Cheoah River Release Schedule 2012 – Whitewater Rafting and Kayaking
December 20, 2011 by TracyZ · Leave a Comment
Ready to take a whitewater rafting or kayak trip on the Cheoah River in 2012?
The water is dam controlled so you’ll want to plan around 10 weekends based on the Cheoah River Release Schedule for 2012. Read more
Cheoah Release Schedule 2011
April 20, 2011 by TracyZ · Leave a Comment
Ready for some churning rolling whitewater? Kayaks and rafters take to the Cheoah River to tackle Class IV and V whitewater on limited release dates throughout 2011.
The Cheoah River runs along US HWY 129 outside of Robbinsville in Graham County North Carolina and offers 9 miles of heart pounding adventure. Nearby is the famous Tail of the Dragon or Dragon at Deals Gap, where car and motorcycle drivers test their skills on the sharp 318 turns in 11 miles.
The whitewater on the Cheoah is normally tamed by Santeetlah Dam, but starting in 2005 the water schedule was released under a Relicensing Settlement Agreement.
The waters will be unleashed on 19 scheduled days but heavy rains will sometimes provide additional release dates. Here is the Read more
129 Tail of the Dragon – Road Back Open!
July 10, 2010 by Godfather · Comments Off
The rock slide that left part of 129, known as Tail of the Dragon, closed on the Tennessee side (between the Dragon and Happy Valley Road/Foothills Parkway) IS NOW OPEN!
Get out and enjoy the ride!
Z-Dayz 2010 at the Dragon
May 17-23, 2010 - The ZdayZ group returns for its 7th year at the Dragon at Deals Gap and the Tail of Dragon, NC. Fontana Village Resort, just off Hellbender Highway 28, will be the headquarters for this event catering to Datsun/Nissan Z-car, Infiniti G35/G37, and GTR sports car enthusiasts.
Last year saw their largest gathering so far with 446 registered attendees and 281 registered vehicles. For more information on the 2010 event visit: http://www.zdayz.com/
MINIS on the Dragon
February 5, 2010 by TracyZ · Comments Off
Apr 28 to May 2, 2010 - Join over 600 Mini Cooper enthusiasts, or Miniacs, as they drive the Smoky Mountain roads of North Carolina.
The main attraction of course is the 318 turns in 11 miles on Highway 129. Known as the Dragon at Deals Gap and Tail of the Dragon, this famous stretch of road is joined by the Hellbender 28 and the Cherohala Skyway as favorites among drivers on both 2 and 4 wheels.
This 8th annual MOTD celebration will be based at Fontana Village and draws Mini Cooper owners from over 32 states
For more information visit the organizers site at: http://www.minisonthedragon.com/
ZdayZ 2009
March 9, 2009 by TracyZ · Comments Off
On May 28-31, 2009 the ZdayZ event returns for its 6th year at the Dragon at Deals Gap and the Tail of Dragon. Fontana Village Resort at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains will be the headquarters for this event catering to Datsun/Nissan Z-car, Infiniti G35/G37, and GTR sports car enthusiasts.
While the main focus of ZDayZ is driving the local roads, there are also plenty of activities including:
- Car Show,
- Drive in Movie,
- Two Concerts
- Onsite Vendors
- Bonfire
- TSD and Prize Rally
- Exhaust Soundoff
- Scavenger Hunt
- and MORE!
Visit ZdayZ.com for registration and information.
CHEOAH RIVER RELEASE SCHEDULE 2009
The Cheoah River offers nine miles of heart pounding whitewater adventure running along US Hwy 129. Just a few minutes from the famous Tail of the Dragon and the Dragon at Deals Gap, this area is well known to motor enthusiasts for its 318 turns in 11 miles. Now the twists and turns take to the river with Class IV+ rapids. This a limited release river with the following scheduled dates for 2009
- February 21-22
- March 14-15
- April 4-5, 18-19, 25-26
- May 9-10, 16-17, 30-31
- June 20-21
- November 7-8
For more information on the Cheoah River visit the Nantahala Outdoor Center. They also offer family style rafting most of the year on the Class II-III waters of the Nantahala River.
10 Tips for Slaying the Dragon
August 29, 2008 by Godfather · 2 Comments
So, you are making your first of what is sure to become many trips to the Dragon. You are probably excited and perhaps a little bit nervous. That is understandable – 318 curves in 11 miles! Ask any “Dragon Slayer” and Read more
Dragon to Skyway Loop
August 19, 2008 by TracyZ · 3 Comments
After years of riding the Smoky Mountains around Deals Gap one of our favorite rides is still the Dragon – Skyway Loop. Start the morning riding the Dragon at Deals Gap complete with 318 turns in 11 miles. Drop down into the valley and loop around to Tellico plains for a stop at the beautiful Bald River Falls. Then head back over the Cherohala Skyway for breathtaking views and mile high elevations ending back at Robbinsville NC.
You can make this a half day to a full day trip depending on how many stops you make along the way. Here we share the details of the route along with Read more
Whitewater Rafting
Ride the Dragon and follow it with the splash of whitewater rafting on some of the Southeast’s most popular rafting rivers! Enjoy a half-day run on the Nantahala River, or “Nanty”, conveniently located on nearby Highway 19 just off US 129.
A great introduction to river running, this 8-mile stretch on the Nantahala offers mostly Class I and II rapids with a Class III finish at the Nantahala Falls. First time rafters and families can feel Read more
