Tail of the Dragon


K-P Garage

K-P Garage

GT Owner
Sep 12, 2005
364
Longwood, Florida
Sorry if this has been discussed, but has anyone done the Dragon in their GT?
 
I've done it on my bike several times. Amazing, nothing else I could compare it to; going back to TN/NC for the third time this September. Many other great rides in the area such as the Cherahola Skyway.
 
Thanks! Cherahola is on our list too. My Ford salesman is biker and keeps telling me about it. We are loaded up the GT and headed that way.
 
tail

I would say that the tail is way to tight and narrow for our Fords, but the Cherohala is perfect. Cops are a problem on the NC side though. Done it many times on my bike and with Porsches.
 
Sorry if this has been discussed, but has anyone done the Dragon in their GT?
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My first thought was that Chip and Veronica had probably done that in the GT (you know how newlyweds are) but I think now you are referring to something else completely.
 
The website is pretty neat:
http://www.tailofthedragon.com/index.html
 
Did the Dragon and Cherahola Skyway twice on my motorcycle. The Dragon is a riot on a bike, or I would imagine a small nimble sports car. The Dragon may get a bit tedious in the Ford GT as there are 311 fairly tight turns in 11 miles. I agree the Cherahola Skyway would be perfect for the GT. Big long sweepers with gorgeous views of the peaks of the smokies. One of the most scenic drives out there. Bring radar detector for sure.

There is a wall of shame up at the top of the Dragon in the small restaurant/gas station of various mishaps over the years. I think there is a picture of a Viper stuck in a tree that flew off a corner. You have to be careful of newbies and yahoos that drift over the center line whilist overbaking corners. Many of the corners are blind going into them.
 
Dragon is NOT for cars; insane for bikes, but no way I'd take the GT there, expect for sightseeing!
 
Done it with the GT and it is not for the faint of heart. DO NOT CROSS THE YELLOW DIVIDING LINE as the bikers are leaning into every corner. Very tight, and can be fun but the GT is way too much car for this road other than just for a scenic drive which it is great for. Lots of police too.
 
Did the Tail lasat year on the way to Rally V along with Ralphie. In our GT's and have the shirt to prove it!

We diligently stayed in "our" lane at ALL times and kept well below the adrenalin cut off point.

Lot's of rock cliffs, drop-offs and NO shoulders. Wonderful scenery and a fabulous memory.


If you do go, make it a week day, remember it's not a race from one end to the other, and ejoy youselves. While keeping in mind that around every corner, which are mostly blind and very slow, a two wheeler WILL be coming right at you, close to the center line if not in your lane.

Go have some fun in your GT.
 
PL510*Jeff said:
Did the Tail last year on the way to Rally V along with Ralphie. In our GT's and have the shirt to prove it!

We diligently stayed in "our" lane at ALL times and kept well below the adrenalin cut off point.

Lot's of rock cliffs, drop-offs and NO shoulders. Wonderful scenery and a fabulous memory.


If you do go, make it a week day, remember it's not a race from one end to the other, and enjoy yourselves. While keeping in mind that around every corner, which are mostly blind and very slow, a two wheeler WILL be coming right at you, close to the center line if not in your lane.

Go have some fun in your GT.
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I think we enjoyed ourselves, saw some great scenery, and the GT's got great respect at Deal's Gap. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, and I know Jeff would too!
 
I did it several times riding 'one-up' on motorcycles over the years. It was fairly dangerous back in the late 1970s/1980's. Eroded shoulders, drop offs & and lots of gravel wash. Did it in 2005 on my UltraClassic Harley , fully loaded with Margaret on the back. (a lot slower).
The road in very much improved, but in the FGT , I too would worry about a crotch-rocket taking off the side of my car at the centerline of the curves...
AJB (andy)
 
with the transporter?

truck.jpg
 
I was on a vacation with my parents when we did the Dragon. My dad had a Buick Century rental and he told my mom there was this really cool road we had to take a drive on. When we stopped for gas he put 40 lbs of air in the tires but it didn't help much. We didn't set any records but he had the tires rolling off the rims and my mother doing a lot of talking. Another great ride we went on was in AZ called the Mingus HWY 89A out of Jerome. He had her talking on that one too.

AJK
 
I refuse to do anything with Ralphie and Larson. Those two are an embarassment in a bar with women.
 
Unlike you
 
I have done it in a Lotus Exige which was way fun. My opinion is it is too tight to enjoy in the GT, particularly with the way the A pillars interfere with vision during tight turns.
 
Did the Tail of the Dragon with both the 911 and the FGT. The Ford is too big and powerful to really enjoy it.

Having said that it is a great place, there are lots of petrol heads and it is good fun.

The Cherahola Skyway is wonderful, but be careful because you can reach insane speeds with the FGT and there are a few Troopers patrolling the area.
 
Thanks for all the input. I might as well confess before my Ford man gets on here and rats me out. We are not taking the GT but the F150. We were going to take the little Honda Element but I was afraid a picture would get posted here about that. Anyway, looking forward to the trip with my boy before teenagehood sets in. Thanks, K & P
 
K-P, go for the Element! A set of low profile tires and she'll handle much better! I've done the dragon many times in cars and bikes. But never the GT, it's simply too big. Take Jeff's tip and do it mid-week. Week-ends are just too congested. Cops have been an issue in the lat few years - on both the NC and TN sides. Here's a useful prep site: https://snow.he.net/~two/TWO_Store/two_store.htm
 
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