🏍️ Cherohala Loop Ride (Version A & B)

Blue Ridge, GA → Tellico Plains → Cherohala Skyway → Robbinsville → Return Options

🌄 Ride Overview

If you’re looking for one of the best motorcycle rides in the Southeast, this is it.

The Cherohala Skyway is the centerpiece—arguably one of the smoothest, most enjoyable mountain rides in the entire Appalachian range. Everything else in this loop is built around getting you there, riding it, and choosing how you want to finish the day.

You’ll start in Blue Ridge, make your way up to Tellico Plains, ride the Cherohala into Robbinsville, and then decide how much more riding you want.

⏱️ Ride Time & Distance

  • 🅱️ Version B: ~3.5–4 hours (no stops)
  • 🅰️ Version A: ~4.5–5 hours (no stops)
  • 📏 About a 40-mile difference

👉 In reality, both versions will take most of the day once you factor in stops and time off the bike.

👉 My recommendation:
Version A is worth it. For about an extra hour, you get better roads, less highway, and a more complete ride.

🛣️ Blue Ridge → Tellico Plains (The Warm-Up)

The ride out of Blue Ridge toward Tellico Plains is your warm-up.

You’ll get a mix of:

  • Rolling countryside
  • Light curves
  • Good pavement

Nothing overly technical, but a nice way to ease into the day before the main event.

🍺 Tellico Plains – First Stop

About Tellico Plains:
A small, quiet mountain town that exists almost entirely because of the roads around it. It’s a staging point—simple, relaxed, and full of riders heading to or from the Skyway.

🍻 Tellico Brewing Company

Tellico Brewing Company

A laid-back, rider-friendly brewery right in town with a solid craft lineup.

Why this is the stop here:
It’s the perfect place to regroup before the Cherohala. Easy parking, no pressure, good beer, and a relaxed atmosphere. You’re not here long—you’re here to get ready for what’s next.

Checkout our review of Tellico Brewery.

⛰️ The Main Event: Cherohala Skyway

From Tellico Plains, you pick up the Cherohala Skyway—and this is what the whole ride is built around.

This road is exceptional:

  • Long, sweeping curves
  • Wide, predictable turns
  • Smooth, well-maintained pavement
  • Elevation climbs over 5,000 feet

This is not tight or technical riding—it’s flow riding. You can carry a smooth pace, settle into a rhythm, and just enjoy the bike.

👉 This is what makes it special:

  • It’s fast without being dangerous
  • It’s scenic without being distracting
  • It’s engaging without being exhausting

You’ll get constant views—layered mountain ridgelines, deep forest, and long-range vistas.

👉 Especially ideal for:

  • Touring bikes
  • Cruisers
  • Anyone who enjoys smooth, sweeping mountain riding

This is a road you could ride twice in a day and not complain.

🏁 Robbinsville – Reset Point

You’ll come down into Robbinsville.

About Robbinsville:
A rugged little rider town. It’s well-known, but honestly, it’s more of a functional stop than a destination.

👉 What to do here:

  • Fuel up
  • Bathroom break
  • Stretch

👉 Food reality:
Options are limited. We’ve tried Southern Gals Country Cooking—it was fine, but nothing memorable.

There are also fast food options like:

  • Wendy’s
  • McDonald’s

👉 My take:
Don’t hang around. Use it as a reset point and keep moving toward better riding and better stops.

🏍️ Bonus Ride Note

If you head north from Robbinsville on 129, you’ll hit the legendary:

👉 Tail of the Dragon

  • 318 curves in 11 miles
  • Tight, technical, and intense

Completely different from the Cherohala—we’ll cover that in another post.

 The Decision Point

Once you leave Robbinsville, you’ll start heading out on US-129, eventually picking up US-74 West. 

 The key split happens in Marble, not far beyond the Western Carolina Regional Airport.

🅰️ Version A: Take a left onto NC-141 – Adds about 40 miles total
More scenic, less traffic, and better backroad riding. Brings you down toward Hayesville

🅱️ Version B: Stay straight on US-74 –  Heads toward Murphy
You’ll pass the casino before heading into downtown.  Easy options to stop in Murphy or even at the casino

Jump to Option B

🅰️ Cherohala Loop – Version A (Full Ride)

This is the complete version of the loop—the one that turns a great ride into an all-day, memorable one.

Everything from Robbinsville back to Marble is the same as Version B.

👉 Once you hit Marble, this is where the ride gets better.

🧭 The Turn at Marble

As you come through Marble:

👉 Take a left onto NC-141

This is the key move:

  • Gets you off the main highway
  • Brings you back to true two-lane riding
  • Immediately more scenic and relaxed

🛣️ Marble → NC-141 → US-64

NC-141 is a great stretch:

  • Light traffic
  • Smooth pavement
  • Mix of mountain views and farmland
  • Easy, flowing riding

Nothing technical—just a really enjoyable road where you can settle in and cruise.

