Cherohala Skyway

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The Cherohala Skyway is a paved 36 mile, two-lane road that connects Tellico Plains, TN, to Robbinsville, NC. Its name is a portmanteau of Cherokee and Nantahala, the two national forests it connects, and is also known as the Overhill Skyway. In April 1997, the state of North Carolina declared it a Scenic Byway. The Skyway is now designated as a National Scenic Byway by the Federal Highway Administration.

The Skyway was begun in planning in 1958. Thirty-two years of construction and 100,000,000 dollars later, the Cherohala was opened October 12, 1996. The Cherohala Skyway runs for 21 miles as State Route 165 on the western side of the mountains and for 15 miles as North Carolina Route 143 on the eastern side. The western end of the Skyway begins at Tellico Plains at an elevation below 1,000 feet and follows the Tellico River Gorge for four miles. The Skyway then ascends into the Unaka Mountains to an elevation of 5,390 feet at Santeetlah Gap before descending into Robbinsville. The road through the North Carolina side looks down on Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and on clear days as far as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. On the Tennessee side are Cherokee National Forest, including Bald River Falls and the Tellico River. The Tellico River nor Bald River Falls are on the "Skyway" you must take another road to get there but will worth the 7 mile trip.

[edit] Skyway Highlights

• Mile 0 Santeetlah Gap
• 11 Santeetlah
• 16 Begin Tellico Plains Descent

[edit] External links

• Cherohala.org - official website
• Drive Among The Clouds - pictures, maps, and information
• Byways.org - from U.S. Department of Transportation
• Cherohala Skyway Visitor Center: A Dream Come True! - the building and dedication of the TN Visitor Center in Monroe County.
• Cherohala.com - commercial site with lots of good information, history, maps, and pictures.
• Tail of the Dragon - tips and information on driving the Cherohala