Motorcycle rides near Raleigh
7 famous motorcycle roads within a day's ride of Raleigh, closest first. Each opens in the free MotoCurve planner with a curvy route there from Raleigh, so the ride to the road is part of the ride.
Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia
Virginia · 227 mi long · about 117 mi from Raleigh in a straight lineThe Virginia half of the Blue Ridge Parkway, from Rockfish Gap to the North Carolina line.
Skyline Drive
Virginia · 110 mi long · about 156 mi from Raleigh in a straight lineThe full length of Shenandoah National Park along the Blue Ridge, about 105 miles.
Back of the Dragon
Virginia · 34 mi long · about 176 mi from Raleigh in a straight lineVA 16 over three mountains in southwest Virginia, from Marion to Tazewell.
The Snake, US 421
Tennessee · 34 mi long · about 183 mi from Raleigh in a straight lineUS 421 over Holston Mountain and through Shady Valley, east Tennessee's answer to the Dragon.
Cherohala Skyway
North Carolina and Tennessee · 53 mi long · about 292 mi from Raleigh in a straight lineA high, sweeping mountain road from Robbinsville, NC, to Tellico Plains, TN, above 5,000 feet.
Six Gap Loop
Georgia · 97 mi long · about 296 mi from Raleigh in a straight lineA loop from Dahlonega over six mountain gaps in north Georgia.
Tail of the Dragon
North Carolina and Tennessee · 12 mi long · about 297 mi from Raleigh in a straight lineThe best-known 11 miles in American motorcycling: US 129 at Deals Gap, with 318 curves.
Find your own twisty roads from Raleigh
The famous roads are a long way out. For a Saturday ride, start at your door, choose Curvy or Extra Curvy and let MotoCurve find the back roads, or ask for a round trip: one point, a distance, and a loop back home.
Start planningQuestions
- What are the best motorcycle roads near Raleigh?
- The closest famous rides to Raleigh are the Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia (about 117 miles away in a straight line), the Skyline Drive (about 156 miles away in a straight line) and the Back of the Dragon (about 176 miles away in a straight line). Each has its own page with a map, length, elevation and GPX.
- How do I plan a curvy motorcycle ride from Raleigh?
- Press "Plan from Raleigh" next to any road on this page and the free MotoCurve planner rides there on the Curvy style, then along the road. Or open the planner, start at your door, and choose Curvy or Extra Curvy to anywhere, or ask for a round trip of the length you want.
- Can I get turn-by-turn directions for these rides?
- Yes. Send any route from the planner to the MotoCurve app for free voice navigation on Android and iPhone, or export a GPX for a Garmin or another GPS.