Follow 141 all the way until it ends at US-64.

👉 At 64:

  • Make a left heading east toward Hayesville

🛣️ US-64 → Hayesville

US-64 here is still very rider-friendly:

  • Mostly two-lane
  • Light traffic
  • Rolling terrain
  • Good visibility and pacing

As you approach Hayesville:

👉 You’ll pass
Hayesville Brew

  • Quick stop option
  • Food + drinks available

👉 But my recommendation:

Keep rolling. You’re close to a better stop.

🍺 Hayesville Stop (Primary)

🍺 Nocturnal Brewing Company (Top Recommendation)

Nocturnal Brewing Company

Getting There:

  • Stay on 64
  • At the split across from Hot Spot convenience store, take a left
  • Follow signs for Historic Hayesville
  • Road becomes Hiawassee Street
  • Bear right at the church
  • Continue to the stop sign → brewery is on the corner

Parking:

  • Street parking (parallel spots)
  • Small lot out front

Why this is the stop:

  • Great beer
  • Really solid food
  • Relaxed, local feel

👉 This is my go-to stop in Hayesville.

👉 Important:

  • Closed Sundays & Mondays (typically)
  • Opens later during the week (~4 PM)
  • Earlier Saturdays (~12 PM)

👉 Always check hours before heading in.

 

 

🍺 Nearby Bonus

Laughing Dogs Brewing
https://www.laughingdogsbrewingnc.com/

  • Smaller, lesser-known spot
  • Worth checking out
  • Same note: check hours

🛣️ Optional Scenic Detour (Highly Recommended)

Leaving Hayesville:

  • Head down Main Street
  • Veer left onto Tusquittee Street

Tusquittee → Cold Branch Loop

  • Stay on Tusquittee Road
  • Pass Laughing Dogs Brewing

From here:

  • Beautiful farmland
  • Creekside riding
  • Quiet valley roads
  • Almost no traffic

👉 One of those “you’d never find it unless someone told you” rides (thank you, Jonathan)

Along the way:

  • Pass Tusquittee Tavern (on the list, not this ride)

At the tavern:

  • Make a right onto Cold Branch Road

Follow Cold Branch:

  • Cross back over US-64
  • Continue straight
  • Connect to Highway 175
  • Make a left

🛣️ Back to Main Route → 175 → 75

Stay on Highway 175:

  • Cross over Lake Chatuge
  • Ride along the water
  • Smooth, scenic section

175 becomes 75 as you enter Georgia.

🌊 Margarita Jack’s (Optional Stop)

Along this stretch:

🍹 Margarita Jack’s

Margarita Jack’s

A hidden gem sitting literally at the end of a floating boat dock.

👉 If you didn’t know it was there, you’d drive right past it.

  • Walk to the end of the dock
  • Small tiki-style bar
  • Great lake views

👉 Perfect for:

  • Quick drink
  • Stretch break
  • Scenic pause

🛣️ Into Hiawassee → Blairsville

Continue on 75 → into Hiawassee

👉 At Main Street:

  • Take a right onto 76 toward Blairsville

🍕 Blairsville Stop

🍕 Pizza Belly (Top Recommendation)

Pizza Belly

Great pizza, solid stop, worth it if you’re hungry.

🍺 Blairsville Brewing Company

Blairsville Brewing Company

👉 Both are in the same parking lot
👉 Easy stop with flexible options: beer, pizza, or both

🛣️ Blairsville → Blue Ridge (Important)

👉 Do NOT stay on Highway 76

Instead:

  • Leaving town, bear left onto Blue Ridge Highway
  • (Across from Longhorn Steakhouse)

Why this matters:

This is one of the best finishing stretches of the ride:

  • Sweeping mountain views
  • Rolling farmland
  • Cattle fields
  • Light curves and small twisties
  • Very little traffic

👉 A true local backroad upgrade

🛣️ Final Stretch → Morganton → Blue Ridge

Follow Blue Ridge Highway:

  • Through Morganton
  • Back into Blue Ridge

🍺 Grumpy Old Men Brewing – Blue Ridge

If the group’s not quite ready to call it a day, there’s one last stop that usually wraps things up perfectly.

  • Address: 1315 E Main St, Blue Ridge, GA 30513
  • Phone: (706) 946-2739
  • Website: grumpyoldmenbrewing.com
  • Hours: Typically open daily (check ahead—hours can shift seasonally)

Tucked just outside downtown Blue Ridge, Grumpy Old Men Brewing is one of those laid-back, no-frills spots that feels like a true local hangout the moment you pull in. It’s not trying to be flashy—and that’s exactly the appeal. Expect a welcoming crowd, solid craft beer, and a relaxed mountain vibe that makes it easy to stay longer than planned.

👉 Full review of Grumpy Old Men in Blue Ridge, GA

🅱️ Version B – The Shorter Return

After you drop down off the Cherohala Skyway into Robbinsville, this is where the ride shifts gears a bit.

