Tellico Plains sits where the Tellico River comes out of the Unaka Mountains into the broad valley of eastern Tennessee, at about two hundred and seventy metres, and it is the gateway to the Cherohala Skyway. The town is small, with a main street, a few cafes and a general air of being at the end of the road, which in a sense it is. Behind it the mountains of the Cherokee National Forest rise in wave after wave, and in front the valley opens toward Madisonville and the Tennessee River.
The Skyway is the reason riders come. Its name combines Cherokee and Nantahala, the two national forests it links, and it climbs from this valley across the Unicoi range and down into North Carolina, about forty-five miles of road with long sweeping climbs, grand views and, at its highest, a little over five thousand feet. It was built over some thirty years and opened in 1996, and it was designed with gentle gradients and wide curves, so it is smooth and easy, a more relaxed counterpart to the famous tight twisting of US 129 at Deals Gap, which lies farther south.
Before heading up, fill the tank. Tellico Plains has a few stations on the main road, and it is wise to use one even if the gauge looks fine. Food is easy in town, with diners serving breakfast, burgers and barbecue, and a coffee and a biscuit make a good start. In peak season, weekends bring many bikes, so earlier is better.
The area has history older than any road. The Cherokee had a string of towns along the Little Tennessee River nearby, including Tanasi, which gave Tennessee its name, and much of that land lies under the water of Tellico Lake. The Trail of Tears, the forced removal of the Cherokee in 1838, started from this region, and the land holds a heavy memory.
Weather in the mountains changes quickly. The valley can be warm while the ridge is cold and wet, so pack layers and a rain jacket. Fall colour, in October, is the best show of the year.