The Tail of the Dragon is famous for 318 curves in 11 miles.
This celebrated stretch of U.S. Route 129 runs from Deals Gap on the Tennessee–North Carolina line into Tennessee. Its tightly packed bends attract motorcyclists and sports-car drivers, while the surrounding Cherokee National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains provide a heavily wooded mountain setting.
The figure 318 is the route’s famous publicized count, though some references note that the exact number depends on how a “curve” is defined. That qualification does not change the standard trivia answer: 318 curves in 11 miles. The road is also known simply as “The Dragon.”
The name reflects the road’s twisting shape, which is said to resemble a dragon’s tail. The route has no towns or driveways along its best-known section, but its reputation is not an invitation to speed: the posted speed limit is 30 mph, and the road has sharp, blind bends with limited recovery space.