The Cherohala is the highlight—it’s hard to beat—but Version B gives you a clean, efficient way home without completely sacrificing the ride quality.

🏁 Leaving Robbinsville

Once you’ve:

  • Stretched your legs
  • Topped off your tank
  • Taken a quick break

…it’s time to get moving again.

From Robbinsville:

  • Take US-129 heading east out of town
  • This is a short connector stretch
  • You’ll come out to US-74 fairly quickly

👉 At US-74:

  • Make a right heading west

From here, you’ll settle into a more open, faster-paced section of riding.

🛣️ Robbinsville → Andrews → Murphy

You’ll follow US-74 west:

  • Pass through Andrews
  • Continue straight past Marble
  • Ride past Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino

This stretch is:

  • More highway-oriented
  • Faster moving
  • Less technical than earlier parts of the ride

👉 Think of this as your transition section—you’re making time, but still surrounded by mountains and good scenery.

Before long, you’ll roll into Murphy.

🍺 Murphy Stop (Optional but Solid)

If you’re thinking about stopping, Murphy is a much better option than Robbinsville.

🍺 Buck Bald Brewing

Buck Bald Brewing

A classic small-town brewery with good beer, a relaxed atmosphere, and some food options.

Why stop here:
Easy, casual, rider-friendly. Good place to grab a quick pint and take a breather.

🍔 Chevelle’s 66

Chevelle’s 66

More of a full restaurant with a strong bar setup.

Why stop here:
Great burgers, solid food across the board, and a full bar with a good tap selection.

👉 Rider note:
Parking is on the street and on a hill—back in if you can so you don’t get stuck trying to push out.

  • 📍 66 Tennessee St, Murphy, NC
  • 📞 (828) 837-0660

👉 My take:
Both are solid—it just depends on your mood:

  • Beer-focused → Buck Bald
  • Food + drinks → Chevelle’s

🛣️ Murphy → Highway 60 Split

When you leave Murphy:

  • Continue on US-74 heading west
  • This stretch is quick and straightforward

You’ll eventually come to the split with:

👉 Highway 60

  • Take a left onto Highway 60 toward Blue Ridge

🛣️ Highway 60 → Hardscrabble Decision

You’ll follow Highway 60 for about 5 miles.

This is where a small decision makes a big difference.

👉 Recommended: Hardscrabble Road

Take a right onto Hardscrabble Road

  • Runs roughly parallel to 60
  • Much less traffic
  • More scenic and relaxed
  • Adds maybe 10–15 minutes at most

👉 This is one of those “locals know” roads
👉 Always worth taking

If You Stay on 60:

  • Still a fine ride
  • Just a bit more traffic and less character

🛣️ Back Together → Mineral Bluff → Blue Ridge

Whether you take Hardscrabble or stay on 60, both routes will bring you to:

👉 Mineral Bluff Highway

  • You’ll make a left in either case
  • Continue following 60

🛣️ Final Approach

  • Follow 60 past Appalachian Highway
  • Continue until you reach Old US-76
  • Make a right heading toward downtown Blue Ridge

🌊 Lake Blue Ridge Stretch

As you come back into Blue Ridge:

You’ll cross the Blue Ridge Dam and get a quick glimpse of:

👉 Lake Blue Ridge

It’s a great final visual after a long ride.

🍺 Optional Scenic Drink & Food Stop

Lake Blue Ridge Marina

  • Food and drinks
  • Lakefront views
  • Easy motorcycle parking

👉 Good spot if you want one last relaxed stop with a view.

🍺 Final Stop Options (Blue Ridge)

If you keep rolling into town:

🍺 Angry Hops Brewing or Grumpy Old Men Brewing

🍺 Grumpy Old Men Brewing – Blue Ridge

If the group’s not quite ready to call it a day, there’s one last stop that usually wraps things up perfectly.

  • Address: 1315 E Main St, Blue Ridge, GA 30513
  • Phone: (706) 946-2739
  • Website: grumpyoldmenbrewing.com
  • Hours: Typically open daily (check ahead—hours can shift seasonally)

Tucked just outside downtown Blue Ridge, Grumpy Old Men Brewing is one of those laid-back, no-frills spots that feels like a true local hangout the moment you pull in. It’s not trying to be flashy—and that’s exactly the appeal. Expect a welcoming crowd, solid craft beer, and a relaxed mountain vibe that makes it easy to stay longer than planned.

👉 Full review of Grumpy Old Men in Blue Ridge, GA

🏁 Big Picture

At the end of the day:

👉 This ride is about the Cherohala Skyway
One of the best roads in Tennessee and Western North Carolina

Everything else is just how you choose to experience the rest of the day.

  • These towns? Worth their own trips
  • These stops? All solid

But if you’re looking for the best overall loop…

👉 Version A is still hard to beat.