, also called the Clemson ride in our trip notes. A longer option for a full day on the bike.
07 / RIDE
Dracula’s Driveway
The itinerary estimates a two-hour approach through Great Smoky Mountains National Park and roughly five hours for the route itself. Treat this as a long day.
08 / RIDE
The Gauntlet
An early-start option heading into Georgia and including some of Moonshiner 28. Follow the approach map, then Map 1 and Map 2; the notes identify a Valero gas station as the changeover point. Roadside barbecue stops were part of the plan.
Route: part 1
Route: part 2