About Cherokee National Forest Overlook (Cherohala Skyway, Tennessee)
The Cherohala Skyway is the 43-mile road from Tellico Plains, Tennessee, to Robbinsville, North Carolina, and the Tennessee side is the quieter, longer climb. The pull-offs here have no single name worth remembering, and that is why they are good: the road climbs out of the Tellico River valley through Cherokee National Forest, and every few miles the trees open onto hollows and ridgelines.
What you will see
The first views are of forested hollows, with the Tellico River in the valley behind you and hardwood ridges rising ahead. As the road gains elevation the hardwoods give way to a higher mix, and by the time you near the state line the horizon is a long, layered crest of the Unicoi Mountains. In fall the color arrives at the top first and slides down the road over a couple of weeks; by late October the high ground is bare and the colors have moved to the valleys.
Planning the drive
- From Tellico Plains, allow 45 to 60 minutes to the state line without stopping.
- Services: none along the road. Fill up in Tellico Plains or Robbinsville, and expect no cell service for long stretches.
- Weather: the Skyway tops out above 5,000 feet and fog, ice and early snow are possible from late October. Check the Cherokee National Forest page for closures.
- Pull-offs: small, gravel or paved, without signs. Make sure all four wheels are off the road.
Why bother
If you have already done Newfound Gap and the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Skyway gives you the high Southern Appalachians with a fraction of the traffic. Pair it with a stop at the Bald River Falls turnoff near Tellico Plains, and you have a full half-day. The Skyway runs through national forest, not the national park, so none of the park's parking-tag rules apply here.