National Scenic Byway · Tennessee, North Carolina

Cherohala Skyway

A 43-mile mountain skyway between Tellico Plains, Tennessee, and Robbinsville, North Carolina, with mile-high views.

Also known as Tennessee 165 and North Carolina 143

Cherohala Skyway: Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness

Photo: U.S. Department of Transportation, America's Byways collection (National Archives), Public domain, source

  • Length42.95 miles[1]
  • Drive timeAbout two hours[1]FHWA's "time to allow"
  • RoadsNot verified
  • Start and endTellico Plains, Tennessee, to Robbinsville, North Carolina[3]
  • Fees and passesSome attractions along the way charge.[1]
  • Best seasonNot verified
  • SurfaceNot verified
  • Vehicle notesSteep climb: on the North Carolina side the road rises from 2,660 to 5,390 feet in just over 10 miles.[3]
  • Seasonal closuresNot verified

Before you go

Road status and weather can change quickly. Check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Facts last checked against the sources on October 22, 2026.

About the drive

The Cherohala Skyway crosses the southern Appalachians between Tellico Plains, Tennessee, and Robbinsville, North Carolina, through the Cherokee and Nantahala national forests. Its name joins the two: Cherokee and Nantahala.

FHWA highlights mile-high vistas, fall foliage, hiking and picnic spots in rarely visited parts of the forests.

On the North Carolina side the road rises from about 2,660 to 5,390 feet in just over 10 miles, near Santeetlah Lake and the old-growth Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Allow about two hours.

Stops along the way

  1. Tellico Plains

    Tennessee end, with food and fuel.

    Official information · 35.36286, -84.29409 · about 0.8 mi from the route line

  2. Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest

    Old-growth forest near Robbinsville.

    Official information · 35.35736, -83.9313 · about 1.6 mi from the route line

  3. Santeetlah Lake

    Mountain lake near the North Carolina end.

    Official information · 35.36485, -83.86209 · about 2.2 mi from the route line

  4. Robbinsville

    North Carolina end.

    Official information · 35.32276, -83.807 · about 5.2 mi from the route line

Stops are listed in order along the route; the numbers match the map. Stop locations come from the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey place-names database, the stop's own official page or, where noted in the data, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors).

Food along the way

Farmers markets within about 25 miles

  • Stecoah Tailgate MarketLake Santeetlah, NC · about 11.5 mi from the route
  • Country Farmers' MarketMadisonville, TN · about 11.6 mi from the route
  • Cedar Valley Farmers' MarketMurphy, NC · about 13.9 mi from the route
  • Market Park Farmers' Market of AthensAthens, TN · about 18.4 mi from the route
  • Hayesville Evening MarketHayesville, NC · about 20.5 mi from the route

Markets keep their own seasons and hours, so check with the market before you go. Find more in the Farmers Market Finder.

Sources

  1. America's Byways: Cherohala Skyway (FHWA) (checked 2026-10-22)
  2. Cherohala Skyway (Cherokee National Forest, USDA Forest Service) (checked 2026-10-22)
  3. Cherohala Skyway (Visit NC, North Carolina Department of Commerce) (checked 2026-10-22)
  4. Route line: U.S. DOT scenic byways map service (geo.dot.gov), retrieved 2026-10-22.

Written by VanillaGoods from the cited official sources. This is a drive to know, not a ranking. Road status and weather can change quickly; check the official road-conditions link before you go.

Spot something out of date? Email help@vanillagoods.com (help@vanillagoods.com).

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